Day Bed Ideas?

[poolhound]

My daughter is in the process of planning to move to Chicago at the end of May. I cant wait to hear how she deals with her first winter after living in AZ for 10 years - Brrrrrr

They are trying to figure out how to make the most of the room they will have in their apt and the idea of a daybed came up, especially as we already have 2 twin mattresses going spare. I then rashly said "I could make you one!"

So does anybody have one they could take some pics of and/or has made one before.

The ones I recall seeing before look like a sofa in their day form and are sized for a twin mattress. Sometimes they have no arms a bit like a futon. The back would fold down and a second matresses (stored underneath) is then used to make it like a double bed.

I have also seen versions where the second mattress pulls out and is "lifted" onto legs which bring it level with the base of the sofa piece.

I want to keep construction as simple as possible (and be costs concious) especially given that I only have about six weeks max (I must have been crazy )). I do have some pine (various types), Alder and Ash on hand and maybe some maple.

Any construction ideas, or input on materials or anything else for that matter welcome.

[Wood_workur]

I don't think a standard mattress will fold enough to be used as a sofa. why not a murphy bed?

[poolhound]

I don't think a standard mattress will fold enough to be used as a sofa. why not a murphy bed?

I wasnt thinking of folding it, just making it the thing you sit on and using some large cushions along the back.

Sorry for my ignorance but whats a murphy bed and isnt murphy still using it?

[cobob]

I like the idea of putting a roll out mattress under the top one. My kids are having lots of sleep overs & that extra mattress would come in handy. My bunk bed, desk, dresser, bookshelf combo was going to include an extra mattress but the ceiling fan moved the ladder, which left the opening under the bunk 2" too narrow. Which goes to show that plans may be preferable to building on the fly.

[pelligrini]

Rockler has some hardware and plans for Murphy beds. http://www.rockler.com/search_result...ter=murphy+bed



I've seen the roll out lower mattress beds called trundle beds.

[poolhound]

Oh so thats what Murphy sleeps on, I never realized thats what they are called.

A bit too elaboprate methinks and also maybe rather too big for the Uhaul they are renting. They also wanted the flexibility of having it as a sofa when in normal use. Its for their second bedroom/office/storagespace and would only be used as a bed when people come to stay over. Like US! SO I guess there is some motivation on my part to ensure its going to be comfortable

[cabinetman]

You could do just simple double mattress trays, similar to this (just an example). The lower bed would have fixed casters. The top mattress you add a beveled bolster, or throw pillows.
.

[Wood_workur]

I'm assuming that the twins will be connected to make a king at night. Going off the idea of a roll out tray, you could use something like this to connect the lift up frame to the non moving frame. That will provide support from the pup up bed and keep it connected (don't want a crevasse forming at night) the for the other side maybe there can be a mortise for two legs to slide in underneath, or the fold out and then slide into a mortise. I wouldn't use just hinged legs, you are gonna want something to keep them from falling.

[Bill in Buena Park]

A day bed with "trundle" might be of interest. The trundle is the unit on which the second mattress stores underneath the day bed, usually on wheels, and pops up, as you described - or does, as C-man indicated. Having the trundle separate and keeping the back fixed allows you to not figure out how to support a back that folds down for the second mattress.

I did a websearch on "Wooden Daybed with Trundle". Here's a variety of models on I found on a furniture site that might be possible to make within your 6 week window:

http://www.hillsdalefurnituresource....y.aspx?ID=9531

http://www.hillsdalefurnituresource.....aspx?ID=10029

http://www.hillsdalefurnituresource....aspx?ID=151794

http://www.hillsdalefurnituresource....aspx?ID=151800

Here's a typical metal trundle

http://www.hillsdalefurnituresource.....aspx?ID=14224

[poolhound]

great ideas folks. I like the connectors idea Alex. That way you may only need legs on one side of the pull out.

[WLee]

Oh so thats what Murphy sleeps on, I never realized thats what they are called.

And now you know "the rest of the story" about where Murphy's Law came from... he was still IN that dang bed when his wife tipped it back up... ergo "Whatever CAN go wrong...WILL."




BTW, most daybeds just have the bed bottom, and a simple back (frame/spindles etc, but no back pads -- when you add the back pads, you call it a sofa, when you use a cheap "folding" mattress it's called a futon).

Also, they make mechanism/plans for a "small" side-tipping murphy-bed for twin mattresses.