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This is a paneled farmhouse bed — 1x6 boards nailed to 1x4 trim, framed by chunky 4x4 posts and 2x6 caps — with one detail that transforms it: an arched top on the headboard. The arch is a single 1x10 with a gentle curve cut out of it, and it's the difference between 'a bed I built from lumber' and 'a bed that looks designed.'
The arch itself is easy to cut and easy to get subtly wrong. The plan's proportions are worth following: the curve begins 5-1/2" in from each end and rises to 6" at the center. Draw it with a flexible batten or a string-and-pencil sweep rather than freehand, cut just outside the line with a jigsaw, and fair the curve with a sander — a lumpy arch reads as a mistake, a smooth one reads as a feature. This same technique converts any of the flat-panel farmhouse beds to an arched version, so the header numbers here are the transferable part.
The posts are the fussy structural moment: you mark them 5/8" in on each end, center the panel on those marks, predrill halfway through the post, and drive 4-1/2" screws into the panel where it's three boards thick. Hitting that thick sandwich is what makes the joint strong. The side rails and cleats are optional if you already own a metal bed frame; skip them and the bed drops onto your existing frame. This is written for queen — other sizes convert with the same method and different panel counts.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x6, 8 ftHeadboard and footboard panels. | 6 each |
| 1x4, 6 ftPanel top and bottom trim. | 7 each |
| 1x10, 6 ftThe arched header piece. | 1 each |
| 4x4, 8 ftPosts. | 2 each |
| 2x4, 8 ft (or stud)Panel tops and cleats. | 2 each |
| 2x6, 8 ft (or stud)Top caps. | 2 each |
| 1x10, 8 ft (side rails)Optional — skip if using an existing metal bed frame. | 2 each |
| Wood screws, 4-1/2 inPosts to panels. | 12 each |
| Wood screws, 2 in | 1 box |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4 in and 2 in | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 1 bottle |
| Finish or paint | 1 quart |
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 boards1x6 | 11 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 30" |
| Footboard panel boards1x6 | 11 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 15" |
| Panel trim1x4Top and bottom trim for both panels. | 7 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 60 1/2" |
| Arched header1x10Arch begins 5-1/2" from each end, rises 6" at center. | 1 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 60 1/2" |
| Headboard posts4x4 | 2 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 54 1/2" |
| Footboard posts4x4 | 2 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 21" |
| Panel top rails2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 67 1/2" |
| Top caps2x6 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 69 1/2" |
| Cleats2x4Optional. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 84 3/4" |
| Footboard frame rail2x4Optional. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 57" |
| Side rails1x10Optional — skip with an existing metal frame. | 2 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 80" |
Buy 25 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
2 boards
5 boards
Lay two 1x4 trim pieces down and line up the 1x6 panel boards across them. Nail through the panel boards into the back of the trim with glue and 1-1/4" brads. Do all 11 headboard boards onto their two trim pieces, then repeat with the shorter boards for the footboard. Check each panel for square as you go — a panel that racks now fights you at every later step.
Set both finished panels flat and check them for square across the diagonals. This is the last easy moment to fix a racked panel before it's buried under caps and posts — measure corner to corner both ways and adjust until the two diagonals match.
Draw the arch on the 1x10: start the curve 5-1/2" in from each end and rise to 6" at the center. Use a flexible batten or a string sweep to get a fair curve, not freehand. Cut just outside the line with a jigsaw, then sand the curve smooth — a lumpy arch looks like an error, a faired one looks designed.
Flip the headboard panel over and attach the arched header across the top with 2" nails and glue, keeping all outside edges flush.
Mark each 4x4 post 5/8" in from the edge on the face that meets the panel, and center the panel on those marks. Predrill halfway through the post, then drive 4-1/2" screws through the post into the panel — aim for where the panel is three boards thick, so the screw bites into solid material. Do the headboard with the tall posts and the footboard with the short posts.
Set the 2x6 top caps over the panel top rails on both the headboard and footboard, leaving a 1" overhang on all sides. Fasten with glue and screws. The cap frames the panel and covers the top edge of the boards.
If you're building the full frame rather than using a metal one: attach the cleats to the inside faces with the bottom edge 9-1/2" from the bottom, predrilling and using four long screws each. Add the footboard end rail (J) inset to the cleats, three screws per end. Then position the footboard so the end rail sits flush with the panel and screw through it into the footboard.
Finally add the 1x10 side rails, keeping their bottom edge flush with the cleats, screwing from the inside of the cleat out into the rail with predrilled 2" screws down its length. Sand and finish the whole bed.
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3 boards
6 boards
7 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 →