NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
This bed gets its floating look from one detail: the 2x4 toekick base sits recessed behind the siderail face, so the siderail appears to hover above the floor with no visible leg or support underneath it. Nothing about the structure is actually floating — the toekick carries the full load — it's a shadow-gap illusion, the same trick a floating kitchen cabinet uses.
Build identical inner 2x4 frames — two for a twin, three for every larger size — before anything else. Two of them get the toekick base attached, mirrored to each other, screwed in every 12" at a slight angle for real holding power. The siderails then attach to the OUTSIDE of those frames, deliberately not flush on the top edge (that's the gap that creates the floating look) but flush everywhere else.
Prefinishing matters here more than on most beds: paint or stain the toekick's front edge and the siderail's front and top edges BEFORE final assembly, since both surfaces become much harder to reach cleanly once the frame is together. The footboard and the third inner frame (for full size and up) go in after the siderails, and corner bracing inside the base frame adds real rigidity for a design that has no legs to lean on.
This cut list is queen (60" x 80"); twin, full, king, and California king are all documented in the source with their own board lengths, and the same construction sequence applies to every size.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ftQueen quantity. Inner frames, toekick, headboard legs. | 11 each |
| 1x10, 8 ftSiderails. | 2 each |
| 1x10, 6 ftFootboard. | 1 each |
| 2x2, 6 ftHeadboard top. | 1 each |
| 1/4" plywood, full sheet (48" x 96")Headboard back panel. | 1 each |
| 1x4, 5 ftBed slats. | 10 each |
| Self-tapping screws, 3", star drive | 100 each |
| Self-tapping screws, 2", star drive | 75 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 40 each |
| Wood glue | 4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Inner frame boards, long2x4, 8 ftQueen. Build three identical frames. | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 80" |
| Inner frame boards, cross2x4, 8 ft | 9 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 5 1/4" |
| Toekick sides2x4, 8 ft | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 78" |
| Siderails1x10, 8 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 80" |
| Toekick front and back2x4, 8 ft | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 53" |
| Footboard1x10, 6 ft | 1 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 61 1/2" |
| Headboard legs2x4, 8 ft | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 46 1/2" |
| Headboard top2x2, 6 ft | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 61 1/2" |
| Headboard back panel1/4" plywood, full sheet (48" x 96") | 1 | 1/4" × 48" × 60" |
| Bed slats1x4, 5 ft | 10 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 60" |
Buy 26 boards at 8 ft.
11 boards
1 board
3 boards
10 boards
1 board
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 →
Build three identical 2x4 inner frames using 3" self-tapping screws, two per joint.
Attach the toekick base to two of the frames, flush to the front and side edges, mirrored to each other. Screw every 12" at a slight angle with 3" screws.
Attach the 1x10 siderails to the outside of the frame with glue and 1-1/4" brad nails — the siderail is NOT flush on the top edge, only on the other edges, which is what creates the floating gap. Prefinish (paint or stain) the toekick's front edge and the siderail's front and top edges before continuing.
Prefinish the front edge of the front 2x4. Attach the toekick base boards to the siderails with 3" screws. For extra support, cut and attach corner bracing inside the base frame.
Prefinish the front, top, and side edges of the footboard. Attach it to the siderails with 2" screws from the inside, being careful not to let screws poke through.
Place the remaining inner frame inside the bed and attach to the toekick base and the footboard. Build and attach the headboard legs, top, and plywood back panel.
Lay the slats across the inner frames and attach. Sand and finish any remaining unfinished surfaces.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.