Bed frame for own bed

Bed made by own hands, often not only looks more interesting than bought in the store, but also more durable. In addition, it will fit organically into a specific interior, since all the features of the placement and design of the bed are taken into account already in the manufacturing process. Particular attention should be paid to such a basic element of this piece of furniture, as the bed frame, which can easily be assembled even for a beginner furniture maker.

Materials for making the frame

Before embarking on the dream of a self-assembled and installed berth,from what material it will be made. There are not so many options, and each of them has both positive and negative sides. The basis for the bed is made of:

• One-piece solid wood. Natural wood has been a classic building material since ancient times and has not lost its relevance now. Since the value of wood is determined by the value of the tree species, it is clearly divided into several price categories. If the bed frame is wooden, made of exotic natural breeds( teak, wenge), this determines the belonging of the interior to the elite class. The most affordable are the beds, with the creation of which used pine or birch. Examples of materials of an average price category for manufacturing a wooden frame are models from cherry, hazel or oak. But even if there is not enough money to buy expensive timber, a relatively cheap base is veneered or tinted, masking under more presentable wood species. If you want a bed in a classic style, reminiscent of the boudoir of the 19th century, there is practically no alternative to a wooden massif as a material for making a frame. After all, only in this case the chiseled legs of the bed, elegant headboard or overhead elements look organically. Protect the wooden frame from the adverse effects of the environment is very simple: it is varnished, covered with beeswax or artificially aged.

• Metal .Stylish metal frame for the bed is ideal for interiors of high-tech and modern. As a decoration, it is dyed, chromed and nickel plated. This finish, combined with the severity of the lines, automatically turns the sleeping place into the center of the room. To slightly soften the sharpness of metal contours, the metal is covered with leather, textiles or pressed veneer. Especially popular now enjoy exclusive versions of metal beds, finished with patina on copper or bronze. To increase the service life, the bed frame is covered with a special polymer layer. This makes the base resistant to corrosion, mechanical damage, high temperatures. Thus, the lifetime of the metal frame is increased to 10 years or more. The main materials for metal frames are aluminum and steel. The beds made of cold rolled steel are of moderate price and high weight. But aluminum models, although much easier, will nevertheless cost a considerable amount. Innovation in this area is considered to be a frame made of bent metal rod, which is recommended to be painted to increase the service life.
• chipboard, MDF, fiberboard. Behind these abbreviations is hidden such material as wood plates. They are produced in various ways: on the basis of wood fibers( DVP), chips( EAF) or wood flour( MDF).There is an opinion that the skeletons made of wood slabs cause damage to health, because they release harmful formaldehyde resins. But a laminated coating or a layer of veneer applied to the surface can avoid this. Such a bed frame with your own hands is quite simple. It's going to be a honeycomb type with hollow cells, so the bed is very light and mobile. The price will be much less than on the model of a solid wood massif. Particleboard has no tendency to crack with time, is not rotted, pests do not start in it. Also, a characteristic feature of the material is a high tensile strength. Even serious mechanical influences practically do not affect the appearance and functions of the bed with a frame made of chipboard. Among its advantages are also water resistance, homogeneity of the structure without internal knots, voids and cracks, indifference to temperature changes. However, in recent years, the use of particleboard for the manufacture of furniture, including bed frames, is gradually narrowing. The reasons for this - the release of toxic formaldehyde resins in the process of operation, the complexity of assembly due to the fact that the material does not hold nails and screws, as well as an unpretentious appearance. MDF is not inferior to chipboard for strength and durability, even when used in conditions of high humidity and temperature. At the same time, such material is environmentally safe and allows realizing any fantasies about the design of a bed. In addition, MDF is well laminated or veneered, so this kind of wood board easily imitates such popular shades of natural wood as mahogany, beech, walnut, wenge, alder.

Types of skeletons for beds

Before proceeding to the independent manufacture of the bed frame, it is advisable to determine its dimensions. Usually they are standard and depend not so much on the area of ​​the room as on the number of people who will rest on such a bed. Classic options are:

• Single place. Its length is 200-210 cm in length, and the width is 90-100 cm.

• One-and-a-half sleeper. Here the width varies between 110-150 cm, but the most common are models with a width of 120 or 140 cm. The length remains the standard - 190-200 cm.
• Double bed. For him the most typical bed frame is 160x200 cm, but if the furniture is intended for sufficiently full people, the width is increased to 180 or 200 cm.

Modern frames most often look like this:

1. Wooden grating .It is a frame, across which are attached wooden slats. Often such are the skeletons of a double bed, for which a high degree of strength and reliability is particularly important. The slats are attached to the frame in two ways: they are fixedly connected to it by means of nails and screws or installed in specially designed plastic jacks and are movable."Deaf" fastenings are usually chosen for beds with elastic and thick mattresses, and mobile - for beds with spring and latex mattresses. Such designs provide maximum comfort due to the function of self-adjustment of the deflection zone.
2. Metal grating .This version is remotely similar to the armored grid and has proven itself with use with spring and latex mattresses. The advantage of such models is the presence of a large number of support points - over 9000. Thus, metal frames provide good fixation of the human spine.
3. Movable frames .The price of models with variable geometry is quite high, but they are worth it. Adjustable angle of the legs and headboard lift ensures comfortable and quiet sleep, and for controlling the mechanism in some models, there is no need to get up.
4. Frames on the legs .They are much rarer. For frameworks on legs are characterized by a large weight and the base, which is a spring block or a metal mesh. However, more and more often they are replaced by models where the skeleton frame or inner corners serve as a support for the grating.
5. Bed frame with lifting mechanism or drawers .This option will be irreplaceable in conditions of lack of space in a small apartment. When raising the base of the bed, you can access the drawers, where bed linens, towels and other things are stored, which should not collect dust. The construction of the lifting mechanism is very simple: it consists of metal guides and two steel springs. However, the owner of this bed should know that the models often require serious and expensive repairs.

