Soo...I'm not even halfway through my coffee table project when an opportunity comes up to build a platform bed for a friend. So after a little research and a few back and forth exchanges with the owner-to-be, I've come up with a simple and traditional design for a king size bed frame that may or may not be used with tatami mats (actually, the owner-to-be doesn't even know whether they will get a futon or a regular coil type mattress).
The style and material were selected by the owner-to-be, so there isn't too much room for change there. Mostly I'm concerned about the load-bearing capabilities of the wood at the current dimensions, and whether there's a better durable clear finish than polyurethane for this application.
Since I've never built a bed like this before (or any other style for that matter), I would welcome any sage advice, particularly in the following areas:
- thickness of the rails, for both strength and aesthetic appeal
- choice of wood: possible pitfalls/caveats for milling and finishing
- height from floor to top of frame
platformBed_01.png platformBed_02.png
platformBed-post_01.png
Here are the design basics:
Overall dimensions: 82" x 85" x 8" H (may go to a 10 or 12" height)
Internal dimension (area for mattress): 76" x 80" x 2" H (tatami mats are typically 2")
Frame and post material (including center support: Ash, white, prime
Mattress slats/supports material: poplar, 3/4" x 2 1/2" x length
Rails: 5" x 1 1/4"
Corner posts: 4 3/4" x 4 3/4" x8" H
Finish: seal coat (not sure of product yet) and clear matte oil-based polyurethane