DIY Platform Bed
A tutorial by .
- 4 – Platform Bed Brackets
- Mattress
- 3/4" plywood
- 2x8s
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Circular saw
- Speed square
- Piece of trim board to guide cuts
- Spring clamps
- Jigsaw
- Wood glue
- Adhesive trowel
- Screws (such as 1-1/4" finish screws, 2-1/2" deck screws, and 2" screws)
- Wood putty
- Wood putty knife
- Orbital sander and sanding discs (we used 100- and 150-grit)
- Drill/driver
- Screws (such as 1-1/4" and 3/4" wood screws, 2-1/2" finish screws)
- Adhesive felt furniture pads
- Rags
- Finish
- Brush or rag to apply finish
- Safety gear such as eye protection, a mask/respirator, and gloves
Ben Uyeda
Ben Uyeda stepped away from the award-winning architecture firm he co-founded, as well as an Ivy League teaching position, to develop media companies that deliver affordable designs to the masses. In the last four years, Ben’s design ideas have reached more than 50 million people and the free designs he gives away are being built on six different continents. Despite the populist and affordable nature of his work, Ben’s designs have been featured in an exhibition and workshop at the Vitra Furniture Museum in Germany.
Step 1:
Cut wood to size
Use a circular saw to cut your plywood and 2x8s to size (view cut list). The side supports include built-in tables. For those pieces, stop about 22" from the end of the plywood, and use a jigsaw to make the last remaining cuts.
Step 2:
Create the side supports
Each support consists of two plywood panels, offset by two temporary spacers to create a ledge for the slats. For each support, screw the three-inch-wide spacers onto the rectangular piece of plywood, then secure the "L-shaped" piece using glue, clamps, and 1-1/4" finish screws.
Step 3:
Add 2x8 reinforcements
Glue and screw the pieces of 2x8s to the undersides of each side support. Use 2-1/2" deck screws for the thicker parts of the plywood, and 2" screws for the thinner areas.
Step 4:
Remove the spacers
Unscrew the spacers from each side support. (See step 14 for a better idea of how these spacers create a nice ledge for the mattress slats.)
Step 5:
Make the cross supports
Lay your side supports out, 2x8 side up. For each cross support, slide one panel of plywood underneath the side support overlap. Attach the other plywood panel and 2x8 on top, using glue and clamps. Secure everything together with 2-1/2" deck screws.
Step 6:
Trim the frame at an angle
Once the glue has cured, have someone help you flip the platform frame over. Clamp a trim board to the headboard end of the frame, and set your circular saw blade to 30 degrees. Use the circular saw to cut through the two layers of plywood.
Step 7:
Make the headboard
Attach two two-foot-wide panels together to create the headboard. Apply an even layer of glue to one, place the other on top, and secure with clamps. After the glue cures, clamp a straightedge to the headboard, and trim the edge at a 30-degree angle.
Step 8:
Trim sides and base
Switch your circular saw blade back to 90 degrees. Trim the sides of the headboard so they line up with the ends of the side supports. Trim the base of the platform as well, filling in the cracks with wood putty.
Step 9:
Sand everything smooth
Use an orbital sander to sand the plywood, progressing from 100-grit to 150-grit. Round over the edges and smooth your jigsaw cuts.
Step 10:
Attach the legs
Position the legs on the platform frame 2x8s. Drill a pilot hole through each bracket hole. Use washers and screws to secure the legs.
Step 11:
Create a skirt, if you like
You can leave the sides of the 2x8s exposed, or create a skirt using two 2-3/8"-wide plywood boards and one 1-1/2"-wide board for the foot end. Cut the edges to 30 degrees, and secure with screws. Cover the screw heads with wood putty.
Step 12:
Add the headboard
Add felt furniture pads to the legs, and have someone help you flip the platform frame over. Sand the wood putty down and position the headboard. Drive screws through the bracket holes into the back of the headboard, and up through the underside of the platform into the edge of the headboard.
Step 13:
Finish the bed
Do a final sanding as needed, and use clean rags to remove the dust. Apply a finish of your choice, and let dry.
Step 14:
Add slats and mattress
Lay the slats across the middle of the platform frame, so the edges rest on the ledge created by the side support overlap. Place your mattress on top
Step 15:
Enjoy your new bed!
Add your bedding, and that's it! Strong and durable, this simple platform bed will last for years and years.