Should I buy a bed frame or make one?

[tohellwithuga]

We recently converted our old crib to a regular (full) bed. However, the bed frames that we had are too long by about 4", so stuff is always falling in between the end of the bed and the foot board.

So, we have been looking for a shorter bed frame, but it also needs to have holes for mounting a headboard and a footboard. We're having trouble finding one that meets these specs, for a price that we're willing to pay.

Therefore, I'm currently thinking of maybe making a wooden bed frame myself. It doesn't seem like it would be all that hard, but I wanted to post here and see if you guys had any tips/ideas/etc. for me?

Here are some photos of the bed in it's current state:

[Mr__Bill]

That looks like a metal frame. Why not just cut it shorter and rivet it together again? As I recall welding is out do to the poor quality of the material used for the angle iron.

But.... and there is always a but

A nice wood frame would look much better and you would be creating a heirloom piece.


Bill

[dbhost]

Build it. Even if you just used deck screws to hold together some 2x4s, you'd have a better product than most of the junk on the market these days...

[cgallery]

The footboard looks pretty robust. I'd consider just adding stretchers between the headboard and footboard, and run some slats between the stretchers.

You can find all sorts of bed hardware at places like Rockler and Woodcraft for connecting stretchers to the head/footboards. The ones on my bed are mortised in, and it is about as easy as mortising a butt hinge for a door. The stretcher covers your work, so you don't even have to work if your chisel slips a little.

[tohellwithuga]

Thanks for the encouragement (was kind of hoping you guys would say 'build it' ).

So, this is for my 6 year old daughter's room. Any specific ideas or plans that you know of? I guess I could add some drawers/storage underneath, but I usually don't like the look of that. She has a small room, though, and space is at a premium.

I sort of thought about buying/building a twin loft instead, and using this full bed for the (eventual) guest bedroom. But my daughter says she likes the big bed.

[Knottscott]

You're a woodworker asking a forum of woodworkers whether or not you should make or buy a bed frame?! Uuuhhmmmm........make it?





...these are prime opportunities to acquire a new tool too!

[schloff]

Making drawers that slide from underneath really help with the clutter problem that a 6 year old can fester. My little girl (6 year old, as well) has more crap thrown under her bed than in her toy boxes, dressers, closet...

drawers will prevent her from using "under the bed" as a catch-all for her crap.

Build it, if you have time between work, baths, school, homework, after school sports and activities, feeding times, football, and, and, and...

[chopnhack]

If you do decide to somehow employ a captains bed bottom (i.e. - drawers underneath for shallow storage) - have you given any thought as to how the face frame will join with the angled leg bottom of the footboard? If you can solve that issue then by all means, have at it. Otherwise, if you can't come up with anything that would look good aesthetically, my honest opinion would be to go with the rails and slats as already mentioned and then you can always get some long tupperware for under the bed storage or build some low profile cabs that would rest on the floor.

[Mr__Bill]

Another option for drawers are the plastic under bed bins for storing wrapping paper. They are inexpensive, replaceable and really quick to install. Your daughter can see in them and know where stuff is.

Bill,

[tohellwithuga]

If you do decide to somehow employ a captains bed bottom (i.e. - drawers underneath for shallow storage) - have you given any thought as to how the face frame will join with the angled leg bottom of the footboard? If you can solve that issue then by all means, have at it.

Hmm, yeah, that does present a bit of a problem. I could raise the bottom of the shelves about 2-2.5", I would get past the curve. But, that would give me incredibly shallow drawers (unless I raised the whole bed, which i probably shouldn't do).

Otherwise, if you can't come up with anything that would look good aesthetically, my honest opinion would be to go with the rails and slats as already mentioned and then you can always get some long tupperware for under the bed storage or build some low profile cabs that would rest on the floor.

Yeah, that might be the best route.

