HowwebuiltourWallBedforunder$150

yourmodernfamily.comBeckyMansfield
Disclaimer:ThisisjusthowWEdidit.WearenotsayingthatthisishowYOUneedtodoit.Wearenot
carpentersorcontractors.
MaterialslistQuantityApproximateprice(PriceswillvarydependingontheStateandchoice)
Doorhinges33@$2.38each=$7.14
inchplywood4X81@$27.00ea.=$54.00
Beadboardorpaneling4X8sheet2@$13.75ea.=$27.50
Lumber2X3X83@$2.25ea.=$6.75
Lumber2X4X85@$2.24ea.(variesbasedonyourdesign)=$11.20
Lumber1X6X84@$4.97ea.=$19.88
Woodscrews11/21box@$8.00/box
Woodscrews31box@$8.00/box
Bolts3/8X64@$1.00ea.=$4.00
Flatwashers3/86@$0.20ea.=$1.20
Smallgatehousetypedoorhinges2(optionalforswingdoor)@$2.00/pair
TOTAL(lesspaintandtrim)about
$149.67

Basicinformation:
abasictwinbedis54X75
abasicqueenbedit60X80
averagebedheighttotopofmattressis25
Illustrationsarenottoscale.
Totaltime2ofusworkedonitandittookaboutadaynotcountingpaintingandtriminstallation.
**CautionTherearenospringloadedhinges.Dependingonmattressandbedding,thisbedcan
getheavytooperate!Tryitwithasecondperson.

Howwebuiltit:

Note:Forourpurposesweusedaqueenmattress
Bedframe
1. Measuremattresslengthandwidth(Usingaqueenmattressitwas60X80)
2. Add2toeachmeasurement.Thiswillallowspaceforthesideboards(1X6s)lateroninthebuild.
3. Cuttheplywoodtodeterminedlengthandwidth
a. ExampleMattressis60X80cutplywoodto62X82.(EXAMPLE1)
b. TIP:haveyourhardwarestorecutyourdimensionsforyou.Thecutswillbestraightandprecise.
4. Measureandcutthe2X3stoformaperimeteraroundthecutplywood.(EXAMPLE2)
5. Cutanother2X3stospanthelengthoftheplywood.
a. NOTE:Itshouldcovertheseamofthetwopiecesofplywood.(EXAMPLE2)
6. Next,securethe2X3swith1screws1screwapproximatelyeveryfootscrewingthroughtheplywood
intothe2X3.Screwheadsareontheplywoodside.(Thiswillrequirethe2X3stobeonthefloororthe
ground1st,andthenlaythesheetsofcutplywoodontop).Forextrastrength,youmayusewoodglueor
LiquidNailsinadditiontothescrews.Installthe2X3stotheedgeofthecutplywoodasseeninExample
2The2X3swillserveasthesupportsforthemattresslateron.
 7. Screwthe2X3stogetherwheretheyjoineachother(cornersandintersections).Use3screws.Again
woodglueorLiquidNailsisoptional.(EXAMPLE3)
8. Ontheoppositesideoftheplywood,install1X6s(cuttofit)aroundtheperimeteronly.The1X6swill
keepthemattressfromslidingofftheplywoodonceinstalledandaddstrength.Use3screwsaboutevery
1butstaggerfromscrewsonotherside.Thescrewsarefirstinstalledthroughthe1X6,thenthroughthe
2X3s.Gluecanbeaddedforstrength.(EXAMPLE4)
9. Attachhingestoendofbed1inthecenterand2about6infromtheendoftheframe.Attachsothatthe
hingedendontheplywoodside.(EXAMPLE5)

10. Cutlegstodesiredlengthusing2X3skeepinginmindthatatypicalbedfromthefloortothetopofthe
mattressisabout25.Youwillfirstdrilla3/16holeapproximately2inchesdownononesideofthe
2X3.Repeatforthesecondleg.Next,drillone3/16holeoneachsideofthefootsideofthebedframe
about8infromthesideofthebedandcenteredinthe2X3(EXAMPLE6).Itseasiesttomountthelegs
ontheoutsideofthe2X3bedframe.Installawasheronthebolt,slidetheboltthroughthelegand
mountingframe,theninstallawasheronthebackside(inside)theninstallanut.Tightenthenutonly
 fingertight(Thiswillallowforthelegtoswinginandout)..Theninstallasecondnutandtightenit
againstthefirstnut.Thisservesasajamnut.Thelegshouldbeabletomovefreelybutthe2nutsjammed
togetherpreventthelegfromcomingloose.Thiswillallowthelegstodropwhenyoulowerthebed.

Wallframe:

NOTE:Thewallframewillneedtobeabout12inchesfromtheexistingwalltoallowfor
mattressdepthalongwithblankets,bedspread,etc.Checkyourmattressandallowabout
2plusthemattressthickness.Startbydeterminingwhatyouwillwantoneithersideofthe
 bed.Someideasincludebookshelves,closets,ornothing.Inthevideo,webuiltbook
shelvesforextrastorage.

