How to Build a King Size Waterbed

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By Michael Straessle
eHow Contributing Writer

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(2 Ratings)

Build a King Size Waterbed

Water beds are a sure bet for giving a bedroom that custom look and feel. Solid wood is the most common material used to build a frame to hold the mattress, but it does make for a heavy piece of furniture. Of course, it needs to be hefty when considering the weight of the water that it holds in place.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Four 8-foot 2-inch by 12-inch lumber boards
32 L-brackets
1 lb. box of 1/2-inch wood screws
1/2 lb. 1-inch wood screws
Four 4-foot by 8-foot pieces of 1/2-inch plywood
Carpenter’s square
Measuring tape
Pencil
Skill saw
Jigsaw
Table saw
Screw gun

Preparation

Step 1

Measure and cut two of the 2-by-12 inch lumber 6 feet in length. Use the square and the skill saw for this. Next, measure and cut two of the 2-by-12 inch lumber 75 inches in length.
Step 2

Cut a 1/2-by-1 inch notch along the bottom edges of the 2-by-12 inch pieces. To do this, set the fence of the table saw to measure 1/2 inch over the blade. Set the blade to 1 inch in height. Lay the lumber down flat and make the first cut. After running all four pieces through, change the fence to 1 inch over the blade and 1/2 inch in height. This time, run the lumber through on its edge to finish the notch.
Step 3

Set up the table saw to rip six pieces of the 1/2-inch plywood 10 inches wide. Cut four of those 10-inch-wide pieces to 60 inches in length. Cut the remaining two pieces to 48 inches in length.
Step 4

Construct a frame with the 60-inch pieces using the L-brackets and the 1/2-inch screws. Be careful to not overtighten the screws since this will compromise the integrity of the hold.
Step 5

Mark the center of the four pieces that are 48 inches in length. Make a criss-cross pattern with the 48-inch pieces.

Putting It Together

Step 1

Construct the 2-by-12 inch frame using eight of the L-brackets and the 1-inch screws. Be careful to not overtighten the screws since this will compromise the integrity of the hold.
Step 2

Rip two pieces of the 1/2-inch plywood 23 7/8 inches wide. Rip one piece of the 1/2-inch plywood 25 inches wide. Cut all three pieces to 73 7/8 inches in length.
Step 3

Criss-cross support

Place the criss-cross pieces inside the frame constructed out of the 1/2-inch plywood. Space them out as needed to support the three pieces of 1/2-inch plywood.
Step 4

Place the three wider sheets of plywood on top of the 1/2-inch frame. Adjust them as needed to hang over the same distance all the way around.
Step 5

Place the 2-by-12 inch frame on top of the 1/2-inch sheets of plywood, making certain that it rests on the 1/2-by-1 inch notches. Use L-brackets and the correct screws to attach the 2-by-12 inch frame to the 1/2-inch plywood.

Comments

WaterbedGuru said

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on 5/24/2009 Hi folks,As an over 30 year veteran of the waterbed industry, I'd be careful using these directions. King size wood frame waterbeds are California Kings and the inside frame dimensions are 6' x 7', not as mentioned.If you need some help on your project and don't want to waste time, wood and money check the information here: http://www.AwesomeWaterbeds.com/Wood_Frame_Waterbed_FAQs.cfm and don't be afraid to call or email for help.Good luck and have fun with your project.WaterbedGuru