How to build a platform bed
A few months ago Heather and I had finally had enough of our old, lumpy bed. I was waking up with back pain so bad I had trouble getting into my car and we both were getting lousy sleep. I got out the measuring tape and found my side of the bed dipped 2 inches from the foot to the middle and Heather’s side was worse. After talking it over we decided if we were getting a new mattress we might as well upgrade to a king size.
King size is pricey and we didn’t want to spend the money on a bed frame that wasn’t going to match our dressers so we looked into platform beds. I found a few plans online, but the basic design was so simple that I decided to just wing it and make my own plans using standard construction lumber. We made the trip to our local furniture store and fell in love with a foam mattress. We placed our order, took some measurements and after Thanksgiving I built our new bed in a busy afternoon. Here’s how I did it.
First the materials
- 2 x 4 x 96 - 10 pieces ($2.11 ea)
- 2 x 10 x 8 - 6 pieces ($7.99 ea)
- 3/4 x 49 x 97 MDF - 2 pieces ($22.99)
- deck screws
- wood glue (optional)
The tools
- miter saw
- circular saw
- power drill/driver
My basic idea was to build 2 frames and stack them on top of each other. The framing is much like framing a wall. The bottom is smaller so you don’t stub your toes (like kitchen cabinets) and taller (so the bed fits over our radiator and flush to the wall - no headboard!). I topped it all off with the MDF. Here’s the step by step photos.
 |
| For my base I used 2×10s. This gave me enough height to get my second tier over the radiator and allow us to push the bed flush to the wall so we didn’t need a headboard. In retrospect, 2×8s would have been better. The foam mattress was thicker than we expected and our bed is slightly taller than our old standard height bed.To determine the dimensions I added 1 inch to the height and width of the mattress we purchased. I then subtracted 12 inches from each dimension to give us the inset to protect our toes and enough space for the radiator to do its thing.For example a standard King size mattress is 80 x 76. The bottom frame would be 69 x 65. There is a lot of room for adjustment her since you never see this layer. The important thing is that your frame is level.All lumber was screwed together using some old 2 1/2″ deck screws. I drilled pilot holes to prevent splitting and used a little wood glue to create a strong bond. |
 |
| Next I used my scrap pieces of 2×10 to create blocking. This prevents my frame from twisting over time as the wood dries. This is the same technique used in floor joists.Make sure to offset them like I did so you are able to screw in from both sides. No exact science here, just make sure they fit tightly in the spaces. This might have been overkill, but I figured it was better to overbuild with an extra $20 of lumber than take the bed apart later and fix it. |
 |
| For the top layer I used 2×4s. I followed the same strategy, but this layer will be slightly larger than the mattress. Once again I screwed and glued everything taking care to keep everything square and level. This layer is very visible so take the time to do it right. |
 |
| Next I placed the top layer on top of the bottom and centered it. I toenailed the top layer into the bottom at all intersections with the deck screws (remember to drill those pilot holes first).When I was done I was surprised just how solid the hole thing was. Ethan immediately declared it was a pirate ship and start climbing all over. |
 |
| The last step was attaching the mdf to the top. I had these pre-cut at Lowes. Their sheet cutter is more accurate than I can be with a circular saw and it saves me time. I attached these with 2 inch deck screws about every 12-16 inches. Overkill again.The end result isn’t very glamorous, but I plan on using the scrap MDF to side the upper tier of the bed and create a lip to keep the bed in place. This is why I made the platform slightly larger - to give us room to put the sheets on when the lip is in place.There you have it. The sturdiest bed you’ve ever seen for about $100 and an afternoon. I was worried it might tilt when you sat on a corner, but it does not budge at all. It is HEAVY and will need to be taken apart if it every needs to leave the room. |
 |
| Jamie also loved playing in the framing. There is plenty of room for adding storage, but we decided against it. We were more interested in having a bed where toys, tissues, dog hair, dishes, etc could NOT get lost underneath. |
 |
| There was one frantic step I did not photograph. Notice the open framing in this picture. If I left it this way it would be possible for someone to reach into the framing from below and deposit something INTO the bed frame. To prevent this I used some scrap MDF and plywood to block all the spaces between the outer edges of the top and bottom frames.In a couple places, however, I screwed the plywood over the bottom frame, but left an opening. This created a hidden shelf. I have one on my side of the bed where I keep a book and my book light. One at the bottom of the bed is used by kids as a cave where their toy frogs live. |
We’ve been very happy with the end result. The bed frame is incredibly solid and our new mattress is wonderful! My back aches are completely gone and we are sleeping so much better. Feel free to post any questions on the bed and I’ll help where I can. I also plan to post an update after I get the sideboards on and the whole thing painted.
