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The leg design here is different from a 4x4-post farmhouse bed: each leg is built up from an inner and outer 2x4, glued and screwed face to face, which gives a slimmer profile than a solid post while still carrying real load. Keep the top and outside edges of the inner and outer leg pieces flush as you laminate them — that's the reference surface everything else in the headboard registers from.
The joist spacing is a genuine engineering decision, not a fixed number: 12" spacing is shown, but a mattress with no box spring needs support at least every 6" (the standard maximum slat spacing), while a good box spring can get away with wider spacing. Decide this before cutting joists, and remember a California king often runs on two box springs side by side, not one.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine, 1x8, 8 ft | 9 each |
| Pine, 1x3, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 8 ftPanel trim — omitted from the source's own shopping list, added here to cover the cut list. | 6 each |
| Pine, 2x6, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 1x6, 8 ftFootboard top trim — thinner than the headboard's, since the footboard carries less load. | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x10, 8 ftSide rails — also omitted from the source's own shopping list. | 2 each |
| Pine, 2x4, 8 ft | 13 each |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 3" | 1 box |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2-1/2" | 1 box |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2" | 1 box |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
| Sandpaper, assorted grit | 4 sheet |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Headboard panel trimPine 1x4Measure your actual panel width before cutting; approximate. | 4 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 72 1/2" |
| Headboard panel endsPine 1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 30" |
| Headboard panel boardsPine 1x8 | 9 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 30" |
| Headboard inner legsPine 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 34 1/2" |
| Headboard outer legsPine 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 54" |
| Headboard top railPine 2x4Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 78 1/2" |
| Headboard top trimPine 2x6Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 80 1/2" |
| Headboard bottom leg piecePine 2x4Adjust to your actual side-rail thickness. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 10" |
| Footboard panel trimPine 1x4Measure your actual panel width before cutting; approximate. | 4 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 72 1/2" |
| Footboard panel endsPine 1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15" |
| Footboard panel boardsPine 1x8 | 9 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 15" |
| Footboard legsPine 2x4 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 21" |
| Footboard top railPine 2x4Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 78 1/2" |
| Footboard top trimPine 1x6Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 80 1/2" |
| Side railsPine 2x10 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 9 1/4" × 87 1/2" |
| Side cleatsPine 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 88 1/2" |
| JoistsPine 2x4Spaced every 12" shown — space at least every 6" if not using a box spring. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 69 1/2" |
Buy 32 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
14 boards
Lay out the panel boards on a clean, level surface. Measure the total assembled length and cut the trim boards to this measurement (approximately 78-1/2"). Fasten the trim to the panel with 1-1/4" nails and glue, attaching from the back to hide nail holes.
Fasten the back trim pieces to the headboard the same way, using glue and 2" nails. This side, with visible nail holes, becomes the back of the headboard.
Predrill and countersink your screws, then attach the inner legs to the headboard panel with 3" screws and glue.
Fasten the outer legs to the inner legs with 3" screws and glue, countersinking again, keeping the top and outside edges flush.
Attach the top rail and top trim to the headboard with 3" screws and glue.
Measure your actual side rails before cutting this piece — it may need to be shorter or longer depending on their thickness. Attach with 2" screws and glue, countersinking your screws.
Assemble the footboard the same way as the headboard, except the footboard leg pieces are all identical in size and there's no separate bottom leg piece.
Build the frame with 3" screws and glue. Space the joists every 12" as shown, adding more if you won't use a box spring (standard maximum slat spacing is 6"), or fewer if you have a strong box spring — remember a California king often uses two box springs side by side. Attach the side rails to the frame with front edges flush; the bottom edge of the frame overhangs the rails by 5/8". Adjust the frame height as needed depending on your box-spring situation.
Predrill and countersink, then attach the side rails to the headboard with 2-1/2" screws — only a few screws are needed per side, since the bottom leg piece carries the weight. Do not use glue on this joint.
Fasten the bottom frame joists directly to the footboard panel with 2" screws. Do not use glue.
Sand every surface and finish.
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5 boards
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8 boards
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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 →