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This is a captain's-bed-style daybed: a low, solid 2x4 frame with a fully-paneled 1x8 headboard and footboard on both ends, built specifically to carry drawers underneath rather than leaving that space as dead storage. Build two identical 2x4 frames first and square each one before the glue sets — checking diagonals now, while everything is still adjustable, is what keeps the drawer openings square later.
The inside cleat gets added early and does double duty: it holds the mattress slats and keeps the 2x4 frame itself square, so it's not just a later-stage part but structural from very early in the build. The headboard and footboard can be built as full 1x8 panels, or — if the bed sits against a wall and full panels feel like overkill — a 1x3 or 1x4 top-and-bottom frame with the middle left open, which the source calls out explicitly as a legitimate cost-saving substitution.
Drawer installation follows the same slide-marking discipline as this catalog's other slide-mounted furniture: mark a horizontal line inset 1" from the front of the vertical 2x4s, center the slide's screws on that line, and use the slide's vertical-adjustment holes so the height can still be tweaked after the first screws are started. This design can carry one drawer pair on a single side (daybed style, against a wall) or two pairs on both sides — doubling the relevant materials and repeating the same drawer-building steps for the second side.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ft | 5 each |
| 1x4, 8 ftBed slats. | 3 each |
| 1x2, 8 ftCleats. | 3 each |
| 1x8, 6 ftHeadboard, footboard, and one side's drawer sides/faces. | 5 each |
| 1x12, 6 ftDrawer faces, one side. | 1 each |
| Drawer slides, 18", full extensionOne side (two drawers). Double for drawers on both sides. | 2 set |
| 1/4" plywood or underlayment, half sheetDrawer bottoms, one side. | 1 each |
| Handles or knobs | 2 each |
| Self-tapping star bit screws, 2-1/2" | 24 each |
| Self-tapping star bit screws, 1-1/2" | 72 each |
| Brad nails, 5/8" and 1-1/4" | 60 each |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Frame top and bottom2x4, 8 ft | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 73 1/2" |
| Frame verticals2x4, 8 ft | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 11 1/2" |
| Cleats1x2, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 73 1/2" |
| Bed slats1x4, 8 ft | 9 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 31" |
| Center leg and drawer slide furring2x4, 8 ft | 3 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 13 3/4" |
| Headboard/footboard trim1x2, 8 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 14 1/2" |
| Headboard/footboard panels1x8, 6 ft | 4 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 35" |
| Drawer sides1x8, 6 ftTwo drawers, one side. Double for both sides. | 4 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 17 3/4" |
| Drawer front and back1x8, 6 ftMeasure and cut to fit. | 4 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 32" |
| Drawer bottoms1/4" plywood or underlayment, half sheet | 2 | 1/4" × 17 3/4" × 33 1/2" |
| Drawer faces1x12, 6 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 34 1/2" |
Buy 17 boards at 8 ft.
5 boards
Build two identical 2x4 frames using the longer screws and glue. Adjust each frame for square before the glue sets.
Secure the inside cleats with glue and screws — this cleat holds the mattress slats later and also keeps each 2x4 frame square.
Attach the 1x2 trim to the outside edges of the frames with 1-1/4" brad nails and glue, then add the 1x8 panels with screws and glue. A 1x3 or 1x4 top-and-bottom frame with an open middle is a valid cost-saving substitution if the bed sits against a wall.
Adjust the whole bed for square until the diagonals match. Secure the end slats with screws and glue, double-checking the diagonals again before the glue dries.
Attach the 2x4 blocking inside the bed for the drawer slides — the center leg does not get attached yet.
Draw a horizontal line inset 1" from the front of the vertical 2x4s. Separate each drawer slide into its cabinet and drawer members, and attach the cabinet member with screws centered on the line, using the vertical-adjustment holes so the height stays adjustable.
Mark the drawer sides 4-1/2" up from the bottom and attach the drawer members there, front edge flush with the drawer side's front edge — mirror the second side. Install all drawer sides into the slides, then measure and cut the fronts and backs to fit and attach with the shorter screws.
Measure and cut the plywood drawer bottoms, attach with glue and 5/8" brad nails, and test the drawers before the glue dries. Insert the drawers, position the faces with an even 1/8" gap on all sides, tack on with 1-1/4" brad nails, then open each drawer and add six screws per drawer from inside for real hold.
Lay the remaining slats inside the bed. Attach the center slat with screws, test the drawers to confirm they still slide freely, then screw the center slat to the center leg.
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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 →