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A loft bed enclosed as a playhouse — plywood walls with trimmed windows and a door, a decorative vent, and a built-in dowel ladder. An ambitious, rewarding build.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bed frame sides | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 75" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Bed frame studs | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 36" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Mattress platform | 1 | 1/2" × 39" × 75" | 1/2" plywood | ☐ |
| Corner uprights | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 51 1/2" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Top rail 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 48" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Top rail 2x6 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 48" | 2x6 | ☐ |
| Side house panel Additional house panels cut to fit per the step-by-step plan. | 1 | 3/4" × 39 3/4" × 72" | 3/4" plywood | ☐ |
| Ladder rails | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 52" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Window doors Cut to your window opening. | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 21" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Front door Cut to your door opening. | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 40" | 1x12 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 3/4" plywood, 4x8 sheet House panels. | 4 each | ☐ |
| 1/2" plywood, 4x8 sheet Mattress platform. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 2x4 board, 8 ft (Pine or Fir) Frame, legs, ladder rails. | 6 each | ☐ |
| 2x6 board, 8 ft (Pine or Fir) | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft (Pine) Window and panel trim — a bundle. | 12 each | ☐ |
| 1x4 board, 8 ft (Pine) | 3 each | ☐ |
| 1x6 board, 8 ft (Pine) Window doors. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1x12 board, 8 ft (Pine) Front door. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1-1/2" dowel, 8 ft Ladder rungs. | 2 each | ☐ |
| Hinges Windows and doors. | 6 set | ☐ |
| Wood screws, 2", 3", and 3-1/2" 3-1/2" for anchoring to studs. | 150 each | ☐ |
| Finish nails and glue | 16 oz | ☐ |
| Paint | 48 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Circular Saw, Drill / Driver, Speed Square. Materials: 2x4 board, 8 ft, Wood screws, 2", 3", and 3-1/2"
Build the bed frame from two 2x4 sides at 75" and six 2x4 studs at 36", screwed with 3" screws. Make it perfectly square — every panel and window downstream references off this frame.
Tools: Circular Saw, Drill / Driver. Materials: 1/2" plywood, 4x8 sheet, Wood screws, 2", 3", and 3-1/2", Finish nails and glue
Cut 1/2" plywood at 75" x 39" and attach it to the frame with 2" screws and glue, outside edges flush. Confirm the frame is perfectly square before fastening the plywood — the sheet locks in whatever shape the frame is holding.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x4 board, 8 ft, 2x6 board, 8 ft, Wood screws, 2", 3", and 3-1/2"
Screw the 51-1/2" 2x4 corner uprights to the bed frame (bottoms flush with the plywood), then add the 48" 2x4 and 2x6 top rails, 2x4 first with bottom edges flush, then the 2x6 keeping the outside corner flush. This is a three-sided house; the open side gets screwed to the wall studs.
Tools: Brad Nailer, Jigsaw, Miter Saw. Materials: 3/4" plywood, 4x8 sheet, 1x2 board, 8 ft, 1x4 board, 8 ft, Finish nails and glue
Skin the sides with 3/4" plywood and trim out the false front with 1x2s and 1x4s. The plan's dimensions here are approximations — take exact measurements off your build. Trim windows with 1x2s (sides first, then top and bottom), and add the gable vent, whose vertical pieces also help hold the two plywood sheets together.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Jigsaw. Materials: 1x6 board, 8 ft, 1x12 board, 8 ft, Hinges, Finish nails and glue
Cut the window doors from 1x6s and the front door from 1x12s to your openings, and hang them on hinges — leaving a generous gap around each so little fingers can't get pinched. This gap is a safety requirement, not a cosmetic choice.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Drill Bit Set, Level, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 2x4 board, 8 ft, 1-1/2" dowel, 8 ft, Wood screws, 2", 3", and 3-1/2", Paint
Build the ladder by boring 1-1/2" holes in the 2x4 ladder rails and gluing the dowels in. Finish the entire bed as desired. Then assemble: screw the legs on securely and screw the bed into wall studs on the open side with screws at least 3-1/2" long. A full-height loft bed must be anchored to the wall — do not skip it.