How to Build a Wood Flat Bed

Making a wood flat bed is a simple project you can complete with building materials, a few tools and limited building skills. Flat platform beds are often found in Asian design styles, but you can build your flat bed to suit any room décor. Material selection and finishing will determine the appearance of your wooden platform bed; knotty pine works for a country-style bedroom, or you could paint the flat bed frame white to suit a shabby chic room. You can find all of the building materials listed for this flat bed at your local home-improvement store.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Hardwood planks
• Hardwood plywood
• Saw
• Iron-on edging & iron
• L Brackets
• Pencil
• Drill & drill bit
• Wood screws & screwdriver
• Light-grade sandpaper
• Stain or primer and paint
• Sponge or brush and tray

Instructions

1. Measure your bed mattress to determine the size for your flat bed frame. You can build the bed frame to fit your mattress exactly, or you could build it with space on both sides for built-in bench seating.

2. Cut a 3/4-inch-thick plywood panel to fit the dimensions of your flat bed. For example, to build a full-size flat platform bed with a 2-inch overhang around the perimeter, cut your plywood sheet 56 inches by 77 inches.

3. Iron on the veneer edging around the perimeter of your cut plywood panel according to the manufacturer's directions. This will give your flat wooden bed a finished look.

4. Cut two 8-inch-wide-by-2-inch-thick hardwood planks to fit the length of your plywood panel. Cut two 8-inch-wide-by-2-inch-thick hardwood planks to fit the width of your plywood panel. These are the head and foot of your bed frame. Cut three 8-inch-wide-by-2-inch-thick hardwood planks to fit the width of your plywood panel, less 4 inches. These three will be the center supports for the frame. You are reducing the length of the center supports 4 inches to account for the thickness of the planks that create the frame.

5. Place an L bracket on both ends of both planks that fit the length of your flat bed. These planks will be the sides of your frame. Place the bracket in the center of the end, flush with the edge. Mark the spots where you will place the screws and first drill pilot holes so that it's easier to insert the screws. Attach the brackets with wood screws.

6. Attach the head and foot planks to the L brackets on the length planks to create the outside perimeter of your flat bed frame. Remember to drill pilot holes.

7. Attach an L bracket at each end of each of the remaining support boards, in the center, flush with the edge. Attach the L brackets to the inside of your bed frame perimeter, equidistant from each other and from the head and foot frame boards. You now have the frame for your wood flat bed.

8. Place the flat plywood sheet on top of your platform frame. Drill countersinking holes for your screws every 6 inches around the perimeter and every 6 inches along the three center braces. Attach the plywood to the frame with wood screws. Fill in the screw holes with wood putty.

9. Sand and then stain or prime and paint your wood flat bed.

References

• How to Countersink a Screw

Resources

• Other Platform Beds