platform bed plans

[Andy Livingston]

I am going to build a king sized platform bed with under storage drawers. Has anyone here built anything like this, or have any suggestions/advice before beginning this project? I think it should be pretty simple, but you never know. Sometimes the simple projects will make you lose the most sleep! Thanks!!

[Jamie Buxton]

I've built several beds like that. A big consideration is how to modularize the bed. You must make it in modules small enough to be moved into the house. My current favorite is to make it in four modules: a headboard, a footboard, and the rest -- made in two pieces with a parting line running head-to-foot down the middle. Those two big pieces are then 38" by 80" by the height of the bed -- maybe 15". This is big, but generally manageable. You may have to stand it on end to turn corners in hallways. If you have standard (80" tall) doors, it will have to be horizontal to get through them. It can even be carried up stairs if you have strong folks.

The two platform pieces get placed in position first. The headboard and footboard go on next. They get fastened from the inside (you remove the drawers to crawl inside), so the fasteners are hidden.

I like low beds, which generally means that you get only one layer of drawers. Two layers of drawers is possible, but it makes the bed rather tall.

[Tim Vice]

I made a platform style water bed years ago. A couple of things that I would have done diffrent:

1. I would have remebered about night stands and not placed drawers next to the headboard.

2. I would have allowed for storage between the left side and right side drawers.

3. Concidered the size of the bed. Kings are very large and does not fit well in most rooms.

Just my opinion.

[Jamie Buxton]

Ah yes, nightstands and bed drawers... That's a real issue.

One approach which I like is to attach the bedside tables to the headboard or to the wall. They don't stand on the floor, so the under-bed drawers open below them.

[Bill Arnold]

I built one a few years ago at the request of LOML. Basic construction is three "coffins" side-by-side to form the platform and hold the drawers. I designed it with five drawers -- two on each side and one at the foot. I also incorporated two small compartments at the foot.

You can see a few photos here.

I've slowly added other matching pieces to the bedroom suite.

[Jamie Buxton]

Another good approach to the night-table is to design it so that the inboard end rests on the bed, and the outboard end rests on the floor. The drawer can open under it. Mark Singer did this in a post about a bed which didn't have drawers, but still shows the architecture.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...&highlight=bed

[John Sanford]

Realize first off that with a platform bed, you probably won't need the box springs, which usually aren't anything but a box!

Essentially, what you're looking to build is an oversized Captain's Bed, so perhaps we should just call it the Admiral's Repose.

Two banks of drawers, one for each side, completely separate units. Headboard and footboard, also separate units. The platform on top of everything. With a king size bed (California or Eastern?), that will be the challenging part, unless you simply make the platform multiple pieces as well.

The two bank approach allows you to put a drawer, or better yet, a door, at the foot, giving opportunity to store long things in the space under the bed between the two banks.

IF you are fortunate enough to live someplace that still has a waterbed store (where, oh where did all the waterbeds gooooooo?), head on over and check out their beds. With the exception of the side walls, waterbed construction is exactly what you're looking for.

I have built a Captains Bed, complete with a bookcase headboard, 3 drawers per side. One mistake was overbuilding the platform itself. I built a torsion box using 3/4" plywood, top, bottom, and guts...., then surrounded on both sides with 6/4 maple After building it, the stage manager for a dancing elephant troupe came by and asked if I'd be interested in selling it, he figured it would make a dandy stage for the Pachyderm Step Dance.

Make sure of the final mattress height. Unlike a regular post bed, you really can't lower a captain's bed after building it.

[Andy Livingston]

Great advice from all of you. I'll post some pics when done. I like the idea of two separate sets of drawers, with the headboard and footboard also separate. that will make moving this beast possible. Also, great advice about making allowances for the night stands. I would have made the drawers right up to the head end. I have a feeling the head end drawer would never have been used. I'll just start the drawers two feet from the end.

[Bill Arnold]

On the nightstand issue, we wanted typical nightstands with drawers, so that take care of the storage space "lost" by not running drawers all the way to the headboard. Each section of my design allows for a loose panel that can be lifted off of the internal cabinet for access to the available under-bed storage. The mattress has to be moved for access, but the only thing under there is seasonal or long-term storage items.

[Ed Peters]

some time ago. The specifications were: 3 drawers on each side, 3" toe kick on both sides and the end, total height to the top of the mattress would allow for a box spring, headboard would be raised panels with rail and stile components and it needed to break down into manageable pieces. Well, I accomplished it but it took some thinking. The assembly consisted of the headboard (Red Oak with Walnut accents), left side frame, right side frame, end frame, 6 drawers and 4 plywood box beams. The bowbeams spanned the width and provided attachment for the side frames. They also functioned as the box spring supports on the top and drawer guides on the sides and bottom. There are some pictures at www.crookedlittletree.com under "Purpose Built Furniture". Would be happy to share my experiences on this one if interested.

Ed