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A simple, sturdy bed with a planked headboard and footboard framed by chunky 2x4 legs, side rails, and a 2x slat platform — no box spring needed. It's an approachable first bed: everything joins with a pocket-hole jig, and the plank panels are just 1x6s ganged together.
Keep all the pocket holes on the back side of the headboard and footboard so the finished faces stay clean. Build the panels first, add the 2x4 legs, then build the footboard the same way. The side rails tie the two ends together.
One piece of assembly wisdom worth heeding: finish the bed before you move it into the room, and attach the side rails in place. A fully assembled bed is often too big to get through a doorway, so building it to knock down at the side rails saves you dismantling it later. Set the slats across and screw them down with 2" screws, spacing them per your mattress maker's recommendation.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x6, 8 ftPlanked headboard pieces. | 2 each |
| 1x6, 6 ftSide rails. | 2 each |
| 2x4, 8 ftLegs and rails. | 3 each |
| 2x6, 8 ftFootboard rail. | 1 each |
| 2x material for slats (scrap 2x4/2x6)Slats to mattress specs. | 1 each |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 2-1/2" | 50 each |
| Wood screws, 2" | 24 each |
| Wood glue | 6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Headboard leg blocks2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 31 3/4" |
| Headboard planks1x6 | 6 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 31 3/4" |
| Long leg pieces2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 55" |
| Footboard leg blocks2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 13 3/4" |
| Footboard rail2x6 | 1 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 31 3/4" |
| Side rails (1x6)1x6 | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 72" |
| Side rails (2x4)2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 72" |
| Slats2xQuantity and spacing per your mattress. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 32" |
Buy 11 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
5 boards
5 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 planked headboard with the pocket-hole jig, keeping all pocket holes on the back side so the front face stays clean.
Attach the 2x4 legs to the headboard panel, again keeping fasteners to the back.
Build the footboard the same way as the headboard — panel, legs, and the 2x6 rail.
Attach the side rails to the headboard and footboard. Consider finishing the bed first and moving it into the room before attaching the side rails — a fully assembled bed often won't fit through a door, so building it to knock down at the rails is the smart move.
Place the slats across the rails and screw them down with 2" screws, spacing them per your mattress manufacturer's recommendation. Sand and finish.
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