How to independently make a frame for a bed with your own hands

Despite the apparent complexity, the work does not require special skills. Before starting the process, prepare the following tools and materials:

1. Socket wrench with a set of replaceable heads.
2. Table circular saw.
3. Saw gantry.
4. Nyler and compressor( in the absence of them replace the usual nails with a hammer).
5. Multiple clamps.
6. Sanding machine or sandpaper.
7. Rubber mallet.
8. Elbow.
9. Roulette.
10. Drill / screwdriver.
11. Pencil.
12. Wood putty.
13. Stain.
14. Varnish.
15. Joiner's glue.
16. Screws( length 40 and 60 mm).
17. Sponges.
18. Small spatula.
19. White Spirit.
20. 2 staples made of metal.
21. Bolt nuts with a diameter of 10 mm - 16 pieces.
22. Metal fastenings of 100x50 and 100x100 mm for connecting wooden beams - 4 pieces.
23. Washers for bolt diameter 10 mm - 16 pieces.
24. Screws with a diameter of 10 mm - 4 pieces.

Now select the necessary sawn timber. For the skeleton of a double bed you will need:

1. A beam measuring 50x50 mm.
2. 6 boards with dimensions of 50x100 mm.
3. A beam measuring 100x100 mm.

The length of all the above materials should be 2.6 m. In addition, you should stock up a dozen or two two-meter boards having a section of 25x75 mm. For finishing in a budgeted version of the beds, a pine is taken: four boards measuring 25x150 mm, two boards measuring 25x250 mm, one board measuring 25x100 mm - all 2,6 m long - and one two-meter board measuring 25 х250 mm. For a headboard we take a wooden board in the size 60х240 sm. Now we pass actually to manufacturing process:

• Determine with the height of the legs and add to it the height of the side walls. Cut off 4 pieces of the necessary length from the bar size of 100x100 mm, then attach them fastenings strictly at the same level with screws and nails.
• Measure the width of the mattress of the future bed and cut off the wooden board size 50x100 mm two pieces of the same length, but with a small margin. We install these boards in ready-made fastenings on the legs. We measure the length of the mattress and saw off two boards, the length of which will be less than this value by an amount that coincides with the width of the foot. With a very wide mattress, we install a support beam in the center of the frame. To do this, determine the distance between the 2 short sides of the frame, saw off the board of the same length and mount it into the center of the rectangular base by means of metal fasteners.
• On the base we install cross planks, the cross section of which is 25x75 mm, and the distance between them is 50 mm. They are needed to support the mattress and create additional depreciation. Planks, the length of which corresponds to the width of the frame, we fix by means of screws.

• Turn the frame so that the legs are at the top. To one side we put a board measuring 25x250 mm, mark the necessary length and saw off. We do the same from other parties.
• We glue the planks to the frame with joinery glue, previously aligning the upper edge of the legs. In addition, fix them with clamps.
• Now start making the top edge. She needs plates 11 cm wide, which, as a rule, are sawn off from a wider board. The length of the boards should be equal to the length of the sides of the base of the rectangular shape.
• Cut the ends of each plate at an angle of 45 degrees, and on the wall we install small stiffeners made of a bar size 50x50 mm. The edges are fixed by glue and nails.
• To hide the legs, we cut out from the wood of the plate the height is slightly less than the height of the legs. We glue them on the legs and additionally strengthen using nails and screws.
• Then mount the headboard. For this, we attach boards 50x100 mm to each leg at the back. It is necessary to make sure that their height exceeds the height of the base, but they must end below the upper edge of the future headboard. We fasten the boards with clamps and drill two holes passing through the boards and partially through the legs. We install in the holes of the washer and screw the bolts under the key. Now it's time to put the headboard in place. To make it look more impressive, to the side and top edges we glue boards of any width.

Bed frame in interior

Wooden frames and bed frames made of MDF and chipboard - an excellent material for the embodiment of the most extravagant ideas for interior design. So, the sleeping place of a simple geometric shape without any additional coatings will perfectly create an atmosphere of minimalism in the house. Loft and high-tech styles require the presence of ultramodern models from a curved massif or beds that are deliberately coarse and give the impression of being carved from a completely untreated wood.

Very attractive is such furniture in country houses or hunting estates. Popular in small apartments, on the contrary, use modular beds that occupy a minimum of space and make up a single whole with a cabinet or shelves. Metal frames usually look very elegant and elegant, especially if the bed is equipped with twisted legs or a beautiful forged headboard.