My New Bed

Where I spend a very comfortable third of my life.

In January I decided it was time to make a new bed.  I needed to get a new mattress and felt that the investment of a boxspring would be a waste of money and loss of potential storage space. So I decided to build my own platform bed.

I sketched out a quick drawing and went to work. I visited Home Depot and purchased $100 worth of lumber.

I did not follow a recipe and don't really have an accurate list of all materials.  I just went to Home Depot and walked around looking at stuff till it came to me.

If I did make a list of what I remember it would be...

• A whole bundle of 1 x 3 slats 
• 6 1X8 slats
• 2 2x2 left over from another project
• 3 4x4 redwood boards (they are very thick and light.)
• 1 box wood screws 1 1/4"
• 2 pieces of thin formaldehyde free plywood material
• 4 fence post tops for the pillars
• 16 carriage bolts (holds the 1x8s to the post and allows for quick disassembly when moving)

Basically the 1 x 8 are attached to the 4 x 4 with carriage bolts.   I also allowed for enough space underneath for plastic tub storage 18''.

Attached to the 1x8s are staggered 2x2 for the slats and plywood to lay flat against. 1x4 were used for the slats.

In order to give the shelves a more Zen appearance I changed my design to make the columns of the headboard go through the shelves at the last moment.

I purchased an LED strip from Amazon for $12 that i used to illuminate the underside of the bed.  Attached the fence post toppers, and stained with several coats of Polyshade to add a nice plastic shine and protect the wood.

For the plywood I wanted something durable, but not as heavy as construction plywood.  I found some formaldehyde free plywood that was lighter, and without the smell of formaldehyde.

Here is the finished bed.  I have been sleeping on it now for four months and it is still sturdy.  Since I live in an apartment right now I am very happy that it is so light.  If I had a house I would have used much heavier construction materials so it would last the test of time.

Update: One year later the bed is surprisingly stronger than I thought it would be considering the light materials.  When I moved apartments it was incredibly easy to break down, light to move, and quick to set back up. I simply folded the plywood pieces off, unscrewed the slats,  removed the carriage bolts.  I can store up to 8 large storage containers underneath.