Step 2 – Decide the size of the bed
If you are building the bed according to the size of the existing mattress, measure the mattress size as well as thickness. Mattresses can vary up to 9 inches in thickness, with the average-sized mattress being between 6 and 7 inches thick. Here are the standard mattress sizes available on the market:
Standard Name Width in inches Length in inches Twin 3975 Double or Full 5475 Queen 6080 King 7680 California King 7284
- Determine the correct headboard and footboard rail lengths
The distance between the side rails should be ¼ to ½ inch greater than the mattress is wide. However, the exact length of the headboard and footboard rails also depends on the width of the legs, the side rail thickness, and the space between the rails.
Step 3 – Buy the hardware
In addition to the wood, MDF, and birch plywood, you will need the following:
These join the side rails to the bedposts. You can opt for traditional bolt joints or Hex-head bolt joints. Both work well and are readily available in hardware shops. You can also go for barrel nuts or hidden bolt joints.
Whichever joint you use, you also need a system to prevent the bolts from rotating or moving sideways or up and down. For this, you need to add a short tenon at the end of the rail. Plug the tenon on a shallow mortise on the bed’s leg – the keyword here being shallow. The mortise should not exceed ¼ to ½ inch depth, otherwise, it could weaken the leg.
Since bed bolts leave a hole in the leg, you need to add a decorative cover to hide them. The covers swivel – so they hide the bolt – but still keep the bolt accessible.
To join the side rails to the headboard and footboard legs, you can also use wooden knockdown joints. They make a solid connection and also an interesting addition to the bed’s design.
- Under-bed storage on wheels
To use good storage space under the bed, add a storage box on casters. This will help you roll the box in and out with ease.
In case you’re going for a straightforward design, simply use a box of appropriate size with casters set in four corners. You can use either fixed or swiveling rubber-wheel casters.