1. Measurea2x4thewidthofthemattressandadd12.Againforourbed,itwasaqueensowetook60and
added12,foratotalof72.Theextra12willaccountfora6clearanceoneachsideofthebedwhenit
isfoldedintothewall.Youwillwanttocuttwo2X4sthislength.Onewillbeforthetop
(headerattachedtotheceiling)andtheotherwillbeforthebase(attachedtothefloor),
2. Whenyouanchorthe2X4stothefloorandceiling,makesurethefront(room)edgeofthe2X4about12
fromthewall(assuminga10thickmattress).Attachthe2x4susingthe3screws.(EXAMPLE7)
a. Tip:Ifyoucanseenailsinthefloortheareprobablyattachedtoafloorjoist,soattachthescrews
nearthemandyoushouldalsohitafloorjoist.Ifyouhavecarpet,wesuggestingcuttingand
removingitsotheframesitsdirectlyonthefloor.Fortheceiling,wehammeredfinishingnails
intotheceilingtolocatetheceilingjoistsandscrewedthe2X4intothejoists.Ifyoudonthitany
ceilingjoists(theymayberunningtheoppositeway),wesuggestrunning3shortlengths(about8
long)of2X4sbackandperpendiculartothewallalongtheceilingandattachthesetothe
ceilingjoists.Thenyoucanthensecurethemain2X4tothese3short2X4s.(EXAMPLE8)
3. Securea2X4toeithersideofthetopofwhatwillbecomethebedopening(EXAMPLE9)floortoceiling.
Theopeningshouldallow1inchforbedframeclearance.Inourexample,theopeningwidthwasabout
66.
4. Buildabottomsupport(EXAMPLE9)ataheightsuchthatthebedwillbelevelwhenopen(sidetoside
andfronttoback).Thissupportwillbeashighfromthefloorastheleglengthfromthebottomoftheleg
tothebottomof2X3bedframe.Inotherwords,thetopofthesupportwillbethesameheightasthepart
ofthelegstickingbelowthebedframewhenthelegsaredown.
5. Buildaheader(EXAMPLE9)byrunninga2X4acrossthebedopening.Locatetheheadersothatthe
heightistheheightofthebedframelengthplus2.Thisistoallowforthebedframeplusthelegs(1)
plus1/2clearance.
6. Youcannowmountthebed.

Mountingthebed
1. Thiswillrequire2people.Sitthebedframeintotheopeningandsupportit.Thehingeisalreadyscrewed
tothebedframefrompreviousstep.PutonescrewineachhingeandattachtotheBottomSupportfora
trialfit.Makesurethatthebedisperpendiculartotheframeandcenteredintheopening.
2. Tryclosingthebed.Itshouldclosesquarelyandevenly.Ifnot,youmayhavetoadjustthehingesby
movingorshimmingthem.Onceadjusted,installallthehingescrews.
3. Securingthebedclosed:Withthebedintheclosedpositionsothatthebedframeisflushwiththewall
frameontheoutside,drilla3/16holethroughthe(sidewall/frame)2X4andintothe1X6bedrailand
2X3framepost.Youwillwanttolocatetheholeaboutheadheightforeasyinstallationandremovalbutso
childrencantreachit.Measuresothattheholeiscenteredinthewidthofthe(frame)2X3(thisshouldbe
about1backfromthesurfaceofthe2X4and2X3).


4. PlaceawasheronaboltorAllThreadandslidetheboltintotheholesothatitpassesthroughthesideof
2X4,the1X6bedrailandthe2X3bedframepost.Thisshouldholdthebedframeinanupright(closed)
position.

 5. Repeatthisfortheotherside.UseboltsorAllThreadoneachsideforsecurityandtohelpholdthebed
flushtothewall.Asseenbelow,weused13ofAllThread.

Finishing
1. Finishingisamatterofchoiceanddesign.Wechosebeadboardandnailedittotheframewithsmall
brads.Thelighterthebetter.Thenwetrimmedittohidetheedgegaps.
Abovebedswingdoor.
1. Fortheswingdoorabovethebed,weusedapieceofbeadboardandhingeditfromthetop.
2. Weused2smallcabinetdoorhinges1oneitherside.
3. Toholdtheswingdooropenandoutofthewaywhileopeningandclosingthebed,wesimplytookascrap
piece(about6long)of2X3anddrilledsmallholeinitabout2from1end.Wethenuseda3screw
tosecurethistothetop2X4securedtotheceilingsothattheswingdoorcanswingoutonthebottom(see
video).
EXAMPLE1


EXAMPLE2

EXAMPLE3

EXAMPLE4

EXAMPLE5

EXAMPLE6

EXAMPLE7

EXAMPLE8

EXAMPLE9

WALLFRAME

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