How to Build a Loftbed

Using a loft bed is an excellent way to reclaim space in a room with little floor area. The loft bed allows a child or person to sleep off the ground and use the space below. A child's room or a college dorm room is a fun place to use a loft bed. Constructing a loft bed takes time and a little skill with wood and tools. A typical loft bed accommodates a twin size mattress, measuring 38 inches by 76 inches.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plywood- size 4 feet by 8 feet and 3/4 inches thick
• 4x4 wood posts- four are needed and should be eight feet long
• 2 inches x 6 inches x 8 feet wood boards- three are needed
• Eight foot long boards that are one inch by three and a half inches-three are needed
• Drywall screws
• 8 Lag bolts

1. Go to a local hardware store that sells good lumber. Quality lumber is best for this project so the loft bed will be able to withstand weight and abuse.

2. Take the 2 inch x 6 inch x 8 feet boards and cut them to size. Cut two down to seventy-eight inches long. Take the third board and cut it into two pieces that measure thirty-seven inches. There will now be four pieces.

3. Make a box out of the four pieces of wood so that it measures forty inches by seventy-eight inches and is almost six inches deep. The longer boards will be on the outside of the shorter boards.

4. Use three inch drywall screws to secure the boards together in the corners.

5. Cut the plywood to fit the box.

6. Place the cut plywood into the newly made box.

7. Use drywall screws to secure the plywood to the wooden box. Place them evenly around the outside of the box at about twenty-four inches apart.

8. Decide how tall the bed will be off the ground. Take the height of the ceiling into account.

9. Measure where the mattress box will attach to the posts and mark the area on each post. This is easiest to do by lying all the posts down next to each other and marking them at the same time.

10. Place two posts on the ground, spaced seventy-eight inches apart. Tilt the mattress box onto its side and place the top of the box along the marked line.

11. Drill holes in the side of the mattress box and into the posts.

12. Attach the posts to the mattress box using the lag bolts. Use two bolts for each post.

13. Repeat the process for the other two legs.

14. Use the remaining one by three inch wood boards to build a ladder to climb to the top of the loft bed. The steps should be spaced ten inches apart and attached securely to the end of the bed.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use pressure treated lumber for making the loft bed. It is best to keep as many chemicals away from the bedroom and sleeping area as possible. Children under the age of six should not sleep in a loft bed.

Resources

• Build a Loft Bed