A typical bedroom set is a big investment, but there are several ways to reduce costs. In fact, one of the best ways is by crafting your own bed frame. There are countless ways to build a DIY bed frame and doing so will provide a sense of reward that is far greater than simply purchasing a piece of furniture.
This guide will help you plan and craft the perfect bed frame for your room.
Determine Your Desired Style
If you’re interested in building a custom bed frame, then you probably have a rustic sense of style. However, even with a homemade frame built from the spare lumber around your house, the finished product can still look professional with enough effort. As with most projects, the most important preliminary step is to envision your end result; do you want something barebones that makes it look like you’ve placed your mattress on a wood pallet, or do you want something bigger that lifts your mattress off the ground? Are you trying to match the look of your room’s other furniture, or do you have relative freedom to explore with colors and other materials? Answering these questions early on will help you keep focused during the difficult parts of the project. In most cases, a DIY bed frame is going to require a great deal of wood. You don’t need to be a skilled carpenter but understand that most custom bed frame styles require cutting, nailing and otherwise manipulating 2x4s to fit the shape of your mattress.
Take Measurements
As with any DIY tutorial, measuring the least glamorous but most important part of the project. You need to account for the size of your mattress as well as the size of your living space. After taking measurements, you may need to adjust your initial vision for the finished product. Again, you won’t need to be an engineer, but you should keep your measurements for width, length and height written on a labeled diagram of your design. When it comes time to purchase your materials, an organized diagram will help you gather everything in a single trip to the hardware store. The most important part of the measurement phase is planning how each piece of your frame will come together. Unless your frame literally is a wood pallet, you’ll likely need to connect a number of boards, blocks and other building materials.
Select and Gather Your Materials
With your measurements out of the way, you can advance to the gathering stage. For the true DIY aficionado, this stage will provide opportunity for transforming old household materials into useful resources. For example, one group of DIY’ers used an old door as a headboard. You may need to cut these spare materials to fit your measurements but doing so is always better than purchasing all new supplies.
Still, purchasing new supplies shouldn’t be thought of as the mark of failure. For example, if your design calls for six metal prongs to hold your frame above the ground, it’s unlikely that you would have those stowed away in your house. Also, many people will adjust their initial design at this stage. Being in a hardware or crafts store can inspire last minute ideas. For example, you may have envisioned your frame with a hardwood finish but decide later on to staple a layer of fabric over its edges.
Find a Workspace and Get to Work
The most difficult part of the project starts when you begin the crafting process. It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of choosing a spacious work environment. Working in a cramped environment opens many possibilities for mistakes that damage your materials. Your garage could be a good place to start. Initially, you’ll want to reflect on your notes from the measurement stage; how do you need to prepare your individual pieces before connecting them? Whether they need cutting, painting, sanding or anything else, prepare one piece at a time.
Finally, bring your unconnected pieces into your bedroom and set everything in place. Since this often requires nailing boards to balanced pieces of wood, you’ll probably need a helping hand. Luckily, since your measurements are accurate, you’ll have no trouble slipping your mattress onto your new bed frame. These four guidelines will help you build the perfect DIY bed frame for your room. Each individual bed frame comes with its own unique challenges, but it’s always important to remain organized. With appropriate measurements, a lot of hard work and a bit of creativity, you can build a bed an affordable bed frame with materials you have lying around the house.
