Free plans for a simple bed

[robotiser]

I would like to build a very basic single bed as a experiment to see if I can "build stuff". Can anyone tell me where I might get free plans for a simple bed?

[Andy Hall]

Search using "bed" and there are about 8 different ones of differing levels of complexity.

Not quite free, but generally are OK. You can buy on line and download the PDF.

[Rick]

Have a look at

sorts,

Rick... (The other Rick)

[robotiser]

Thanks. But I should point out I haven't built anything from wood since I was in school. And even then I wasn't good at it. While there are lots of interesting looking plans on those sites, I was thinking of something even simpler than those. And they list many tools that I don't have. Not difficult as I don't really have any tools at all.

I was wondering if I could build something like the following. Imagine that I choose some square wood for the legs of the bed. I chop off two lengths for the shorter feet-end legs, trying to keep the tops very flat. I then cut off two longer pieces for the head end. I'd probably get the wood from my local B&Q and could get many of these cuts done there by them.

I then take some other, flat wood, and create a square, with one leg in each inside corner of the square. Something like (looking from the top), if the four pieces of flat wood are numbered 1 to 4 and L for legs:

111111111 2L L3 2 3 2 3 2L L3 444444444

The "square" would be attached so that its top is flush with the top of the shorter legs, and perhaps half way up the top of the longer (head end) legs.

I then attach slats (simple pieces of wood) over the top of the square frame I now have. I'd alos put slats across the upper parts of the "head end" two legs that stick up above the main part of the bed to make something head-board-ish.

I'd have to make the main part of the bed big enough to hold a target mattress size, plus a bit more so that if I found that the mattress moved around a bit I could add some extra bits of wood to make a "lip" around the top of the bed to hold the mattress in.

I note that the full weight of the person + mattress would be taken by the attachment of boards 2 and 3 to the legs, so those attachments (screws, nails?) would have to be strong. The shape of the bed would be kept by the attachments of boards 1 and 4, so they would have to be reasonably strong. I would hope the rest (slats, lip if used) could be connected using wood glue.

Finally, I add some sort of rubber things to the bottoms of the legs, paint or varnish it, and I'm done.

This would be at best an occasional visitor bed at best, and just a practice problem at worst.

Has anyone got any comments?

[Owain]

Perhaps start off with something more manageable like a small set of bookshelves or a cupboard - or a bedside table.

Something bed-size is going to involve quite large pieces of wood, which will be awkward to handle if you don't have the space, as well as being rather expensive if you foul it up.

Doing something smaller would allow you to use better quality materials for the same total cost.

Owain

[robotiser]

Thank you. After a quick family discussion, I'm told it would be useful if we had a more stable foot stool. So that's going to be it.

[meow2222]

A bed is easy and cheap, and the joints are mostly hidden in use so even if a bit rough you can pull it off ok.

The only tools you need to make a bed are a screwdriver & saw. Preferably, but not essentially, also a drill & bit.

How to get those ends square: mark round the wood first using a 90 degree angle. A piece of paper gives you a 90 degree angle, no real need for a set square.

2x3 would make a nice frame, or if money is very tight a 2x2 frame would be about as light as could survive. But 2x2s would have to have metal L bracket under each joint to prevent it splitting and breaking. If course if you weighed 50 stone all bets are off!

Enough planed wood to make it in 2x2 or 2x3 would cost peanuts.

dont be too adventurous :)

May I suggest a slight improvement:

either would work, this just hides the cut ends and looks better.

Slats are an expensive and non-advantageous way to do it. If you use them, recommend 3/4" wood. A sheet of half inch chip is much cheaper and quicker, and it also stiffens up the frame and spreads loads better. Cutting 4 corners out of the chip so it sits on all 4 frame pieces will reduce the loading on the frame joints, making it more robust.

You could, but you'd see lots of raw cut ends. I'd be tempted to put a frame-size strip across the top:

LTTTTTTL L L L L L L

then get assorted garden sticks and attach them upright in the space to make a pretty rustic finish. Cut the end of stick so its sits flat against the head frame, and attach with a pin and wood glue or pva

no need

yes, even commercial wood beds can sometimes collapse here. Those 8cm

2=2E5mm steel L brackets that have 5 fixing holes on each bit will make it tough as nails. If you use thin screws you dont have to predrill for them, though if youve got a suitable drill it is definitely better to.

you can, but the more you stick to screws, the more disassemblable, tweakable, upgradeable and takedownable it is.

clear varnish is best, anything else ends up looking tatty.

Go for it, its easy to do and great to accomplish stuff.

When youve done it, its easy enough to add a few fancy touches too. With another =A31 in equipment you can give it a more professional finish.

NT

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember [e-mail] saying something like:

Two pallets.

[robotiser]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I am going to try the footstool first, but hope to progress to a bed after that.

Our only saw here looks not entirely appropriate. It has two blades, one a hacksaw and another a blade with quite large teeth. While in Aldi for other purposes, I saw something called a "pullback" saw or similar name. For =A34. Would such a saw be usable?