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This is a showpiece kids' bed: two peaked-roof 'huts' with clapboard siding and a boarded roof, joined by a raised center platform with a lip, tied together by a ladder — the whole thing four feet tall at the center and roofed like a little village. It is by far one of the largest and most involved builds in the catalog, framed from 20 sheets' worth of 2x4 and 1x4, and it needs real shop space and, ideally, help.
The backbone is four identical roof trusses. Build all four exactly alike and dead square — every later panel references them, and a truss that's off throws the roofline out visibly. Two of the trusses get an extra top 2x4 (the two outside ones). The huts are then two truss-pairs each, sided and roofed.
A practical reality runs through the whole plan: doorways. Assembled hut frames are 26" wide, siding adds 3/4", and the roof boards run 30-1/4" wide — so at several steps the plan warns you to check whether the growing assembly still fits through your doorway, and if not, to do that step in the final room. The center floor and huts are bolted together with 4-1/2" lag bolts (four per side), which you must periodically re-check and re-tighten. The plan is candid that the assembled huts are top-heavy and tippy until fully joined, and it explicitly says to add back cross-bracing for stability and to beef up the top if you have a climber. Build and use with real care — this is a tall structure a child sleeps in and will absolutely climb on.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ftTrusses, floor joists, supports, trim. | 20 each |
| 1x3, 8 ftCross braces, ladder rungs, back support. | 5 each |
| 1x4, 8 ftSiding and roofing. | 30 each |
| 2x6, 8 ft (or stud)Center trim. | 1 each |
| 2x2 (25 in)Center top. | 1 each |
| Plywood, 3/4 in, 4x8 sheetHut floors and center floor. | 1 each |
| Wood screws, 3 in | 1 box |
| Wood screws, 2 in | 1 box |
| Pocket-hole screws, 2-1/2 in | 1 box |
| Lag bolts, 4-1/2 in, with nuts and washers | 8 each |
| Finish nails, 2 in | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 1 bottle |
| Paint or finish | 1 gallon |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Truss rafters2x4Short-point; one end 45° off square. Overall 72". | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 70 1/2" |
| Truss legs2x4One end 45° off square, long-point measurement. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 35" |
| Floor joists2x4 | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 39" |
| Floor supports2x4 | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 20" |
| Side trim2x4 | 12 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 18" |
| Hut floors3/4 in plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 23" × 39" |
| Cross braces1x3 | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 63" |
| End siding1x4 | 22 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 31 3/8" |
| Side siding (29")1x4 | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 29" |
| Side siding (18")1x4 | 20 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 18" |
| Roofing boards1x4No gaps between roofing boards. | 40 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 30 1/4" |
| Center floor joists2x4 | 3 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 26" |
| Center floor3/4 in plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 29" × 39" |
| Center trim2x6 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 25" |
| Ladder rungs1x3 | 3 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 32" |
| Center top2x2 | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 25" |
| Back support1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 75" |
Buy 58 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
19 boards
Build four roof trusses exactly alike, using 2-1/2" pocket screws or countersunk 3" screws with glue. Make sure all four match exactly and are square — every panel from here references them, so a truss that's off shows up in the whole roofline.
On the two outside trusses only, attach another 2x4 flush to the top of the legs, flush to the outside like the lower support. Only two of the four trusses get this.
First check you can move a 26"-wide assembly through your doorway — if not, assemble in the final room. Build two hut frames by joining an end truss and an open truss into each. Build two identical huts.
Use the pocket-hole jig to drill the side supports and attach them to the trusses; the window openings are at the top, so adjust their placement as you like. Add the plywood hut floors and the floor joists/supports beneath.
Lay the cross braces over the sides of the bottom and mark them, then remove and cut the ends at an angle so they seat as shown. Make sure everything is very square before you screw them down — the braces lock the hut's geometry.
If your doorway was tight, side in the final room — siding adds 3/4". Lay out the siding with ~1/4" gaps, screwing with 2" screws (removable) or 2" finish nails and glue (permanent), keeping everything square. This stiffens the huts a lot, but they're now top-heavy and tippy — be cautious. Then add the side siding, which you can nail for speed and easier hole concealment.
The roof runs 30-1/4" wide — if that won't fit through your doorway, roof in the room. Start the roofing at the peak and work down. Unlike the siding, the roofing boards butt tight with no gaps. Both huts are now done.
Construct the center floor with 3" screws and glue, adjusting for square before screwing the plywood to the frame. Attach the 2x6 center trim to the sides, three screws per board, keeping the 2x6 flush to the bottom so there's a lip at the top to keep things inside.
With all pieces in the final room, attach the center platform to the two huts with the 4-1/2" lag bolts, washers, and nuts — predrill the holes, four bolts per side. These bolts hold the whole bed together; check them periodically and re-tighten as needed.
Add the ladder rungs — this ties the two huts together at the base; bolt or screw them. Add the 2x2 center top to hold the huts in position up high (beef it up if you have a climber). Add the 1x3 back support, and if there's any wiggle, add back cross-bracing like the sides to take it out.
Sand and finish. Note the bed is 4 ft tall at center without a mattress — you fold the mattress, slide it through the opening, and let it unfold inside. Build and use carefully.
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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 →