Instructions to Make a Padded Platform Bed

This DIY padded platform bed can double as a bench-style couch.

Building a platform bed with its own custom pad makes for a very flexible piece of furniture. If you're no longer constrained by the standard bed size options, you can custom build a bed to fit any situation perfectly. These plans are for a long, narrow bed that can double as a low bench during the day. Simply adjust the dimensions to use them as an example for beds cut to meet your needs.

Things You'll Need

• Sandpaper
• Plywood sheet, 3/4 inch by 30 inches by 70 inches
• 3 beams, 2 inches by 8 inches by 66 inches
• Foam padding, 30 inches by 70 inches
• 21 wood screws, 1 1/2 inches long
• Craft glue
• Heavy duty staple gun
• Fabric or vinyl, 42 inches by 82 inches

Instructions

1. Sand all faces of your lumber.

2. Lay your three beams on the ground, parallel and with their ends flush. The outer edges of the outer beams should be 24 inches apart. Lay the third beam in the center between the outside beams.

3. Lay the plywood sheet on top of the beams, overlapping the edges and ends evenly all around. Screw it in place with three evenly spaced wood screws per beam, driven through the plywood and into the beam below.

4. Lay the foam pad on top of the plywood sheet. Glue in place and allow to dry.

5. Lay the fabric or vinyl on top of the foam, overlapping each end by six inches. Pull one long side down and under the plywood sheet. Staple to the underside of the plywood with one staple per corner and one staple for every four inches all along the side.

6. Pull the other long end until the fabric is taut across the pad. Staple it to the underside of the plywood as you did the other side.

7. Repeat step six for each of the short ends, pulling firmly to keep the fabric taut.

References

• Gene Brick; Furniture Hobbyist; Hillsboro, Oregon
• "Step-by-Step Basic Carpentry"; Ben Allen; 1997