By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Things You’ll Need:
Bed Frame Assembly
Step1
Determine the size of the mattresses you will be using. (Standard twin size is best.) Make a "box" from 2-by-6's 78 inches long and 41.5 inches wide. Plug screw holes with wood plugs.
Step2
Assemble mattress supports inside the box using four 2-by-4's cut 41.5 inches in length. Place a support 3 inches from the foot and one 3 inches from the head of the bed frame. Then place another support 25 inches from the foot of the frame and the last support 48 inches from the foot of the bed. Fasten with screws on both ends and plug holes with wood plugs.
Step3
Attach four corner posts to "boxes" with carriage bolts. Attach the lower bunk not less than 12 inches from the floor and the top bunk 48 inches from the floor. Use #10 finishing nails to attach frames to posts, then check for square before attaching with carriage bolts.
Step4
Construct guard rails from 2-by-4's by making them as a "box" like in the first step. Place guard rails inside each bed frame. Do not plug holes for easy disassembly.
Step5
Make mattress supports by cutting two plywood sheets 38.25 inches by 74.75 inches. Place them inside each frame. For easy disassembly, do not screw or nail these.
Ladder Assembly
Step1
Cut two 2-by-4's 57.75 inches in length. Cut an angle at top of each board for placement against the side of the upper bed frame and the bottoms of the boards so the ladder leans toward the bunk bed.
Step2
Insert rungs by installing five 2-by-4's cut 14.5 inches in length. Place rungs 12 inches apart.
Step3
Install hooks at the top of each side board with lag bolts so the ladder can be hooked over the side of the upper guardrail.
Step4
Add some padding to avoid scratching the guardrails. You may want to use some nonslip padding on the bottom of the ladder, if the bedroom has hardwood floors.
Step5
Sand and finish entire set. Plug any nail holes. Accent with some wood stain.