How to fix a broken bed

[Andrew Pitonyak]

A long dead relative made a bed. I don't remember who used it before I used it as a child. It has been used by a few of my Sister's now grown children, and now my 5 year old is using it. My point is that I really would like to fix it. In the following image, you can see a board with three holes. This is where the side frame board is bolted to the headboard. The mattress sits on this board. On the left, you can see that the board has split. If you look carefully, you can see that there is also some damage on the center piece. My first thought was that perhaps I can glue and clamp it, but, I am very skeptical that I can do something that simple.

bed_front.jpg

This is how it looks on the back side. I have no idea why it is shaped that way. I suspect that this bed was made when times were tight, so it is probably reclaimed from something. That said, some of the furniture made by this relative is very nice mahogany, so there is really no telling. In this case, the split is now on the right, and you can see part of the split on the center piece. I don't really see that I can attach anything to this to reinforce it....

bed_back.jpg

I expect that I will need to make a new piece. It would be nice if I could match it. The wood feels rather soft and not very heavy.

bed_board.jpg

I expect that I could probably match it with poplar (too soft) or maple. I suppose that if I do replace this piece, I may rebuild both and make it an inch longer on each side.

Any thoughts are appreciated...

I might be able to purchase (don't know where) two steel plates about 1/4" thick, 7" wide (as wide as the board) and 7" to 12" long, and I could sister that to the end of the board. I can remove the long strip and shave off 1/4" for the area that would on top of the steel...

I have never drilled steel, is this something that I could probably do say with a cobalt drill bit? I have drilled cast iron, which I expect was softer, but this is outside what I usually do.

[pat warner]

Rout a pocket for a mending plate. Aluminum in my case. 3 or 4 screws and the plate will hold the stick together.

[tyler mckee]

I had a similar problem with an old bed, i just opened the split enough to squirt some glue with a syringe, clamp and called it good. If it doesn't hold the steel or aluminum plate sounds like a good idea.

[Brad Patch]

A long dead relative made a bed. I don't remember who used it before I used it as a child. It has been used by a few of my Sister's now grown children, and now my 5 year old is using it. My point is that I really would like to fix it. In the following image, you can see a board with three holes. This is where the side frame board is bolted to the headboard. The mattress sits on this board. On the left, you can see that the board has split. If you look carefully, you can see that there is also some damage on the center piece. My first thought was that perhaps I can glue and clamp it, but, I am very skeptical that I can do something that simple.

bed_front.jpg

This is how it looks on the back side. I have no idea why it is shaped that way. I suspect that this bed was made when times were tight, so it is probably reclaimed from something. That said, some of the furniture made by this relative is very nice mahogany, so there is really no telling. In this case, the split is now on the right, and you can see part of the split on the center piece. I don't really see that I can attach anything to this to reinforce it....

bed_back.jpg

I expect that I will need to make a new piece. It would be nice if I could match it. The wood feels rather soft and not very heavy.

bed_board.jpg

I expect that I could probably match it with poplar (too soft) or maple. I suppose that if I do replace this piece, I may rebuild both and make it an inch longer on each side.

Any thoughts are appreciated...

I might be able to purchase (don't know where) two steel plates about 1/4" thick, 7" wide (as wide as the board) and 7" to 12" long, and I could sister that to the end of the board. I can remove the long strip and shave off 1/4" for the area that would on top of the steel...

I have never drilled steel, is this something that I could probably do say with a cobalt drill bit? I have drilled cast iron, which I expect was softer, but this is outside what I usually do.

Your bed rail was recycled from an older bed rail. The circular slot originally held a male cast iron cleat that would attach to a female cleat located on the bed post. Forcing the split open then a liberal application of white or yellow glue and clamping will most likely solve your problem.

[Charles Wiggins]

I had a similar problem with an old bed, i just opened the split enough to squirt some glue with a syringe, clamp and called it good. If it doesn't hold the steel or aluminum plate sounds like a good idea.

+1

I have 2 1/2 years experience in the bedroom furniture business, and in that time I did A LOT of repairs.

If you can wedge open the split enough to get a syringe or other similar applicator in there so the inside of the joint is covered, and clamp it, you should be gold. Assuming that there are no voids inside the joint, if you use a quality wood glue like any of the Titebond line or Elmer's, and get good coverage, the glue joint will be stronger than the surrounding wood.

If push comes to shove you could replace the section, but getting the finish to match is definitely the tough part. If you go that route you'll want to cut the broken section off and plane the cut absolutely flat for your glue joint. Rather than try to make the "perfect" piece, I find it easier to make the new piece a little large then trim and sand it after the glue dries.

Because we had to gt it done fast, most of my experience in matching finishes is in using Mohawk touch-up products, especially their toners and lacquers. Someone else might have better advice on matching it by more traditional means.

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Charles

[Pat Barry]

Agree 100% with idea of opening up the split as far as you dare and then injecting glue. Work the break open and close to work the glue deep into the crack, then when you have it as good as you can get it clamp it up and deal with it like any other clamped glue joint. You need to fix this and that is the simplest approach and should be the primary path. I would be very confident in this approach. Fallback only to a reinforcement method, preferably invisible of course.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I opened it as much as I dared, squirted in some Tight Bond III and it is currently clamped. If that does not hold, I will reinforce with a metal plate.

[Erik Christensen]

ahhh too late now but on a through crack like that I have had better luck pooling glue on the top side and using a shop vac on the bottom to pull glue through - does a better job than any injector I have tried and you don't run the risk of making things worse by trying to open the split

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Now that you mention it..... I do remember your posting about that.... I had forgotten. Thanks for the reminder.

[Cary Falk]

I would put glue in the split and clamp it up. Once it dries I would route out a section over the split on the backside 1/3 the thickness of the board deep and glue a piece of wood in the area to strenghten it. Sand the piece of wood flush and touch it up with stain.

[Ib Rikhof]

The danger in "opening up" the split is of course the possibility of making the split worse. I always place a clamp just beyond the end of the split before I pry the split open. I also indorse the shop vac trick. Good luck - I am fully behind saving old family pieces.

[Andy Pratt]

better than any standard glue would be using "medium" or "thin" grade CA glue, the thin stuff is honestly about like water for viscosity and if it is fresh (learned the hard way by using 2 year old glue) it will flow in much better and hold just as tight if you clamp it. If there is a crack it lessens/eliminates the amount you have to open it so it's the best option if you are worried about breaking the piece.