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Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed

A coffee table which opens up to reveal and support a standard sized twin mattress!

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Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
5.3–10.3 hours
Cost
$$$

About this build

A coffee table which opens up to reveal and support a standard sized twin mattress! A twin-XL in fact! A great way to turn functional furniture into hidden storage space. A smart option for small spaces and overnight guests.

Tools

Essential

  • Brad Nailer
  • Circular Saw
  • Drill / Driver
  • Impact Driver
  • Miter Saw
  • Pocket Hole Jig
  • Random Orbit Sander

Optional / nice to have

  • Bar / Pipe Clamps

Materials

ItemQty
MDF, 3/4" Thick Full Sheet2 board
MDF, 1/4" Thick Quarter Sheet1 board
MDF, 1/2" Thick Quarter Sheet1 board
Board, 1x3 96"1 board
Board, 1x3 48"1 board
Dowel, 3/4" square dowel 48"8 board
1/14" pocket hole screws50 each
3", #8 wood screws16 each
1", 23 gauge brads500 each

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.

Cut list

PartQtyT × W × L
Top & bottom23/4" × 45" × 45"
Face boards23/4" × 8 1/4" × 42 1/2"
Side boards43/4" × 8 1/4" × 41"
Full-length leg pieces33/4" × 2 1/2" × 48"
Stretchers83/4" × 3/4" × 39"

What to buy

Buy 11 boards at 8 ft.

3/4" × 45"

1 board

3/4" × 8 1/4"

3 boards

3/4" × 2 1/2"

3 boards

3/4" × 3/4"

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 →

Start building →

Instructions

  1. 1Cut Top and Bottom

    Cut two, 45" x 45" squares from 3/4" thick plywood or MDF

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 4

  2. 2Cut Sides and Faces

    Cut two, 8-1/4" x 42-1/2" face panels and four, 8-1/4" x 41" sides panel from 3/4" thick plywood or MDF. Cut the remaining scrap into 8-1/4" lengths of material and various, random widths.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 5

  3. 3Cut Veneer Pieces

    Cut an entire 2' x 4' x 1/4" plywood or MDF "hobby panel" AND an entire 2' x 4' x 1/2" plywood or MDF "hobby panel" into 8-1/4" lengths, at random widths.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 6

  4. 4Lower Box Face

    Align the lower box face on the top of the bottom panel. Allow a 1-1/4" set-back from all edges. Secure in place using glue and 1-1/4" screws through pocket holes.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 7

  5. 5Lower Box Sides

    Align the lower sides flush to the ends of the lower face. Allow a 1-1/4" set-back from both sides. Secure in place using glue and 1-1/4" screws through pocket holes.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 8

  6. 6Upper Box Face

    Align the upper face on the underside of the Top. Allow a 1-1/4" set-back from all edges. Secure in place using glue and 1-1/4" screws through pocket holes.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 9

  7. 7Upper Box Sides

    Connect the upper box sides to upper face and the underside of the top. Allow a 2-1/8" set-back from top edges. Secure in place using glue and 1-1/4" screws through pocket holes, as well as 2-1/2" screws driven from the face. The sides will be set in 13/16" from the ends of the face board.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 10

  8. 8Build Legs

    Laminate (glue together) three, 1 x 3 boards, face-to-face. Once dry, cut into five, 8-1/4" lengths. It is much easier to glue and clamp full-length boards together and allow to dry before cutting into shorter lengths.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 11

  9. 9Connect Legs

    • Drill 3/4" pocket holes on the underside of 8, 3/4" x 3/4 x 39" dowels. Connect pairs of legs together, using the dowels as double, side-by-side stretchers. Create a 1/2" space between stretchers.
    • Align the bottom face of stretchers 3" from the bottom of each leg. Secure in place using glue and 1-1/4" screws.
    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 12

  10. 10Stretchers

    Connect leg pairs together with remaining stretchers. Secure in place from the underside using glue and 1-1/4" screws through 3/4" pocket holes

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 13

  11. 11Attach Base

    • Align the table base (legs and stretchers) on the underside of the lower box.
    • Space all 4 legs 1/2" from outer edges. Pre-drill into the top of the legs and attach using 3" screws driven from the inside of the box.
    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 14

  12. 12Center Leg

    Align the center leg 8" from the open side of the lower box panel. Pre-drill into the top of the leg and secure using two, 3" screws.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 15

  13. 13Add Veneer Pieces

    • Place the upper portion of the box on top of the lower box.
    • Attach random-width, 8-1/4" long veneer pieces to the lower face, sides, and upper face. Alternate the pattern of widths and thicknesses to create a random look. Secure in place using glue and 1", 23 gauge brads.
    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 16

  14. 14Finish and Add Mattress

    • Sand the entire surface with 220-grit sand paper.
    • Remove dust and paint or finish however you'd like. I recommend using an all-foam mattress. The inside of the box will accommodate a twin-XL mattress, folded in half.
    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 17

  15. 15More Tips and Ideas

    Head to PneumaticAddict.com or YouTube.com/pneumaticaddict for more plans, tips and DIY tricks.

    Fold-Out Coffee Table Bed — step photo 18

Tags

  • Bed Frames
  • Intermediate

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