How to Build a Kid's Loft Bed

A loft bed for your child's room is a popular choice. It gives even smaller rooms a lot of extra floor space, and many children enjoy climbing up into loft beds. The area beneath the bed can be loaded with shelves, drawers or a desk to maximize usable space. Building this loft bed takes one to two hours, depending on your skill level. The basic steps are easy enough that you can choose to involve your child in making her own bed, introducing her to the world of do-it-yourself furniture.

Things You'll Need

• Twin-size mattress
• Plywood sheet, 1/2-inch by 39 inches by 75 inches
• 2 beams, 2 inches by 4 inches by 75 inches
• 2 beams, 2 inches by 4 inches by 36 inches
• 4 posts, 6 inches by 6 inches by 60 inches
• 2 planks, 1-inch by 12 inches by 72 inches
• 4 planks, 1-inch by 12 inches by 36 inches
• Box of wood screws, 3-inch
• Power saw
• Power drill
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Sand all faces of the lumber to prevent splinters.

2. Set up the beams in a rectangle with the shorter beams inside the longer beams, all beams resting on their narrowest face. Connect them with two wood screws per point of attachment.

3. Lay the plywood sheet on top of the rectangular frame. Screw it in place using one wood screw per corner, drilled through the plywood and into the beam below.

4. Set one post on end in the corner formed by two beams. Screw it in place with four wood screws drilled through the plywood and into the end of the post. Drive two screws through the face of the 75-inch beams and into the side of the post. Drive two more screws through the face of the 36-inch beam and into the side of the post.

5. Repeat Step 4 three more times, mounting the other posts to the frame.

6. Connect two posts along the 75-inch side by attaching a 72-inch plank. Use four wood screws per connection, driven through the plank and into the side of the post. Position the plank so its top edge is 1 foot below the bottom of the mattress platform. Attach the second 72-inch plank directly opposite the first.

7. Connect two posts along the 39-inch side by attaching a 36-inch plank. Use four wood screws per connection, driven through the plank and into the side of the post. Position the plank so its top edge abuts the bottom edge of the 75-inch planks. Attach a second 36-inch plank directly opposite. Repeat for the other 39-inch side of the bed.

8. Set the frame on its legs, in position in your child's bedroom. Put the twin mattress on top.

References

• Gene Brick; Furniture Hobbyist; Hillsboro, Oregon
• "Step-by-Step Basic Carpentry"; Ben Allen; 1997
• Better Sleep: Mattress Sizes