August 29, 2011

What I did on my day off - I made the bed

No, literally, I made a bed.  Here's some info on building a King Size Bed based loosely on Ana White's Farmhouse Bed plans.

Purchase List
One 4'x8' sheet of 3/4" plywood (cabinet grade)
20 - 8' 1x4s
5 - 8' 1x3s
2 - 8' 4x4 untreated posts (I found some douglas fir posts, they did not have untreated pine)
5 - 8' 2x4s
2 - 8' 1x6s
2 - 8' 1x12s
4" screws
3" screws
2 1/2" screws
1 1/2" nails
2" nails
wood putty
stain or paint
polyurethane lacquer


Cut List
Headboard plywood cut 77" x 30"
Footboard plywood cut 77" x 15"
8 - 1x4s cut 77" (head/foot top/bottom trim)
6 - 1x3s cut 23" (headboard vertical trim)
6 - 1x3s cut 8" (footboard vertical trim)
2 - 4x4 posts cut 54" (headboard legs)
2 - 4x4 posts cut 21" (footboard legs)
2 - 2x4 cut 84" (headboard/footboard header - cut to fit)
2 - 1x6 cut 86" (headboard/footboard top - cut to fit plus one inch each side)
2 - 1x4 cut 39 1/4" (footboard inside brace - cut to fit)
2 - 2x4 84" (side rail braces)
1 - 2x4 cut 74" (footboard brace)
2 - 1x12 cut 80" (side rails)
4 - 1x4 cut 80" (side rail top/bottom trim)
4 - 1x3 cut 4.5" (side rail vertical trim)
2 - 1x3 cut 80" (side rail top)
8 - 1x4s cut 77" (support slats)

Steps

Attach trim to headboard and footboard panels.
Add upright trim pieces - measure to put the center piece in place.




Do the same trim on the reverse side.





Pre-drill holes in the 4x4s to countersink the screws.
Attach legs to headboard and footboard with 4" screws.
Add 2x4 header along length of headboard (no picture) using 3" screws.
Add 1x6 header - first, mark the width of the headboard (or footboard) on the bottom of the header to help center it when you nail it on with nail gun.
Attach header with nails.




I found that with this modification in design, I had to add additional 1x4 to the BACK/INSIDE of the footboard so I would have a place to attach the 2x4 frame.
Attach 2x4 frame to headboard/footboard. (no picture)
Build side rails and attach to frame. Used 1x4s for top trim and 1x3s for veritcal trim, then a 1x3 header to the whole thing.  Attache to the side cleats using 2" screws.  The slats will end up with 7" on each end and a spacing of about 6" each.

Then use wood putty to fill all of your gaps and nail holes and mistakes.


Finish the project using paint/stain/etc. I recommend using a coat of polyurethane over it (but realize it will be at least one level glossier than you think it will be.  So if you want semi-glossy, use satin, hahaha).

And then reassemble in your bedroom and put the mattress and box springs on it.


As you can see, our bed is now GIANT. So my next project will be to take some plywood and 2x4s and create a pair of "pseudo box springs" that is much shorter to take the place of our box springs and lower the mattress into the bed box a bit. Currently we're like 20 feet off the ground which is not a preferred sleeping height.

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