DIY Family Palette Bed

When my family told me I should "buy a bed/bedroom made out of solid wood that will last for 30 years" I went ballistic because I live in belief that nobody needs a bed (or any other piece of furniture) to last that long. What I need is something ultra cheap, recyclable, easy to build and dismantle but at the same time keeping the contemporary and modern look of today's geek :) Here's what I came up with...

Step 1: 3D Model/sketch

As most of the things I do, everything started as a 3D model in Rhinoceros. After a few experiments, mainly related to palettes orientation, this layout was chosen because it gives a perfect dimension fit on EU standard family bed size: 160x200 cm.

Step 2: Tools and Materials

Again, as for the DIY knife rack a plan was to build everything with just a few tools and materials - easy and simple so that any student or DIY enthusiast can do it in one weekend. Sanding is the biggest task when working with palette furniture - prepare yourself for a day of sanding experience. Also choosing the ones with really good wood is crucial if you want to get good results.

Tools
- electrical sander(s)
- paint brush
- sand paper

Materials
- 4 x wooden standard size palettes (in EU its 120 x 80 x 14.5 cm)
- about 2l of paint
- optionaly one cord with light bulb socket and a switch

Step 3: Paint and Assembly

After you sanded your palettes, paint them in color you like - I used two paint system so I get "reflective" under bed area (white color reflects all the light). Then just arrange them to preferred layout and voila! You do not even need to fix palettes together because they are heavy and sturdy - everything stays in place, no matter how hard you roll or jump on the bed :)

As a finishing "romantic" touch I took out the light bulb cord with a switch from an old lamp, just staple it to palettes leg and that's it.

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