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DIY Queen Bed

When I painted an arch to be a headboard for my bed in the guestroom, I knew I'd probably have a hard time finding a simple bed without a headboard that was also in my price range. The decision to build a bed was then born! I looked around for tutorials, and my favorite was by Kristen @builds_by_kristen. Her tutorial was simple, gorgeous, and exactly what I was looking for! She added a few more details than I did and also made it for a king-sized bed, so I created my own tutorial for you!


First is my cut list. This took hours of planning and figuring out how to use the fewest amount of boards, and I did end up taking a few trips for more wood. This list should save you any extra trips though!


2x4s


1 @ 77 inches

2 @ 80 inches

2 @ 60 inches


2x2s


1 @ 77 inches

2 @ 80 inches

2 @ 60 inches

4 @ 12 inches

2 @ 11 3/4 inches

2 @ 7 inches

2 @ 6 3/4 inches


1x2s


2 @ 63 inches


1x4s


12 @ 60 inches


Tools/supplies you will need:

  1. Lumber (as seen above)

  2. Drill

  3. Kreg jig

  4. 2" Kreg screws (I bought a pack of 50 and had a few to spare)

  5. 2" wood screws

  6. 1 1/4" wood screws

  7. Miter saw or pre cut wood

  8. Wood glue

  9. Clamps

I started out by cutting all of my boards to the correct length and laying them out, so I knew where everything went and that I had all of the pieces. To make this easier to explain, I have labeled a few of the sections. First is part "A". This one will be made twice for the head and foot of the bed. The top of this section is a 60" 2x4, the bottom is a 60" 2x2, the sides are 12" 2x2s, and the middle is a 7" 2x2. I used the Kreg jig to create pockets for the screws, but also used wood glue to make sure it was extra secure.





Second, we have part "B". This section will run perpendicular to both section "A" pieces, connecting the two and forming the bed. The top is a 77" 2x4, the bottom a 77" 2x2, the sides are 11 3/4" 2x2s, and two middles braces 6 3/4" 2x2s. Again I used wood glue and 2" screws into pocket holes.




Once I had these pieces assembled, I took them into the guestroom. We have a lot of tight turns in the house, so I wanted to make sure I was able to get everything up there in one piece -- and by myself! The next step is combining your three sections. They should form a capital "H" shape with part "A" on either side and part "B" in the middle.


Make sure you have your pocket holes facing the correct way when assembling. I started with them facing outwards and had to fill in a few holes to cover that up. To connect "A" and "B", predrill and screw (using 2" wood screws) through the side of "B" and into the middle brace of "A". I put three screws in here to make sure it was sturdy. You may use glue for this part, but I did not because I want to be able to take the bed apart if we ever have to move it.


Next, I nailed the 63" 1x2s to the top of both part "A"s. This step was originally to cover up a mistake I made, but I ended up liking the way it looked and including it into the tutorial for that reason! The 80" 2x4s were attached with screws in pocket holes after that. These also connect "A" and "B" on the edges, making a full rectangle shape. I made three pocket holes at each end of both boards and attached them flush with the top of the head and foot of the bed.


The next step to the base of the bed is attaching the 80" 2x2s to the 2x4s on the side. The purpose of these are to hold up the slats that will hold up your mattress, so they have to be level with the top of section "B". I screwed the 2x2 to the 2x4 using 2" wood screws about every 1.5 feet, sinking them in about an 1/8 of an inch.


Finally, the bed needs some slats to hold up a mattress. This part is the easiest but also monotonous. I used a scrap piece of wood that was about 3.5 inches wide to space out the slats, predrilled into each one (three times; one on each side and once in the middle), and screwed 1 1/4" wood screws into them. The finished product looks like this!


Leave any questions in the comments, and I will answer them as quickly as possible! Also, if you make this bed, send me a picture! I would love to see it. Thank you for reading!


Deanna

 
 
 

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