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Strong and Tough Platform Bed DIY

by trz on December 2, 2007

Table of Contents

intro: Strong and Tough Platform Bed DIY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: Making Legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2: Cut your Head/Foot and Side Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3: Attach short boards to legs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 4: Attaching Long Side to Bed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 5: Install Center Support Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 6: Glue/Nail on Support Rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 7: Install Castors, Cut Plywood, Tighten and Enjoy! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/
intro: Strong and Tough Platform Bed DIY
DIY platform bed with approximately $60-$90 that definitely will last. Made with plywood, 2x6's, 4x4's, and castors (wheels). More pictures available at
www.myplatformbed.com. You will need:

Materials Needed:
3 - 2x6 Boards 10' feet long
1 - 4x4 Post 32" inches to 40" inches long
1- 2x4 Stud
12 - Hex Bolts 3/8 by 6" inches long
12 - Hex 3/8 Nuts
24 - Cut Washers for 3/8 Bolts
1 - 2x4 Stud framing support bracket (pictured)
8 - Screws; 1 1/2" inches

Tools Needed:
Carpenter Square
Tape Measure
Miter Saw (Recommended)
Electric Drill with Phillips Drill Bit
Long 3/8 Drill bit (6" inches or over)
1- 9/16 Socket Wrench
1- 9/16 Wrench
Wood Glue

step 1: Making Legs

We start by cutting the legs of the platform bed. This 4x4 wood I found outside, discarded. Find a scrap one or buy, cut yourself or cut to size at the lumber store.

Cut 8" in length if you want castors on it, 10" if you do not. You may opt for shorter legs (no shorter than 6.5") or longer ones.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/
step 2: Cut your Head/Foot and Side Boards
With my cut I am cutting one inch bigger to play it safe. I am fine with a platform bed approximately 1 inch bigger than the mattress, if you prefer the platform structure
even out with your mattress, cut exactly as your mattress is. With your 2x6 board cut:

Mattress Size: Long Side Board Cut: Short Head/Foot Board Cut:
Twin two 75" boards (or 76") two 39" boards (or 40")
Full two 75" boards (or 76") two 54" boards (or 55")
Queen two 60" boards (or 61") two 80" boards (or 81")
King two 76"/78" boards (Kings varies) two 80" boards or (81")
-
My particular platform bed is Full Size. There's a popular quote in carpentry that goes as "Measure twice, Cut once". Be careful with your measurements. From this point
on, there will be more measurements needed and I recommend a Carpenter's Square for straight and even lines to cut from ($2.99 yellow plastic tool pictured above)

step 3: Attach short boards to legs

The entire platform bed will have a 1/2" gap from the top, nothing will obstruct that 1/2" inch gap all around the platform bed. This is done in advance to secure support
beams/boards (plywood or wood strips) at the end of the project.

For your short (head/foot) side boards you want the edge of the legs and board to even out, as shown in picture above. Remember to maintain a 1/2" inch gap. See
previous picture #2.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/
step 4: Attaching Long Side to Bed
We apply the same 1/2" inch gap from the above and will be drilling for two bolts on each ends. This time the edges of the leg and board will not even up. It'll be off by 1
1/2" inches (thickness of my 2x6).

Next, make measurements to locate where the first hole is on the leg and draw an "avoid line" on the board, just for reference. If you measure from the top of the leg,
remember to account for the 1/2" gap. Draw a line 3" inches from the edge because you will be drilling 3" away from the edge into center of the leg.

With your "avoid line" and by the 3" inch mark, drill a hole and insert a bolt between 1 1/4" to 1 1/2"inches from the top and another one 1 1/3" to 2" inches from the
bottom.

step 5: Install Center Support Beam

Installing the center support beam for the platform bed, begin by marking the very center of both sides (head/foot side) of this bed. Also mark for our 1/2" inch gap to find
where the 2x4 support stud beam should go.

Then trace lines around where you want to install the 2x4 Stud support bracket and disassembly your platform bed so you can drill on screws better and hammer in some
built in notch on the support bracket.

Do the same for the opposite side, then measure the length from that stud support bracket to the other support bracket on the other side and cut a 2x4 stud of that length.
That measurement should be within an inch or two of the length of your mattress size.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/
step 6: Glue/Nail on Support Rail
My support rail is long and thin (scrap wood 1/2" thick) cut into two 4' feet strips and pre-drilled (with a small drill bit) in four places ready for screws. I apply glue to one
side of the support rail and screw onto the inside of the board with my 1/2" inch gap in mind. Pre-drill your rail and use 1 1/2" inches screws.
Note: If you select a wood strip support system instead of plywood, make your support rail the entire length of the side boards. You can't afford gaps with a wood strip
support system.

step 7: Install Castors, Cut Plywood, Tighten and Enjoy!

It is fairly easy to install castors, just flip over the platform frame and pre-drill your four holes where the castor is centered then screw in small screws around 1" inch long.

You must already know we're almost done here! The last thing to do is get some support for the mattress and you. I am using plywood because they're still light and won't
buckle too much as a wood strip support system might. Measure the sideways length of the inside right above on top of your new support rails and cut sheets of plywood
of that size. I made two sheets of plywood with their standard width but the third sheet I had to cut to fit.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/
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Comments
22 comments Add Comment

Spokehedz says: Dec 8, 2007. 7:53 AM REPLY

Umm... A bed frame is $50 bucks from Big Lots. Plus, they will deliver.

shannabelle72 says: Apr 19, 2009. 8:18 AM REPLY

Ummm... not all of us have a Big Lots where we live.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/
 plzspoilme25 says: Feb 26, 2009. 1:12 PM REPLY
yes ur wood is dangerous filled with chemicals and such....but i dont think i seen anyone complain on the loft beds????? like the idea still to hard for ME to
build...and i'm betting a bit heavy to try to move?

dredawg says: Aug 26, 2008. 6:52 AM REPLY

Thanks for the great instructable. So great I had to make one for myself, and I must say it turned out pretty awesome. I did a few things slightly different than
you did it. First was to put 2- 2x4's crossways instead of 1 length ways. Oh I also used liquid nail adhesive instead of wood glue. Also I made mine 60"x80"
(queen size). All said and done it cost me about $90-$100 CAD and roughly 10 hours to complete, including picking up the materials. ( a few to many blunt
breaks too i guess :D).

