How to Make a Queen-Size Platform Bed With Drawers Underneath

Building the Bed

• 1

  Cut four pieces of 2-by-4 to 58 inches long, using the circular saw. Cut four pieces to 80 inches. Cut four pieces to 10 inches. Set the 1-inch pilot bearing in the router. Cut a 1-inch-deep, 1-inch-wide gouge along the 2-inch-wide face of two 80-inch pieces using the router. These are the grooves into which the slats to hold the mattress fit.

• 2

  Draw a 1-inch-wide by 1-inch-long box on the 2-inch-wide ends of the 58-inch pieces and the 80-inch-long pieces. Cut away the boxes using a hacksaw to leave a 1-inch-wide, 1-inch-long and 4-inch-deep notch in the pieces. Interlock the 58-inch and 80-inch pieces at the notches to form two rectangular frames. Ensure the slat grooves face each another.

• 3

  Fasten together the joints in the frames using countersunk long screws and a hammer drill with a screwdriver drill bit. Coat the end faces of the 10-inch pieces with wood glue. Stick the 10-inch pieces to the corners of the rectangular frames to form the bed frame with one 10-inch piece as each corner support holding the frames apart. Reinforce the joints with countersunk long screws.

• 4

  Cut four 2-by-4 pieces to 10 inches. Glue the ends of the pieces. Place one 10-inch piece in the middle of each vertical face on the bed frame. Reinforce the joints with countersunk long screws. Cut one piece of 2-by-4 to 76 inches. Glue the end faces of the piece. Attach the piece to the base of the bed frame, 30 inches from the right-hand side.

• 5

  Cut two pieces of 2-by-4 to 26 inches. Glue the end faces. Place the pieces between the 76-inch piece and the side of the frame, 16 inches from the ends of the frame. These are the support pieces to prevent the drawers falling down inside the bed when they are shut.

• 6

  Cut the 1-inch-thick hardwood into 18 strips 58 inches long and 2 inches wide. Nail the first strip into the slat groove by the headboard. Leave a 2-inch gap and nail the second slat into the groove. Continue nailing slats with 2-inch gaps between them until you reach the bottom of the bed.

The Headboard and Bed Surround

• 7

  Cut two sheets of plywood 80 inches long and 18 inches wide. Measure 3 inches right and 4 inches up from the bottom-left of one plywood sheet. Draw a vertical line 10 inches up from there and a horizontal line 35 inches along. Draw a line down 10 inches and finish off with a final line 35 inches long heading back to the starting point. Repeat this process coming in from the bottom-right.

• 8

  Drill starting holes in the bottom-left of each rectangle you just drew. Cut out the rectangles from the plywood sheet using a reciprocating saw. Nail this plywood sheet to the bed frame on the side where the drawer supports are fitted, using a hammer and long nails. Nail the other plywood sheet to the opposite side of the bed frame.

• 9

  Cut one piece of 3/4-inch-thick hardboard 30 inches long and 24 inches wide. Screw this to one open face of the bed frame using a hammer drill with screwdriver drill bit and countersunk long screws. This forms the footer of the bed. Cut a second piece 30 inches long and 36 inches wide. Screw this to the opposite end of the bed with countersunk long screws, to form the headboard.

Building The Drawers

• 10

  Cut one sheet of 3/4-inch-thick hardwood 35 inches long and 10 inches wide using the circular saw. Cut two pieces to 28 1/2 inches long and 9 1/4 inches wide. Cut one piece 30 inches long and 9 1/4 inches wide. Cut one piece 35 inches long by 29 1/4 inches wide.

• 11

  Cut the 1/2-inch-diameter dowel into 12 1-inch pieces. Attach the 1/2-inch-diameter drill bit to the drill. Drill three holes in the left side of the wide face of the 35-by-10-inch piece and three holes in the right side. Drill three holes in the left of the 30-by-9 1/4-inch piece and three in the right.

• 12

  Apply glue into each of the holes. Push the dowel pieces into the holes and tap them solidly into place using the hammer. Drill three holes into each small face of the 28 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Connect these pieces to the dowels and hammer them into place to form a rectangular frame with a 3/4-inch lip on one side.

• 13

  Place the frame on the ground so the lip is facing up. Apply glue to the thin edges around the top of the frame. Place the 29 1/4-by-25-inch piece on the frame to form the base of the drawer. Reinforce the joints with countersunk long screws. Screw a handle to the middle of the 35-by-10-inch piece. Repeat the entire process to make the second drawer.