Beds come in all shapes and sizes. You can choose from dozens of styles, forms, and literally thousands of variations. Despite all this variety, you’d be surprised how similar the basic construction of all beds is.
In this guide, we will discuss how to build a platform bed. Since we have a lot of ground to cover, let’s dive straight into it.
A typical platform bed has four basic components: headboard, footboard, side rails, and the platform mattress support.
A typical wooden headboard consists of two legs or posts placed at the head of the bed, the headboard rail, and some sort of board that extends up above the mattress.
The height of the headboard can vary just above the pillow height or several feet higher than the mattress. Experts recommend keeping a height of 10-12 inches above the mattress.
This is the scaled-down version of the headboard and usually reflects and complements the headboard’s elements. Some people find footboards rather confining while others like the visual and physical closure it offers rather comforting.
The side rails connect the headboard to the footboard and support the mattress. On most platform beds, side rails simply consist of rectangular boards. You only need to “dress them up” for a fancy, curved bed.
There are two kinds of platform supports: slatted and solid. Both are made with plywood or some kind of sheet material.
A plywood solid platform is less troublesome to make than a slatted platform. However, even a solid platform needs significant support under it to prevent sagging. For most bed sizes other than king, you can opt for a recessed box sitting on the floor. You can also add wooden or metal struts underneath to support a platform without a box.
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
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.
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.
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.
For a simple tutorial on how to build a platform bed with a modern design, check out this video.
Q. Which is the best wood for platform beds?
You can use beech, birch, maple poplar, oak, and other woods. They all can ensure sturdy and strong slats with proper bending strength and stiffness.
Q. Which plywood is best for making platform beds?
Use a birch plywood core to make your platform bed as it is very sturdy and can ensure that your bed is built to last.
Q. How thick should plywood be for a platform bed?
Never use plywood that is thinner than 3/4th inch, as it won’t be strong enough to hold a thick mattress along with one or two people laying on the mattress.
Q. How much plywood will I need to build a platform bed about 7 x 6 ft.?
7 x 6 foot is a California King size bed. If you opt for an uncomplicated design, you need 2 pieces of plywood measuring about 4 x 8 inches. You will also need four 8-inch long 2 x 8 pieces for the side rails.
For the platform supporting the mattress, you’d need seven 8-inch long 2 x 4s cut down to approximately 6 inches and screwed to the ledger boards. These will support your mattress firmly.
Note that each 4 x 8 sheet of plywood has a total of 4608 square inches.
Q. Does a platform bed need a foundation?
No. With platform beds, you can place any type of mattress over it directly without the need for box springs. In case you’ll be building a traditional bed frame, you’ll need a foundation or a box spring for supporting the mattress.
If you like to go the DIY route and have the know-how in woodworking, you can easily make your own platform bed.
Make sure to research different platform bed styles and plans. This will help you decide the size, type of storage – if any – and the styles and dimensions of headboards and footboards.
Once you have finalized a basic plan, create a template on paper with actual dimensions. Next, a trip to the hardware store can help you get all the materials needed. Begin woodworking with the help of a friend, if needed.
We hope this brief guide helps you build a sturdy platform bed.
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