How to Fix a Split in a Wooden Bed Frame

Lay the side rail on a flat work surface and bend it enough to open the split. Squeeze glue into the split and spread it around using a cotton swab. If the wood has multiple splits, spread glue in each split. Coat each separated piece of wood with glue.

Place clamps across the side rail at the split and tighten them. You need one clamp in the middle and another clamp every six to eight inches along the split. Clean up any glue that squeezes out of the splits immediately with a damp rag.

Wait one hour before removing the clamps. Yellow wood glue bonds so well with wood, the joint is stronger than the wood by itself. A split board often has damage you can't see, and a reinforcing patch is often necessary.

Measure the width of the side rail and the length of the split. Cut a piece of 1/4-inch plywood, eight inches longer than the split, with a width that is 1/2 inch less than the side rail is wide.

Clamp the plywood to the side rail so that it overlaps the split by four inches on either end and is centered top to bottom on the rail. Drill four rows of countersunk pilot holes with three evenly spaced holes in each row. The rows run top to bottom in the patch and are evenly spaced across the width of the patch. Keep the holes 1/2 inch from the plywood edges.

Screw the plywood patch to the side rail with wood screws and a Philips screwdriver. Do not use a drill because accidentally over-driving the screws will cause more damage to the wood.

Rub the wax crayon on any portion of the split that remain visible to blend it into the finish. Color the split in the direction of the wood grain, which runs along the length of the rail.