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This bed starts from a component you buy rather than build: turned pencil-post legs, sourced from a specialty wood-parts vendor, since square stock can't be turned into a proper post leg without a lathe. Everything else — wrapping the legs in 1x boards, building the headboard and footboard, assembling the rails — is standard pocket-hole joinery.
The headboard and footboard aren't built dead square: the boards are cut at a 1/2° off-square angle, which is barely perceptible by eye but is exactly why the plan insists on marking long-point and short-point on every one of those cuts. At half a degree, a board can look correct upside down or backwards and you won't catch it by sight — you'll only catch it by checking your marks. Finish the headboard, footboard, and rails separately, before final assembly, so the whole bed can still be carried into the bedroom in pieces rather than as one unliftable assembled frame.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pre-turned bed post legs, ~80" length, 3-1/2" basePurchased from a specialty wood-parts vendor — not built with the tools above. | 4 each |
| Pine, 2x12, 16 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x12, 12 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 8 ft | 4 each |
| Pine, 1x6, 8 ft | 3 each |
| Pine, 1x3, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x3, 8 ft | 4 each |
| Pine, 2x4, 8 ft | 3 each |
| 1/4" plywood, 4x8 sheet | 1 each |
| Cove moulding, 30 ftOptional decorative detail. | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, assorted | 1 box |
| Brad nails, assorted | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 6 oz |
| Wood finish | 1 each |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Leg wrap boards, shortPine 1x4 | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 19" |
| Leg wrap boards, rippedPine 1x6, ripped to fit | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 19" |
| Side rail top supportsPine 2x3 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 63 1/2" |
| Side railsPine 2x3 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 81 1/2" |
| Headboard/footboard panel boardsPine 2x12 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 11 1/4" × 79" |
| Headboard/footboard panel boards, shortPine 2x12 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 11 1/4" × 56" |
| Bottom support railsPine 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 79" |
| Center supportPine 2x4 | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 81 3/4" |
| Headboard main rail, longPine 1x4Both ends cut 1/2° off square, ends not parallel — mark long point. | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 58 1/8" |
| Headboard main rail, shortPine 1x4Both ends cut 1/2° off square, ends not parallel. | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 57 3/4" |
| Headboard vertical fillersPine 1x4Long point to short point, both ends 1/2° off square, ends parallel. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 24" |
| Headboard trim railPine 1x3Both ends 1/2° off square, not parallel. | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 50 7/8" |
| Headboard trim fillersPine 1x3 | 3 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 10 3/4" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 30" × 57" |
Buy 19 boards at 8 ft.
4 boards
3 boards
Take the purchased pencil-post legs and wrap each one with the 1x leg wrap boards, mitering or beveling the top edge for a clean transition to the turned post above. Glue and pin-nail the wraps in place.
Once the legs are wrapped, attach the bottom support rail to each pair of legs, then the top rail if you're including one — some builds skip the top rail on the footboard end for a more open look.
Cut the main headboard rail pieces at the 1/2° angle, marking long point and short point clearly on every cut — at this shallow an angle, a mislabeled board is easy to install backwards without noticing. Assemble the main headboard pieces.
Fill in the side pieces of the headboard, attaching to the leg assemblies with pocket holes.
Fill in the remaining vertical trim pieces with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws.
Attach paneling or plywood to the back of the headboard.
Build the footboard following the same process as the headboard, at a shorter height.
Finish the headboard, footboard, and rails separately before final assembly — it's much easier to move the pieces into the bedroom unassembled than to maneuver one finished frame through a doorway. Assemble with 1-1/2" pocket holes and 2-1/2" pocket hole screws.
Attach cleats to the inside of the side rails with 2-1/2" screws to support a box spring. Add a center support post down the middle for additional strength, with an optional center leg tied into it. If skipping a box spring, lay slats across the cleats and center support instead.
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4 boards
6 boards
1 board
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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 →