Introduction: How to Build a Platform Bed Frame With Legs for Custom Mattress

By https://www.ourhomesmagazine.com
About: We all have to start somewhere and doing at least something is much better than doing nothing - that's what I thought when I was much younger. DIY is a real passion of mine, still it was a long road full of tr…

Every one of us needs a bed in which to rest our weary heads at the end of a hard day; but peoples’ needs from a bed can vary from person to person. On the face of things, beds are relatively simplistic with a frame and a mattress and purchasing a bed can be reasonably cheap or expensive depending on a person’s taste, style and requirements.

Not all beds are suitable for every person however, and many standard frame sizes don’t take into account exceptionally tall people who might find a normal bed-frame too small and so compromise sleep quality. Others might have medical conditions which might require a specific frame configuration such as being higher than standard or one which sits at a slight incline from either head or foot.

Having a custom bed-frame made can be a costly business, but the truth is with the right materials they are relatively simple to make and even those who may not consider themselves particularly handy can successfully build their own custom bed frame. Bear in mind though that if creating a custom platform bed frame that you’ll also need to consider a custom mattress made to fit the frame unless your frame is of a standard size.

Supplies

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

  • Thick wooden posts to make the legs (Recommended 4x4 post) + you can use metal ones like I did, though
  • Wooden boards to make the base (Recommended 3x 2x6 boards, 10feet length)
  • 2x4 Stud wood + support bracket
  • Screw and bolt fastenings (Recommended hex bolts + nuts x12)
  • Electric drill
  • Socket wrench

Step 1: 1. Making Legs

Make the legs first of all by cutting the 4x4 wooden post into four equal lengths according to your requirements. A recommended height is ten inches, but if adding castors for mobility then cut to around eight inches.

For inspiration I took this guide by Ana White.
I have built several beds myself unfortunately there's no step-by-step for the one with wooden posts, so feel free to check Ana's guide.

Step 2: 2. Prepare Head and Side Boards

Next, cut the head and side boards but be sure to allow slightly more width and depth than the size of your mattress. This can make it slightly easier to change bed covers and sheets and offer slightly more purchase when turning mattresses as the extra room makes the mattress less restricted and more accessible.

Which is quite useful, trust me.

Step 3: 3. Connect These Parts

The next step is to attach the shorter head and foot boards to the frame legs. Fasten with bolts for added stability. Once the head and foot boards are safely secured, do the same with the longer boards which make up the sides of the frame and connect the head board to the foot board.

Step 4: 4. Center-beam

The center-beam is the next to be added. This beam adds stability and weight-bearing down the center of the bed. Ensure the beam is positioned in the center of both head and foot boards before securing to the brackets.

Be extremely careful about the weight limit. Different types of bed rails are described here. Be careful, article is somehow promotional, but there is some useful info you can check out.

Step 5: 5. Add Support Rails

The frame is now almost complete, but we still need to add support rails to either side of the frame to help bear the mattress’ weight. Depending on the thickness of the wood it might need additional support so bear this in mind. Attach the support rails to the inside of the long side frames.

Step 6: Additional: More Support for Your Custom Mat

For added support we finally add long sturdy boards to the frame on which to rest the mattress, whether it be a standard sized-mattress or a custom mattress designed to match the dimensions of the new bed.

Step 7: 6. Finishing the Frame (photo Not Included)

Once complete the frame can be treated, either with wood stain or varnish or painted to match the room’s decor. Once dry, place the mattress and dress the bed and enjoy a good nights’ sleep!

Hope you liked this guide and if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me.
I just wanted to share my solution to the problem I had in the past when I tried to choose a proper bed for a custom made mattress for me and my wife.

Referenced photos were taken from different project as I've already mentioned in the text. But I hope you'll find this useful.