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Under-Bed Trundle for Bed or Storage

A rolling plywood platform that lives under a bed — a pull-out second mattress or a giant drawer, on six casters so the middle never sags.

Cut list

Part	Qty	T × W × L	Material	✓
Bottom platform Cut to your under-bed footprint — width = C, length = bed length minus ~1-1/2". Example shown.	1	3/4" × 38 1/2" × 70 1/2"	3/4" plywood	☐
Long sides 1x10 (9.25" wide) if you have more clearance.	2	3/4" × 7 1/4" × 70 1/2"	1x8	☐
End sides	2	3/4" × 7 1/4" × 38 1/2"	1x8	☐

Item	Qty	✓
3/4" plywood or MDF, 4x8 sheet The bottom platform.	1 each	☐
1x8 or 1x10 board, 8 ft (Pine) Sides — 1x8 for 8" clearance, 1x10 if you have more room.	3 each	☐
Caster wheels, 2-1/2"+ overall Four corners plus two in the center to stop the middle sagging.	6 each	☐
Wood screws, 2"	40 each	☐
Wood glue	4 oz	☐
Wood putty	4 oz	☐
Finish	12 oz	☐

Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.

Circular Saw
Drill / Driver
Pencil
Pocket Hole Jig
Cleanest way to join the side boards to the plywood bottom.
Random Orbit Sander
Safety Glasses
Speed Square
Tape Measure
Hearing Protection — optional
Table Saw — optional
Nice for clean straight rips of the sheet; a circular saw and straightedge also work.

1. Measure your clearance and bed
Tools: Pencil, Tape Measure
Measure the clearance under the bed first — this design needs at least 8" for 1x8 sides; more clearance lets you use 1x10. Then measure the footprint you want the trundle to occupy. These numbers drive every cut, so get them before you touch the saw.
2. Cut the bottom platform
Tools: Circular Saw, Speed Square, Table Saw. Materials: 3/4" plywood or MDF, 4x8 sheet
Cut the plywood bottom to your figured width and to the bed length minus about 1-1/2" so it rolls in and out freely. In the source example that's 70-1/2" long by 38-1/2" wide. Keep the cut square.
3. Attach the sides
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x8 or 1x10 board, 8 ft, Wood screws, 2", Wood glue
Fasten the side boards around the platform, screwing into the ends of adjacent sides as well as into the platform edge so the corners lock. Pocket screws give the cleanest look; 2" screws and glue also hold. Keep it square.
4. Add six casters and finish
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Caster wheels, 2-1/2"+ overall, Wood putty, Finish
Screw a caster to each of the four corners and two more in the center of the span — the center wheels carry the middle so a mattress and sleeper won't bow the bottom. Fill screw holes, sand, and finish so it glides on your floor. Confirm it rolls under the bed with clearance to spare.