*Here is a post about the twin beds I made for the boys.
Posted by: John on January 21st, 2008 under DIY Projects.
Comments: 34
Related Entries
· Building a better bed
· Room for Two
· Looking for a kid friendly lamp
· Good Times
· Adirondack Chair
Comments
Pingback from DIY - Build A Platform Bed » TipNut.com
Time: January 23, 2008, 3:14 pm
[...] feature is from My Family Loves It with How to build a platform bed King size is pricey and we didn’t want to spend the money on a bed frame that wasn’t going to [...]
Comment from Jeremy
Time: January 24, 2008, 10:30 am
Could you explain a little more about the lip you built to hold the mattress in place? Also, do you reccomend building the frame in the room where it will go if I feel it will not make it throw my front door?
Comment from John
Time: January 24, 2008, 1:51 pm
Jeremy - I haven’t build the lip yet, but my plan is to cut strips of MDF that I will attach to the sides of the upper tier. The upper tier is about 4″ thick (3 1/2″ for the 2×4 and 1/2″ of MDF) so my sides will be about 5″. I will glue and nail these on to give a more finished look and then paint the whole thing. I decided to wait for this step since it is too cold right now to ventilate our room when painting.
The bottom of these sides will be flush with the second tier, but the tops will stick up an inch. This will give me the lip and also hide the construction lumber.
I’m debating whether to cover the base the same way with a thinner material. To also get a more finished look.
I’ll post additional pictures after I complete this step. Right now it is 15 degrees in my workshop so I’m not very motivated 
Comment from Chanio
Time: January 24, 2008, 4:37 pm
Nice and healthy!
If you want to build it in an alternative way (cheaper and simpler): you’ll need four pallets (where factories place big boxes in order to lift them with their forklift). They are very common at several companies that deal with deliveries of goods.
Having these as a starting point it is not difficult to build a queen size bed. They are very solid because of their nature…
I used them a lot of times.
Pingback from Build your own platform bed for $100 | Do it Yourself
Time: January 24, 2008, 4:42 pm
[...] platform beds, I desperately want one, and am excited to have John walk us through the steps on how to build a platform bed. You’ll need 2 x 10’s for the base, 2 x 4’s for the top layer, and two pieces of [...]
Comment from Cliff
Time: February 5, 2008, 12:21 am
John, thank you for posting your platform bed project. I have just been thinking abut making one and checking the web for ideas and plans. Don’t like the idea of buying plans that I have not seen.
My back feels just like yours used to. I saw something similar on the project TV shows and now after reading how you did it I cant wait to start. My other projects will be put on hold for a while I think.
Although it is very cold in my part of the world too. Upstate NY.
So, just wanted to let you know that what you have done for us other back sufferes is very much appreciated and kudos to you on a job well done. Thanks John.
Waiting in anticipation for your completed pics,
best regards Cliff.
Comment from Jessie Lynn
Time: February 11, 2008, 2:34 am
Hey I think you said this was for a King sized bed? By how much would I have to shrink it for a Queen sized bed?
Comment from Stephen
Time: February 11, 2008, 9:22 pm
John- Thanks so much for the bed idea, everything was perfect, did it in an afternoon just like you said. wrapped the top frame in MDF and painted the whole thing black.it looks awesome…..Thanks again … Stephen
Comment from John
Time: February 12, 2008, 4:16 pm
For a queen sized mattress, the distance from head to foot should be the same, but the width would be 16″ less. Measure your mattress to make sure. I made the platform slightly bigger than the mattress so I’ll have room to tuck in the sheets after I add the MDF on the sides.
