Material for bed rails

[bigsteel15]

The main reason I got full bore into this hobby is because I told LOML 3 yrs ago that I would build her a bed if she would let me build a garage.
Now that I finished the garage adn most of the interior is done, she bluntly told me yesterday that my next project should be the bed.
I told here she hadn't let me know what type of wood, she said she really likes oak.
So my question is how practical would it be to laminate 2 pieces of 3/4" ply together and cap them to make the side rails for a king size bed.

I shiver at the price of 2x8 oak lumber 7 feet long. Up here probably $80 each. I'm already going to be into this for $160 buying the turned posts at half price. Plus the $100 I already spent on Hemlock/Fir posts 3 years ago that LOML doesn't know I have.
If I bought a full sheet of ply for $80 I could make the rails and still have material for drawers for underneath.
On the otherhand, I have some 4x4 oak lumber that I could slice in half and join to make the sides.
Plywood seemed like the stronger choice, no?
Am I over analysing this?

[drumpriest]

According to the sagulator, you'd be better off laminating 2 1x8 piece of oak than using plywood, and I quite agree.

With a 1.5" deep oak piece, you are at a deflection of 0.04" over 80" with an even distributed weight of 600 lbs. I overkilled the weight because people move/jump/other things upon a bed.

2 pieces of like sized plywood laminated together would yield a deflection of 0.07" under that load.

A 2" thick piece of oak (northern red) would deflect 0.03" under that load. So solid wood is certainly the best choice.

[SARGE..g-47]

I am going to side with Keith on this one. The side rails are a key structual point of the bed and I wouldn't take short cuts trying to save a dollar. And remember that you cut a deal.. a garage for a bed. Do it right and remember when designing it, it's for the "first lady" and not for one ot the cowboy's down at the "bunk-house".

With that in mind and your goal crystal clear, put forth your best effort and you might get another deal hammered out down the road. Otherwise, you might just be sleeping with the "cowboy's" down at the "bunk-house". And that's a fact! ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..

Good luck

[leehljp]

AS to the price, I initially balked 25 years ago at oak rails for our bed when I thought it ought to be all but free back then. Bought them anyway. That bed has been from Louisiana to Tokyo to Osaka to Nagoya (Toyota). Held up well and If I had paid $50.00 each for the rails back then, it would have been worth it. My rails were made from 5/4 by 8 planed down to a full 1 inch thick by 8 inches. This is on a queen size bed. It has not had any sagging problems. But I made the bottom of the rails into an "L" by adding a 1 1/2 by 1 1/2 oak for support. It has worked well and been solid. No flex or weakness detected.

That good home made bed has held up better than the naked oak beds that you buy, assemble and finish yourself. It is more solid and stable than many solid oak beds at twice and three times the price - at least those that I have seen in many many visits to relatives and freinds.

I do not think you will regret the quality of your own hand crafted oak bed. Choose the wood you want, pay the price and enjoy how much better it is than a purchased bed or furniture at more than twice the price.

[Pappy]

Would the plywood work? Yes. Would I recommend using it? Not on something like this. The best quality plywood is still not going to give you the beauty of natural, solid stock. Veneers tend to take stains and finishes slightly differently that the solid stock used to face/trim them. You also loose the unique grain patterns that the solid wood will give you.

[bigsteel15]

Thank you all for your responses.
Sarge, You make a very good point.
Solid wood it is - no bunkhouse for me.
I should be able to find someone with good oak around here somewhere.

[JimD]

$80 seems high for the rails. I pay around $4/bd ft for oak. The bed I sleep on each night has rails made from 5/4 red oak about six inches wide. Even if you went with 8 inches wide and 8/4 thick, it's at most 10 bd ft/rail. Should be less than $50. With 5/4 and six inches wide, it's more like 5 bd ft or about $20-25 per rail. My rails also have ledges for the platform along the bottom which add some rigidity.

It's also a lot nicer to work with and look at solid wood. Oak isn't bad in price and you will probably use this a long time.

Jim

[bigsteel15]

$80 seems high for the rails. I pay around $4/bd ft for oak. The bed I sleep on each night has rails made from 5/4 red oak about six inches wide. Even if you went with 8 inches wide and 8/4 thick, it's at most 10 bd ft/rail. Should be less than $50. With 5/4 and six inches wide, it's more like 5 bd ft or about $20-25 per rail. My rails also have ledges for the platform along the bottom which add some rigidity.

It's also a lot nicer to work with and look at solid wood. Oak isn't bad in price and you will probably use this a long time.

Jim

I'm in Canada don't forget and retailers don't adjust their pricing on imported products as our dollar improves.
I checked today on S4S Red Oak.
5/4 x 8" = 8.99/linear foot
2x8 = 11.97/linear foot
Going to look around a bit more to see if better pricing is around here.

I think I'll go with the 5/4 or maybe even finished 1x8.
I won't need support rails because LOML has stated she would like to have drawers underneath and those will be my support for the bed.

I think in this case I will make a detailed plan/drawing and use Cutlist that I bought to economize best I can before I purchase material.

[DaveW]

Disclaimer: I know nothing about making beds...

Say you were using plywood... what about using some angle iron to stiffen it up? The angle iron could then be used to support whatever you use under the mattress too.

[leehljp]

Disclaimer: I know nothing about making beds...

Say you were using plywood... what about using some angle iron to stiffen it up? The angle iron could then be used to support whatever you use under the mattress too.

I did that on bunk bed rails made from 2x8 pine. Worked great!

[onedash]

Hows the bed comming along???

[Tom Miller]

Hows the bed comming along???

Not cool, onedash, not cool.








and a big

Regards,
Tom

[bigsteel15]

Not cool, onedash, not cool.




and a big

Regards,
Tom

Thanks for defending me Tom but that question gets raised often by friends and particularly by the wife.
I have bought the lumber (went with cherry) and put it in storage with the intention of starting it right away. That was 2 months ago.
Then I discovered turning...need I say more?
I also was given 2 slabs of western maple each 2' x 6" x 5' long that are taking up large space in shop because we've had lots of snow here and I also had to seal them. Then I need to figure what to do with them. Lots of bowls or lots of nice maple lumber.
I've also been working evenings and Saturdays at Lee Valley here in town so don't have much shop time these days.

[LinuxRandal]

Thanks for defending me Tom but that question gets raised often by friends and particularly by the wife.
I have bought the lumber (went with cherry) and put it in storage with the intention of starting it right away. That was 2 months ago.
Then I discovered turning...need I say more?
I also was given 2 slabs of western maple each 2' x 6" x 5' long that are taking up large space in shop because we've had lots of snow here and I also had to seal them. Then I need to figure what to do with them. Lots of bowls or lots of nice maple lumber.
I've also been working evenings and Saturdays at Lee Valley here in town so don't have much shop time these days.

Enjoying turning and looking for a project? Make some spindles for a head or footboard. That way you are working on her project, and not avoiding your better half! Remember, when they aren't happy, your not gonna be happy either!

[JimD]

If you put drawers underneith that sit on the floor, then the rails may not support that much weight and their construction becomes a different issue. My oak bed has a headboard and footboard and the rails are the only connection between the two. If I put drawers underneith, they would sit on the floor and have a solid top so the matress can sit on top. Some say you should use slats to let the mattress have some air circulation. Either way, the carcus that holds the drawers can support you and the mattress. The the rails are more cosmetic than structual. You can use whatever you want. Cherry looks nice and around here costs a lot more than oak - about twice. More than walnut.

Jim