DIY Captain's Storage Beds

Build a captain's bed frame to maximize your storage space.

A captain's bed offers storage space beneath the mattress in the form of built-in drawers. The frame for a captain's bed consists of two main parts: the basic frame and the drawers. This design incorporates two drawers on each side of the bed for a total of four. It is built out of plywood and lumber available at hardware stores, along with a few basic tools and materials. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• 2 boards, 2-by-10-inch, 73 1/2 inches long
• 2 boards, 2-by-10-inch, 18 3/4 inches long
• 39-by-75-inch piece of 1/2-inch plywood
• Drill
• 3-inch wood screws
• Screwdriver
• 39-by-75-inch piece of 3/4-inch plywood
• 8 boards, 1-by-10-inch, 18 3/4 inches long
• 8 boards 1-by-10-inch, 33 3/4 inches long
• Wood glue
• Bar clamps
• 4d finishing nails
• Hammer
• 4 pieces of 1/4-inch plywood, 33 3/4-by-17
• 4 screw-in knobs

Instructions

1. Place two 39-inch pieces of 2-by-10-inch board on the ground, standing on their 2-inch edges. Place a 73 1/2-inch piece between them, forming a long H.

2. Stand two 18 3/4-inch pieces of 2-by-10-inch board extending out from the center of the 73 1/2-inch board, creating a "∃E" shape.

3. Place a 39-by-75-inch sheet of 1/2-inch plywood on top of the boards. Have a friend help you to lower the plywood in place so that you do not knock the beards over.

4. Drill a 1/16-inch pilot hole every 4 inches through the plywood and into the edges of all boards. Join the pieces together with 3-inch wood screws inserted into the pilot holes.

5. Flip the assembly over so the plywood is on the ground.

6. Place a 39-by-75-inch sheet of 3/4-inch plywood on top of the boards. Screw it in place the same way you did the other piece. This forms the basic frame for the captain's bed.

7. Build a rectangle out of two 18 3/4-inch pieces of 1-by-10-inch board and two 33 3/4-inch pieces. Sandwich the longer pieces between the shorter ones, creating the frame for a drawer.

8. Glue the four corners of the box together with wood glue. Use bar clamps to hold them together.

9. Nail each corner of the box together with four 4d finishing nails to reinforce the glue.

10. Allow the glue to dry for the time recommended on the bottle.

11. Cut a 33 3/4-by-17 1/4-inch piece of 1/2-inch plywood. Glue and nail this plywood into the bottom of the box to form the drawer's bottom.

12. Build three more drawers following Steps 7 through 11.

13. Slide the four drawers into the bed frame.

14. Screw a knob into the face of each shelf to allow you to open it. Use knobs with attached screws that are no longer than 1/2-inch.

Tips & Warnings

• Place a twin mattress onto the frame to complete your bed. Use a box spring if desired for additional height.

• Many hardware stores will cut lumber to size for a fee, allowing you to simply assemble the pieces.

References

• MIStupid: Lumber Dimensions
• Sleepys: Mattress Size Dimensions
• "Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual"; Reader's Digest