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The whole cost-saving idea here is that the "mechanism" is just heavy-duty hinges, not a purchased hardware kit — which is honest about the tradeoff: a hinge swings freely, so a magnetic clasp to hold the bed shut is not optional, it's the only thing standing between a closed bed and one that swings open on its own. Compression (soft-close) hinges are offered as an upgrade to slow the fall rather than stop it outright, worth adding if the budget allows.
The mattress panel is really a shallow box of its own, built from the same plywood-and-board approach as the wall box, with a decorative door pattern applied to its face from thin hobby-stock trim. Installation is not optional finishing — the wall box must be screwed into wall studs at both top and bottom, since this piece is designed to carry a mattress and hardware load hanging off a wall, not just sit against it.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Plywood or MDF, 1/2", 4x8 sheet | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x12, 8 ft | 3 each |
| Pine, 1x8, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x3, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x2, 8 ft | 3 each |
| Hobby stock, 1/4" thickFor door decoration trim. | 2 sheet |
| Wood screws, 2" | 1 box |
| Finish nails, 2" | 1 box |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Brad nails, 5/8" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Wood filler | 1 can |
| Sandpaper, assorted grit | 3 sheet |
| Heavy-duty hinges or continuous piano hinge | 1 each |
| Heavy-duty magnetic clasp | 1 each |
| Compression hingesOptional; slows the bed lowering into place. | 1 pair |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Box sidesPine 1x12 | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 78 1/2" |
| Box bottomPine 1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 42 1/4" |
| Box back supportsPine 1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 42 1/4" |
| Box front support trim, topPine 1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 43 3/4" |
| Box side trimPine 1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 77" |
| Box top side trimPine 1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 12 1/4" |
| Box front top trimPine 1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 45 1/4" |
| Box top, backPine 1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 47 1/4" |
| Box top, frontPine 1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 47 1/4" |
| Mattress box backPlywood or MDF | 1 | 1/2" × 40 1/2" × 76 1/2" |
| Mattress box bottomPine 1x8 | 1 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 40 1/2" |
| Mattress box sidesPine 1x8Cut lengthwise at a diagonal from one board to get both sides. | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 55" |
Buy 12 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
3 boards
1 board
Fasten the sides to the bottom with 2" screws and glue.
Fasten the back supports to the box, flush with the top and back, using 2" screws and glue. Also fasten through the bottom of the box into the bottom support.
Fasten the front support trim to the box with 2" screws and glue, top edges flush. Using 2" nails and glue, fasten the side trim to the box with outside edges flush — also fasten to the bottom of the box, and fasten through the top trim into the top end edge of the side trim.
Fasten the front top trim in place with 1-1/4" nails and glue, keeping top and outside edges flush. Use 2" nails at the ends to fasten to the side trim and sides.
Using 2" nails and glue, fasten the top back piece to the box top, leaving a 1" overhang at both ends and keeping the back flush. Attach the top front piece the same way, leaving a 1" overhang on the front and sides.
Screw the bottom board to the plywood back with 2" screws and glue. Fasten the diagonally-cut sides to the bottom and back with 2" screws and glue.
Using 1/4" hobby stock, fasten your desired decorative pattern to the face of the mattress box door. Secure with glue, 5/8" brad nails, and clamps, and let dry.
Use heavy-duty hinges (or a continuous piano hinge) to attach the mattress box to the wall box. Add a magnetic clasp to keep the door from falling open when shut. Optional compression hinges keep the door from free-falling open when unlatched.
Fill any nail or screw holes with wood filler, sand, and finish as desired.
Screw through the back-support boards into wall studs, at both the top and bottom of the box. A wide elastic strap secured to the plywood door is also recommended to keep the mattress in place when the bed is closed. Sized to fit a standard twin mattress, 39" x 75".
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1 board
3 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →