Notch- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4.5–8.8 hours
- Cost
- $$$$
About this build
After a long day of hard work, you want a place to retreat that you can be proud of. Well, work on one more project before you rest and build this modern DIY four poster canopy bed that looks great and will transform the feel of your bedroom.
Tools
Essential
- Drill / Driver
- Miter Saw
- Pocket Hole Jig
- Random Orbit Sander
- Router Table
- Table Saw
Optional / nice to have
- Tape Measure
Materials
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Hardwood boards, 3/4" x 3 1/2" x 8' | 16 board |
| Hardwood boards, 3/4" x 5 1/2" x 8' | 15 board |
| Pine boards, 3/4" x 3 1/2" x 8' | 13 board |
| 2x4 Boards, 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 8' | 4 board |
| Box of 1 1/4" pocket hole screws (See tools list) | 1 each |
| Box of 2 1/2" pocket hole screws (See tools list) | 1 each |
| Wood glue | 1 each |
| Wood stain of choice | 1 each |
Overall cost: $$$$. 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
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Posts (1x4 boards) | 12 | 3/4" × 3" × 84" |
| Upper Side Beams (1x4 boards) | 2 | 3/4" × 3" × 80" |
| Upper Front/ Back Beams (1x4 boards) | 2 | 3/4" × 3" × 73" |
| Side Rails (1x6 board cuts) | 4 | 3/4" × 5" × 80" |
| Front/Back/Footboard Rails (1x6 board cuts) | 6 | 3/4" × 5" × 73" |
| Headboards (1x6 board cuts) | 5 | 3/4" × 5" × 73" |
| Slats (1x4 pine board cuts) | 13 | 3/4" × 3" × 76" |
| Side Inner Supports (2x4 board cuts) | 2 | 1" × 1" × 80" |
| Front/Back Inner Supports (2x4 board cuts) | 2 | 1" × 1" × 73" |
| Center Supports (2x4 board cuts) | 2 | 1" × 3" × 77" |
| Legs (2x4 board cuts) | 6 | 1" × 3" × 9" |
What to buy
Buy 51 boards at 8 ft.
1" × 3"
3 boards
1" × 1"
4 boards
3/4" × 5"
15 boards
3/4" × 3"
29 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 →
Instructions
1Glue posts together
- Start by gluing all your Posts together in groups of three.
- Start by coating one side of a Post board with wood glue and then place a second board on top of it. Coat the top side of the second Post board with wood glue and then place the third Post board on top of that.
- Clamp together and let dry.
- Repeat to create three more Posts.
2Glue sides together
- Start by gluing all your Side Rails together in groups of two.
- Start by coating one side of a Side Rail board with wood glue and then place a second Side Rail board on top of it.
- Clamp together and let dry.
- Repeat to create one more Side Rail.
3Glue front/back rails
- Start by gluing all your Front/Back/Footboard Rails together in groups of two.
- Start by coating one side of a Rail board with wood glue and then place a second Rail board on top of it.
- Clamp together and let dry.
- Repeat to create two more Front/Back/Footboard Rails.
4Create headboard
- Drill two pocket holes on each end of the Back Rails.
- Drill two pocket hole screws on each end of each Headboard piece and three holes along one long side of each. Using pocket hole screws, attach the Back Rail between two Posts, aligned flush with the front of the Posts and 6" from the bottom. Starting above the Back Rail, attach a Headboard between the two back Posts, flush with the front edge.
- Repeat for the remaining four Headboards.
5Create footboard
Drill two pocket holes on each end of the Front and Footboard Rails. Using pocket hole screws, attach the Front Rail between the other two Posts, aligned flush with the back of the Posts and 6" from the bottom. Using pocket hole screws, attach the Footboard Rail directly above the Front Rail.
6Attach side rails
- Drill two pocket holes on each end of the Side Rails. Using pocket hole screws, attach one Side Rail between a front and back Post, 6" from the bottom, 1 1/4" from the inside of the Posts and 3/4" from the outside of the Posts.
- Repeat on the other side.
7Attach upper beams
Drill two pocket holes in each end of the Upper Side Beams and Upper Front/Back Beams. Using pocket hole screws, attach the Upper Front/Back Beams between their respective posts, 1" down from the top. Using pocket hole screws, attach the Upper Side Beams between their respective posts, 1" down from the top.
8Attach supports/legs
- Using wood glue and screws, attach the Side Inner Supports to the Side Rails 1" down from the top. Using wood glue and screws, attach the Front/Back Inner Supports to the Front/Back Rails 1"down from the top.
- Drill two pocket holes in one end of each Leg and both ends of each Center Support. Using pocket hole screws and wood glue, attach three Legs evenly spaced across one of the Center Supports.
- Repeat for the other. Using pocket hole screws, attach the Center Supports evenly spaced between the Front/Back Inner Supports.
9Attach Slats
Starting flush along the Back Rail, use screws to attach a Slat to the Side Inner Supports. Use the Kreg Quick Flip to drill a pilot hole in each spot before driving a screw into place. Using a 3 1/2" spacer, continue until all Slats are in place.
10Add mattress
Slide the mattress into place on top of the Slats and between the Rails. Get a great night sleep!
11Enjoy!
Enjoy your handiwork and tag @CharlestonCrafted on Instagram with a picture!
Tags
- 2x4 Project Plans
- Intermediate
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