How can I...... On topic...

[Searcher]

I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as follows;

1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath. 2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs underneath. 3) MUST NOT SQUEAK... Hmmmm? dare I say why?

Get ya'lls mind out the trough, she's a light sleeper and we have a 4 year old.

My thoughts: 1X6 box frame with stiles spaced 4" apart (correct me if I misused the words stiles) boxed in 4X4 posts for height 1/4" luaun (sp) plywood ( needsto be a solid surface due to the Memory foam mattress)

She has not as of yet decided how this extra space is going to be hidden, she's thinking fabric but I am thinking sliding doors on the side with the most access space.

Any thoughts would be helpful, and keep in mind up until now all I have made has been shelves, a doghouse and a blanket chest, which if I say so myself is a work of art?!!

Thanks Searcher

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Before you go any further, do some measuring. With 22" clearance, supports, a spring and mattress, you'll have to be very tall to get into the bed comfortably. I'd do a mockup of some sort first.

I'm not sure that a 1 x 6 will give the support you need. IIRC, the old bed rails or wood were closer to 8", but do some checking on that.

[Josh]

I did my bed this way. The outer frame is made with 2x10's if I remember correctly (can't go check because SWMBO is in the bedroom sleeping on it). Within the box frame, I put 2x3 "joists" at roughly

12" on center. You could actually use joist hangers to attach them to the box frame. I didn't think of that at the time, and built essentially the same thing out of wood. Anyway, on top of all this framework I attached pieces of 3/4" plywood extending to the exact dimensions of the mattress, about an inch beyond the edges of the box frame. I rounded the edges over with a router, and the mattress sits directly on top of that. I don't use a box spring; I find the bed more comfortable without it, and it would be WAY too high if there was a box spring.

I designed mine so I could take it apart again to move it. All four sides of the box frame can be separated; one has the headboard integrated. The 2x3 cross members unscrew and pop out of their hangers, and the plywood pieces (I have 8 of them) are individually numbered and unscrew as well. Other than the mattress, the whole bed can easily be moved by one person (albeit in multiple trips).

The bed went about five years without squeaking. It has recently started doing so, and I've been too lazy to fix it. A screw has loosened up on one of the cross members. If I didn't care about the ability to break it down in the future, I'd use construction adhesive on everything, and I'm sure the squeaking would go away and never come back.

22" of height underneath is a LOT!!! Even without a box spring, you're going to need to pole vault into bed. Can she substitute a larger quantity of shorter Rubbermaid tubs? We store clothes, shoes, etc. in rather flat ones (maybe 9" tall) which are short enough to slide under the perimeter of the bed. Once underneath and beyond the thick "rim joists" of the bed frame, they can be stacked two-high. I think we fit 12 or even 16 of them under there with no problem (it's a king sized bed).

BTW, we just use a normal bed skirt (bed ruffle? Whatever the proper name is) just as if there was a box spring under the mattress. You'd never no there was a significant wooden structure under there.

Josh

[Zz Yzx]

I'm with Edwin on this, re: height of bed.

Also, check the Borg for c>

[Connor Aston]

Would it not be easier to find somewere else for the tubs?

[JGS]

[george]

You do not say what size mattress you will be using. Does SWMBO know that NOT having a center support with a king size mattress and box springs WILL void their warranty? If you have any doubts, ask the manufacturer or a knowledgeable store.

[Searcher]

Ok, got some good points there, But I forgot to mention that we already have the height that I need for storage area. But it looks crappy and it is now a

2x4 framed supports holding up a mattress and box spring. So, by rebuilding the bed frame and not having a box spring (its a memory foam mattress now) We are actually going to lose about 6 to 8 inches of height. I just want to make a "finished project" this time. THe last bed was thrown together with the thought of "doing it right" when I have them time. Well, what do you know, I just can't figure out where those three years have gone! The new mattress needs to sit atop a solid surface.

Searcher

[Searcher]

SOrry, its a queen sized mattress

[Puckdropper]

JGS wrote in news: [e-mail]:

The beds my school has are adjustable, and most people trying to save floor space have them on their highest setting to allow the dresser (two drawer, about 24" tall) to fit underneath. My procedure for getting in to the bed has been to take two running steps and jump!

Puckdropper

[Gary Dean]

The kids at the school where I work use a springboard thing called a trampette, I think, to get them over a vaulting horse. That should do the trick. A bit of practice and you should be hitting the bed 3 times out of

1. Getting out - why not try an inflateable crash mat like those they land on when pole vaulting.

Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client:

[Jay]

Seems easier just to trade 'her' in on another model!

[Rick M]

We have a platform bed (used to have a Somma Water Tube mattress) with four drawers under the platform. While you indicated you need to slide plastic storage boxes under, the drawers in the pedestal might give you some food for thought.

I don't have drawings, but if you'd like, I can take some photographs and send them.

I didn't make this bed, it was custom made by "The Loft Bed Store" in northern Virginia about 12-14 years ago.

Regards,

Rick

[Searcher]

Then I would have to break in the new model, and she would want to infringe on my woodworking by getting all lovey dovey. And then theres the credit cards They would be maxed out with makeup and parfumes and frilly underthingys. Nah, I'll just stick with the well worn in easy going nag that I already have!

Just kidding honey you know I love you! (in case she reads this while I'm in the shop)

Searcher

[Searcher]

That would be great having the pics could eas my mind and give her something to think on.

THanks

[e-mail]

Take the splinter out, CAREFULLY though

Searcher

[jo4hn]

Well that's gonna cost ya 20 bucks not to tattle. ;-) jo4hn

[Phisherman]

[Sonny]

1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath. 2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs underneath

Hmmm! My first thought was: Have you considered a walk-in closet or an office addition. Speculating: Seems she is looking for more space .... to declutter another area or for organizing her work-at-home items. "No obstruction" indicates to me the need for quick access to important items.

[Searcher]

Actually, she needs the underbed storage for things that she doesn't use year round, as in seasonal clothing and such. We already have a high bed and thats something we're used to. We have the old mattress on a frame of 2x4s

18'' high then add the box spring then the mattress so the total height right now is 36". I would be adding 4" to the underneath and subtracting 8" for the existing box spring, which should bring me to a max height of 32" high. 22" for the bed frame and 10" for the mattress. I hope this is making sense, cause right now I'm lost.

Searcher

[dgadams]

I did my son's bed like Josh details in his post. For our king bed I built two twin size panels using torsion box techniques. 1/2 inch plywood on both sides with a 1.5 inch interior web. The supports are

4x4 posts about 12 inches long (6 of them) spaced in three rows about 12 inches in from each side and in the middle. Sides are finished with 1x6's for appearance. My objective was a platform bed with recessed legs. The panels are joined together in the middle with recessed bolts. Overall the bed has worked well. It's been in use 10 years. Biggest problem is the weight, those panels are heavy. If I was to do it over I'd likely try three torsion panels with 1/4 or maybe 3/8 plywood skins. The torsion box would have a core of 2" insulating foam sheet (or if I could find it, some honeycomb paper core with hardwood lumber banding on the edges. Our bed has 12" of under bed "head room" and we have about six under bed boxes under there. The boxes are 8" or 9" thick. Don't know if I'd attempt to make the legs longer without doing something to prevent racking.

D.G. Adams