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The traditional trimmed-post bunk bed in 1x lumber — four flat-built wall sections bolted together with 3" bolts, so it moves through doorways and comes apart for the next house.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| End rails | 12 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 37 1/2" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Legs | 8 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 63" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Back and front rails | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 80 1/2" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Front rails, short Stop short for the ladder opening. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 64" | 1x4 | ☐ |
| Rail trim fillers Measure each opening and cut to fit — fitted parts. | 12 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 3" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Trim fillers, long | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 22" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Bottom trim | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 8" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Slat supports | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 75" | 2x2 | ☐ |
| Ladder side | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 55" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Ladder rungs | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 19" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Ladder front trim | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 13" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Ladder trim | 6 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 10" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Front leg trim | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 35" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Bed slats Spacing per your mattress maker's recommendation. Screwed down, never loose-laid. | 34 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 39" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1x4, 10 ft Rails. | 11 each | ☐ |
| 2x2, 8 ft Slat supports. Metal braces are the heavy-duty upgrade — the source's own recommendation for rowdy sleepers. | 4 each | ☐ |
| 1x3, 8 ft Legs, trim, and ladder — slats NOT included in this count. | 9 each | ☐ |
| 1x3, 8 ft (bed slats) 34 slats at 39" — follow your mattress maker's slat-spacing spec. | 14 each | ☐ |
| Bolts, 3", with washers and nuts Four per leg. The knock-down system. | 16 each | ☐ |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2" | 50 each | ☐ |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 1-1/4" | 100 each | ☐ |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 100 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 8 oz | ☐ |
| Wood filler and finish | 1 qt | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig, Speed Square, Tape Measure. Materials: 1x4, 10 ft, 1x3, 8 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, 2", Wood glue
Assemble each end: rails between leg pairs, pocket screws from the inside faces (or countersunk 2" screws from outside). Screws, not nails, at every rail — the source is blunt about why: bunk beds take years of motion and nailed structure works itself apart.
Square each end by diagonals before setting it aside.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pencil, Tape Measure. Materials: 1x4, 10 ft, 1x3, 8 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, 1-1/4", Wood glue
Mark the rail positions on two 63" legs, then glue and screw the long rails to the legs with 1-1/4" screws. Now the drill-sergeant moment the source insists on: measure BOTH diagonals, and if they disagree, push the long corners together until they match. Four square sections bolt into a square bed; anything else bolts into a lean.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Tape Measure. Materials: 1x3, 8 ft, Brad nails, 1-1/4", Wood glue
Cut the 1x3 filler pieces to their ACTUAL openings between rails — don't pre-cut from the list; the fit is the look — and attach with 1-1/4" brads and glue. Trim is the one place nails are welcome here.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x2, 8 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, 2", Wood glue
Glue and screw the 2x2 slat supports to the inside of the back rails, bottom edges flush, with 2" screws and — capital letters in the source — WOOD GLUE. For heavy kids or enthusiastic ones (all of them), substitute metal slat braces screwed to the rails.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Drill / Driver, Pencil, Tape Measure. Materials: 1x4, 10 ft, 1x3, 8 ft, Self-tapping wood screws, 1-1/4", Brad nails, 1-1/4", Wood glue
Mark the front legs and the ladder side, then glue and screw the top-bunk rails, short lower rails, and ladder rungs — 1-1/4" screws. The ladder is built INTO the front wall, which is why it never wobbles the way strap-on ladders do.
Trim the front's openings to fit, same as the back.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Bolts, 3", with washers and nuts, Wood filler and finish
Finish all four sections flat (fill, sand, paint or stain — flat panels finish in a quarter of the time), carry them to the bedroom, and bolt the corners: four 3" bolts with washers and nuts per leg. Snug them hard; re-snug after the first month of use.
Check the top rail height against your actual mattress — rails should stand 5" or more above the mattress top. Too-thick mattress? Thinner mattress, not shorter rails.
Tools: Circular Saw, Drill / Driver. Materials: 1x3, 8 ft (bed slats), Self-tapping wood screws, 1-1/4"
Cut and lay the 1x3 slats per your mattress manufacturer's spacing and screw every slat to the supports with 1-1/4" screws. Loose-laid slats shift; on a top bunk a shifted slat is a trapdoor. Screw them all.
Mattresses on, kids in, negotiations over who gets the top bunk begin immediately and never end.