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A bed lift kit is the one part of this build worth buying rather than improvising — it's what holds the entire mattress-width top open under its own weight, and every wood measurement in this plan exists to give that hardware a properly square, properly supported box to mount into. Expect to spend real time adjusting the kit once installed; the source is candid that getting the spring tension right for a specific mattress and top weight takes trial and error, not a single setting.
Casters, furniture feet, hairpin legs, or setting the bed directly on the floor are all offered as valid base options — the one constant across all of them is that the load path from the 1x8 sides needs to reach whatever is holding the bed up. A caster or leg screwed only into thin plywood, with no blocking behind it into the 1x8 frame, is a repair waiting to happen.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Plywood, 1/4", 4x8 sheetBottom panel. | 2 each |
| Plywood, 3/4", 4x8 sheetLid. | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x8, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 1x8, 6 ft | 3 each |
| Pine, 1x6, 8 ftFull-size top trim; queen size uses a 1x12 instead — see note. | 1 each |
| Caster wheels, 2-1/2", or furniture feet | 5 each |
| Hinges | 3 each |
| Bed lift kit, sized to your mattress | 1 each |
| Edge banding | 1 roll |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Brad nails, 3/4" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Sandpaper, assorted grit | 3 sheet |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Frame sidesPine 1x8Queen size: cut at 80" instead. | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 75" |
| Frame endsPine 1x8Queen size: cut at 58-1/8" instead. | 3 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 52 1/2" |
| Bottom panelPlywoodQueen size: 40" x 60" instead. | 2 | 1/4" × 37 1/2" × 54" |
| Top trimPine 1x6Full size only — queen size uses a 1x12 instead. | 1 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 75" |
| LidPlywoodQueen size: cut at 80" long instead. | 1 | 3/4" × 48" × 75" |
Buy 9 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
5 boards
1 board
2 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 →
Build the frame from the 1x8s. Pocket holes (3/4" pocket holes, 1-1/4" pocket hole screws) work well, but 2" self-tapping star-bit screws, or glue and nails with reinforced corners, are also valid.
Attach the plywood bottom with 3/4" brad nails or staples and glue. Use the plywood's factory edges on the outside to help square up the frame as you attach it.
Attach caster wheels to the base, adding blocking inside the corners against the 1x8 frame to support them if needed. Bed legs, hairpin legs, or metal legs work as alternatives — just be sure the load transfers from the 1x8 sides into the leg, and that the center is still supported. Setting the bed directly on the floor is another option; a furniture glide foot helps protect flooring in that case.
Nail the top trim board in place (1x6 for full size, 1x12 for queen size).
Apply edge banding to the outside edges of the lid, then attach the lid to the frame with hinges.
Follow the bed lift kit's directions to attach the springs to the plywood lid and the bed cavity. Expect to adjust the tension to get it feeling right for your specific mattress and lid weight.
Sand every exposed surface and finish.
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