BTW, I LOVE your sig

[vaking]

Adding a couple of stretchers to existing headboard and footboard is easy - just get some bed hardware and make a knock-down bed. However I wonder about the reason that you don't like your existing setup. I have made a bed in the past ( I made a long twin bedframe for my son with headboard and footboard) and I deliberately made the frame 4" longer than the foundation. Those extra inches come very handy when you need to put on a fitted sheet on a mattress or a skirt on a foundation. I believe that is how beds are made on purpose. I do have a king size bed in front of me now that was bought from a good source and it also is longer than the king mattress.

[SARGE..g-47]

I would build it! All you have to do is run a mortise in the head-board and foot-board to accept a rail attachment with a hook. You can purchase them anywhere like Rockler.. LV.. Woodcraft (?).. It should only take a day at max even if you are not overly experienced. And I also agree with Mr. Bill about the plastic storage that rolls under the bed as they are cheap and simple.

BTW.. if you feel it is over your head or you just don't have time and.. your little girl needs it pronto.. I just finished a project and won't attack our budget to re-stock my wood racks until the first of the year. I see you are in Ga. and if around Atlanta I would be happy to assist you. I live out in L'ville and I have all the tools we would need to make it a short after-noon build if you brought the two side rails and the hardware.

Good luck...

[tohellwithuga]

I would build it! All you have to do is run a mortise in the head-board and foot-board to accept a rail attachment with a hook. You can purchase them anywhere like Rockler.. LV.. Woodcraft (?).. It should only take a day at max even if you are not overly experienced. And I also agree with Mr. Bill about the plastic storage that rolls under the bed as they are cheap and simple.

BTW.. if you feel it is over your head or you just don't have time and.. your little girl needs it pronto.. I just finished a project and won't attack our budget to re-stock my wood racks until the first of the year. I see you are in Ga. and if around Atlanta I would be happy to assist you. I live out in L'ville and I have all the tools we would need to make it a short after-noon build if you brought the two side rails and the hardware.

Good luck...

Thanks! It's good to know of someone local. We actually moved from Lawrenceville to Cumming last year.

I think I could knock this out myself. It's a rainy day, so I can't work on the deck tonight, anyway.

So, I'm looking at the hardware options on Rockler, and, it looks likt there are a few ways to do this:

Surface Mounted Keyhole Bed Rail Brackets - these actually look like they would be the easiest to install, and are only $12 (I think everything has free shipping right now?)


Surface Mount Bed Rail Brackets - another option for $10.79

Galvanized Steel Bed Rail Fasteners - Yet another option for $10.49

Any opinions on any of these? Are there other products I should look at? I don't think any of these require mortising (I don't mind mortising, but it seems like it would be a lot more time consuming than these options).

Also: Would I be able to find these at Lowes or HD, so I don't have to wait on shipping?

[SARGE..g-47]

All should work an especially when you have only one light-weight using the bed. I prefer to use the type with a male hook and a female reciever latch that is mortised to recess the hardware into the wood so no hardware shows once they are mated. But.. that's just my picky.. picky coming out on a build I make.

I would have a good look at the three you mentioned and chose the one that has the most holes for screw attachment. I perfer using 13/16" or 1" side rails and design my beds so the remaining components proportion to that but.. I have a feeling you are considering 3/4" stock and I would want as many screws to fasten to 3/4" stock as possible for added strenght.

And have a look at the center mount hardware also.. I doubt you will need it with your daughter as she is not heavy and the only one using the bed. The center mount is good if you have heavy box springs and mattress.. two people using so... just a consideration to ponder if you decide to build a "big boy-big girl" bed in the future. You know... the kind of bed you line both parties up on the 50 yard line and let the game begin!

Good luck....

[tohellwithuga]

Thanks, Sarge! The main negative I have against mortising is if, by some strange, unexpected reason, we end up having another rug rat, we need to be able to convert it back to a crib. 99.44% sure that won't happen, but you never know...

And, yes, I was thinking of using some 3/4" pine that I have (got it on clearance a few years ago at Lowes, and haven't had a use for it yet). Do you think that's a mistake? Should I get some 13/16" or 1" stuff?





I also have some 3/4" curly maple that I got a few years ago, but I don't think that would match.