Simplest DIY Bed Frame (All Mattress Sizes) — board plan

What to buy, and which parts come off which board.

Buy 10 boards at 8 ft.

1 1/2" × 5 1/2" — Pine 2x6

3 boards · 17.4 board feet (includes 15% for knots and defects) · 93% of the boards you buy used

Board 1 · 3 5/8" left over
75"8"8"
1. Side rails — 75"
2. Corner braces — 8"
3. Corner braces — 8"
Board 2 · 3 5/8" left over
75"8"8"
1. Side rails — 75"
2. Corner braces — 8"
3. Corner braces — 8"
Board 3 · 12 3/4" left over
41"41"
1. Top/bottom rails — 41"
2. Top/bottom rails — 41"

1 1/2" × 1 1/2" — Pine 2x2

2 boards · 2.7 board feet (includes 15% for knots and defects) · 79% of the boards you buy used

Board 1 · 19 7/8" left over
75"
1. Cleats — 75"
Board 2 · 19 7/8" left over
75"
1. Cleats — 75"

3/4" × 3 1/2" — Pine 1x4

5 boards · 8.0 board feet (includes 15% for knots and defects) · 80% of the boards you buy used

Board 1 · 18 3/4" left over
38"38"
1. Slats — 38"
2. Slats — 38"
Board 2 · 18 3/4" left over
38"38"
1. Slats — 38"
2. Slats — 38"
Board 3 · 18 3/4" left over
38"38"
1. Slats — 38"
2. Slats — 38"
Board 4 · 18 3/4" left over
38"38"
1. Slats —

Cuts are listed longest-first, which is how they should be made: the awkward pieces get placed while there is still board to place them on. The layout assumes one end of each board is squared off (1") and that every cut costs 1/8" of kerf — the reason six 16″ parts do not fit on a 96″ board.

1 1/2" × 5 1/2" — Pine 2x6

Board 1 · 3 5/8" left over

Board 2 · 3 5/8" left over

Board 3 · 12 3/4" left over

1 1/2" × 1 1/2" — Pine 2x2

Board 1 · 19 7/8" left over

Board 2 · 19 7/8" left over

3/4" × 3 1/2" — Pine 1x4

Board 1 · 18 3/4" left over

Board 2 · 18 3/4" left over

Board 3 · 18 3/4" left over

Board 4 · 18 3/4" left over

Board 5 · 18 3/4" left over