Thanks for the inspiration.

tatagatha says: Dec 6, 2007. 4:30 PM REPLY

I've made two almost identical beds. The first when I was in HS with very long legs. my bed ended up 4 feet in the air as some sort of half loft.

Looking back it was a little over built. So, most recently I made a more delicate version using white pine 1x6s for the sides. Once glued with the running
support rails(1x2) they turn quite strong. I made L shapped legs with 1x2 to give it very light feet. I'm happy with how it turned out. Then I sprung for the lyred
slats from Ikea. Check it out.Check it out.

I can see the main advantage

shooby says: Jul 1, 2008. 3:23 PM REPLY

Is that the correct name for those slats?

tatagatha says: Jul 1, 2008. 9:49 PM REPLY

The slats I used were the Sultan Lillaker from Ikea. I thought I had used the Sultan Liared slats.. and then I that turned into lyred in my head, which I
then made up as an adjective. If I were to give it a definition, it would mean a gentle bend in laminated wood (think lyre like the harp).

shooby says: Jul 2, 2008. 12:38 AM REPLY

thanks for clearing that up, nice project.

trz says: Feb 28, 2008. 7:56 AM REPLY

You make me proud, Teeps! If we could get 12 more people to do this, by university standards we could start up a fraternity. Thanks for your feedback on
additional materials. Looks like you had much better a workspace. Let me know how much you paid for your bed.

teeps says: Feb 27, 2008. 6:41 PM REPLY

Here are the results of my successful attempt!

Couple of suggestions:

To the author: add plywood to your supply list.

To builders:
1 try and find some clamps for securing the legs to the rails when you drill
2 LABEL LABEL LABEL your combos of leg/rail. You will not get perfect drilling on every side so you want to put it together just as you drilled. There is an
example of this in my second photo (the sharpie "C").

Woot! New bed!

gnomedriver says: Dec 6, 2007. 9:24 PM REPLY

Great project.

However, the treated timber is a bit of a worry.

This may be a repeat comment and Robbtoberfest and others have posted comments on this but ya gotta think of ya health first and foremost.

There are some chemicals in that stuff. Designed for outdoor and ground contact where untreated woods would soon rot and come under attack from insect
and fungi.

At the moment there is a bit in the local news about carpenters and timber workers coming down ill with repertory illnesses.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Strong-and-Tough-Platform-Bed-DIY/
 Take care with it and wear a mask when cutting!!

themostbob says: Dec 7, 2007. 7:29 AM REPLY

If it's old enough (<2003), the treated wood was treated with extremely toxic chromated copper arsenate, and sawdust would be quite dangerous to be
around and breath. Not sure I would want it under my bed, either, but ymmv.

I like the idea, though. I'd probably try to put some protection on the sides for the floor for when I move it through a doorway on its side.

jimbarbera says: Dec 6, 2007. 8:41 PM REPLY

I recommend perforating the plywood base by drilling several large (~1") holes. Space them 6" apart in a diagonal grid. This will allow the mattress to breathe
and prevent moisture buildup.

MD_Willington says: Dec 5, 2007. 1:44 PM REPLY

Another way to make the support rails in the sides is to use a table saw to notch out the top of the 2x6.. or setup a jig and use a router to remove the material
to form a notch, you can also use a router to "bull nose" the squared end cuts.

I had a custom futon made when I was 16, we made our own frame for the futon out of 2x6's and 1x4's...

robbtoberfest says: Dec 4, 2007. 5:18 PM REPLY

This is nice, thanks for the idea. I have only one issue, the treated lumber 4x4s; aren't they a health risk?

MD_Willington says: Dec 5, 2007. 1:39 PM REPLY

Get a can of cheap sanding sealer and seal them, job done, no worries...!

camp6ell says: Dec 4, 2007. 8:32 PM REPLY

they used to be impregnated with arsenic chloride, but haven't been for several years now... so it's probably ok if your wood is new... then again, maybe
they'll decide in a few years the less nasty stuff in it now is just as bad as arsenic... if you're still concerned, and assuming you can't find any untreated
lumber, i would seal the treated 4x4s with several coats of paint or varnish or something before building the bed. they're pretty much hidden, so it
wouldn't take away from the aesthetics really.

camp6ell says: Dec 4, 2007. 8:34 PM REPLY

i don't understand the comment in step 6: "You can't afford gaps with a wood strip support system."

!Andrew_Modder! says: Dec 3, 2007. 12:29 PM REPLY

thats pretty gangster!!.. LOL no, i really like it :-D! I love making big things (like bed, shelf, etc.)..

trz says: Dec 3, 2007. 9:14 PM REPLY

Thanks for all of your interest! This Platform Bed DIY (Ikea LILLEHAMMER hack?) has been Featured on the Instructables.com front page! Please rate
this DIY!

ahead says: Dec 2, 2007. 7:13 PM REPLY

This a nice project. I could use a new bed.

GorillazMiko says: Dec 2, 2007. 5:57 PM REPLY

these beds are really nice, now i know how to make them!
(favorited)

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