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The headboard and footboard are built identically — a planked 1x6 panel framed in 1x4, capped with a 2x4 and a 2x6 — with only the leg height and a set of back cleats on the footboard telling them apart. That repetition is deliberate: get the process right once on the headboard and the footboard is the same steps at a shorter height, not a second design problem.
Unlike a king-size version of this same bed, the mattress slats here run crosswise between the side rails rather than lengthwise, since a queen frame's width is short enough that crosswise slats need no center support of their own along their length. Finish the headboard, footboard, and rails separately before final assembly in the bedroom — a fully assembled queen frame still won't clear a lot of doorways.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine, 2x4, 8 ft | 12 each |
| Pine, 2x6, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 1x10, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 4x4, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 2x2, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x6, 8 ft | 6 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 8 ft | 4 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2-1/2" | 1 box |
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 legsPine 4x4 | 2 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 54" |
| Headboard cleatsPine 2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 30" |
| Headboard panel boardsPine 1x6 | 11 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 30" |
| Headboard panel framePine 1x4Measure and cut to fit. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 60 1/2" |
| Headboard top capPine 2x4Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 67 1/2" |
| Headboard top trimPine 2x6Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 69 1/2" |
| Footboard legsPine 4x4 | 2 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 21" |
| Footboard cleats, longPine 2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 8" |
| Footboard cleats, shortPine 2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 3" |
| Footboard panel boardsPine 1x6 | 11 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 15" |
| Footboard panel framePine 1x4Measure and cut to fit. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 60 1/2" |
| Footboard top capPine 2x4Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 67 1/2" |
| Footboard top trimPine 2x6Measure and cut to fit. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 69 1/2" |
| Side rail mattress supportsPine 2x4 | 3 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 83 1/2" |
| Headboard tie-inPine 2x4 | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 60 1/2" |
| Center legsPine 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 12 1/2" |
| Side rail trimPine 1x10 | 2 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 80" |
| Mattress slatsPine 2x4Can be as short as 30" if using scraps. | 20 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 32" |
Buy 33 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
2 boards
16 boards
Attach the longest 2x2 cleats to the longest 4x4 legs, flush to the back edge, with 2-1/2" self-tapping screws.
Lay out the 1x6 headboard panel boards flat, side by side, and measure their overall width. Cut two 1x4s to this measurement. Nail the panel boards to the 1x4s with glue, applying glue between each panel board as you go. Check the panel is square by measuring opposite diagonals (outside top corner of one 1x4 to outside bottom corner of the other) and adjusting until they match.
Attach the headboard panel to the 2x2 cleats on the legs with 2-1/2" screws, screwing only into the portions backed by the 1x4 frame. Also attach the panel to the 2x2s from the front with 1-1/4" brad nails.
Measure and cut the 2x4 top cap to fit and attach with 2-1/2" screws. Repeat with the 2x6 top trim, leaving a 1" overhang on all four sides. This completes the headboard.
Construct the footboard exactly as the headboard, except for the shorter 2x2 cleats on the back and the overall height. Attach the 2x2 cleats with 2-1/2" screws — predrill first, since the smaller cleat can split easily. Build the panel and attach to the cleats, then attach the top 2x4 and 2x6 the same way as the headboard.
Attach a 2x4 cleat to the footboard, set into the 2x2 cleats and resting on the bottom cleat, using 2-1/2" screws into the 4x4 legs. Mark and attach a matching 2x4 cleat to the headboard legs the same way.
Use 2-1/2" screws to attach the headboard tie-in support between the side-rail cleats.
Center legs add real support and strength to the bed. Attach the shorter 2x4 legs to the center support piece first, then place the assembled center support inside the bed and attach it to the footboard and headboard.
Measure and cut the 1x10 side rail trim to fit. Attach with 1-1/4" brad nails and glue. If the side rails need attaching at the top, small L brackets work well.
Cut the mattress slats from the remaining 2x4s and set them inside the bed with about a 1/2" gap between each slat. One screw into the side-rail cleat holds each slat, though extra screws into the center support add support.
Sand every surface and finish.
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1 board
2 boards
6 boards
4 boards
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 →