Comment from RG
Time: February 20, 2008, 9:26 pm
Build to support the weight of an army! Why put so many braces in the base? Isn’t wasting! What if you have to move?
Comment from Mike
Time: February 21, 2008, 9:00 pm
Great project. Sounds pretty easy and very inexpensive. Can’t wait to see your finished product. You mentioned a miter saw, did you use that for the floor tier and do you think it needs to mitered to work. Thanks for the great ideas.
Comment from John
Time: February 21, 2008, 11:55 pm
Mike - I used a miter saw just for quickly cutting the 2×4s. Only 90 degree cuts, not actual miter cuts. I used a circular saw for cutting the 2×10s and could have used the same for the 2×4s as well.
RG - My concern was supporting the span of a king sized bed and also ensuring the wood wouldn’t have any twist warping that would make it unlevel. No wasting in the base, those braces were the scrap pieces. I did buy an extra couple of 2×4s. It will be impossible to move as a whole, but I used screws so it would be east to take apart into the 3 layers.
Comment from Rachel
Time: February 27, 2008, 12:12 am
I used your idea, but changed it just a little… I used 2×8s for the base, then 2×4s for the top part. I put 2×6s flat on top of the 2×4s around the top tp make a nice “frame” for the mattress to sit in and cut two pieces of masonite for the top. The top of the frame is about 12 inches from the floor. I also cut two holes in the masonite so you can lift them to put bankets or whatever inside the framing for storage. Painted it all glossy black and it turned out so nice. I can’t wait to get my new mattress. I made the bed for a california king mattress, but still have my old queen size on there. The new mattress should sit about an inch below the frame with about an inch all around for blankets. Thanks so much for the great idea! Saved me tons of money (less than $200 for everything!). I’m a bit lazy and slow, so with the sanding and two coats of paint it took me about 3 days.
Comment from Tommy
Time: March 4, 2008, 2:52 pm
John,
I love your idea, but I need to build a frame with room for storage underneath. Do you have any suggestions on how to alter the bottom part of the frame to allow for easy access to the space underneath? Thanks.
Comment from Bill Compton
Time: March 10, 2008, 1:20 pm
Love to know where you found wood for that price, it is almost double that here in NM
Comment from louis love
Time: March 11, 2008, 3:46 pm
could you please send me the instructions to my email please.
Comment from John
Time: March 12, 2008, 11:22 am
I almost included storage in our bed, but given the time frame we had to get the bed built before our mattress was delivered I decided against it.
I thought of 2 way to store things.
1) Use less supports in the middle and hinge the plywood/mdf. You could then move the mattress and lift the plywood/mdf to have access to the entire space inside the frame. This wouldn’t work for our bed because our foam kingsized mattress weighs a ton.
2) Use a different design for the frame that has ‘channels’ and openings either to the side or foot of the bed on the bottom tier. This should be pretty easy to do. And then build a box on wheels to roll on the floor into this opening. You could dress up the frame with MDF and put MDF on the pull side of your drawer so it looks nice when it is pushed in.
#2 was what I was considering, but with 3 little kids we feared they would take everything out and either hide in the drawers or climb into the inside of the bed and get stuck. Or worse yet…leave a sippy cup for something in there that we don’t discover until we track down that strange smell.
There is definitely a lot of space for storage. Some day if I get ambitious (and the kids are older) I might take ours apart and rebuild it with drawers on the bottom and more hidden storage in the upper tier.
Comment from Lane
Time: March 14, 2008, 6:24 pm
Im considering building off of your design, and I have a couple questions.
What is the height to the top of your mattress (I know you mentioned it was a little high)
And I was considering wrapping the outside of the 2×4 top level with a finished one by six, and using 3/4 plywood giving me a surrounding lip of 5 1/2 - 3 1/2 - 3/4 = about 1 1/4 inches high by 3/4 inches wide , you think that will be to high?
Comment from John
Time: March 21, 2008, 5:38 pm
The platform is about 13″ off the floor and the mattress is another 12″. Honestly it is a nice height for me (I’m 6′ 4″), but the problem is that our arthritic dog and 20 month old daughter have trouble getting up and down. If it was 2-4″ shorter it would be better for them, but it is just right for me.
Comment from mike jones
Time: March 23, 2008, 10:24 pm
THANKS IWILL USE THIS STEP BY STEP TO MAKE MY OWN
Comment from Julie Parham
Time: March 25, 2008, 2:39 pm
Would this bed be ok as a twin bed for a child? Safe Wise?
Comment from John
Time: March 26, 2008, 12:36 pm
Yes, it would be safe as a child’s bed. I would just cut the corners to there aren’t any sharp points and I would expand the base so there is less overhang to prevent tipping. Ours doesn’t tip, but it weight much more than a twin version would.
Comment from Vic
Time: March 30, 2008, 12:27 pm
Great plans! Thanks alot. It took me a little longer, but I still accomplished it in one evening. I replaced the 2X4’s along the outside with 1X6’s (re-enforcing two of them w/2X4’s anyway) so I had the lip to hold the mattress in. It worked out well, but those corners will need some attention immediately before I cut my leg open bumping into it, lol. It was a rude awakening for my 5 year old when she went to jump on it the first time and caught her knee on the frame. Warnings to all the small children, lol.
Comment from Your Name Sharould (Cheryl)
Time: March 31, 2008, 4:15 pm
I love the idea I am going to try to make this in a California king size Since I just bought my matress already . I thought I saw this plan was for a California King was I mistaken ?
Pingback from DIY Platform Bed for Under $100 at MATTRESS Online Magazine - The Mattress Blog
Time: April 4, 2008, 2:47 pm
[...] head to this site for the step by step [...]
Comment from Ray
Time: May 22, 2008, 2:13 pm
Looks really strong and easy enough to build. I am just a little confused on the size of the two pieces of mdf..To me the deminsions you listed don’t seem to add up..please help me understand..thanks for the plans..
Comment from John
Time: May 22, 2008, 4:26 pm
The measurements of the MDF I listed are the size uncut. I had 2 of these cut down so they would cover my top tier. Have them cut at Lowes or Home Depot, its a free service and will make it easier to handle and fit in your car. Plus their saw is more accurate…just make sure your measurements are right!
Comment from Kelly
Time: May 26, 2008, 9:57 am
This looks like a basic plan that almost anyone can run with or change to suit. I would only add one suggestion about the outer edge of the top lip of the bed frame. Use a router to knock off the edge for the comfort of your legs rubbing when you enter or exit the bed. This small step will prevent possible injury to the backs of the legs. THX!
Comment from Toya
Time: May 28, 2008, 4:30 pm
Hey John i luv the idea of this bed although I am a bit confused as to how you came up with the extra pcs of 2×10 how much did u cut off of each pc to come up with the extra. thx
Comment from Tami
Time: May 28, 2008, 6:49 pm
I am planning on making one of these for my CA king mattress and am wondering what would be the best way to “finish” the bed - paint? Laminate? If I paint it, do I have to sand it down first? How do I cover up all the screw holes?
Comment from Karn Jackson
Time: June 9, 2008, 12:46 am
I have fallen in love with platform bed.and I want one
Comment from Bill Coombs
Time: June 11, 2008, 10:57 am
Hey John - thx much for the plans - going to attempt it next week and am new to any kind of woodworking. Please let me know if you have any last minute advice or adjustments. Will let you know how things turn out !
Comment from Faile
Time: June 18, 2008, 9:50 am
Fantastic bed! Thanks for providing so much information on how to build it. You mentioned posting pictures of the completely finished product. I’d love to see them, if you have time to post them! I definitely understand how to build the thing, but I’m just puzzling over the finishing details. Again, thanks a million for taking the time to post this information. Clearly, lots of people have found it to be useful.
Comment from Matt
Time: June 18, 2008, 4:44 pm
Just an idea to solve the sharp corner problem, you can get small vinyl caps in whatever color you finish it…they should work nice to cut away an sharp edges. You can also get a piece of vinyl trim that will fit right over the top edge in either clear or a color (the same ones you use for corners of walls. This works nicely. Great plans
Write a comment
cforms contact form by delicious:days