Bunkbed Directions

Assembling the Loft

• 1

  Lay the three pieces of 2-by-4-by-96 inch stock lumber on their 4-inch faces. Snap a chalk line across the 4-inch face of each piece, 4 inches from each end.

• 2

  Lay a ruler along the diagonal running from the right end of the chalk line to the left corner of the board and mark screw positions one inch from each corner. Repeat at the other end of the board.

• 3

  Snap a second chalk line across the 4-inch face of the boards, 15 inches from each end, and a third chalk line 17 inches from each end.

• 4

  Lay a ruler along the diagonal running from the right end of the 15-inch chalk line to the left end of the 17-inch chalk line and mark screw positions one inch from each corner. Repeat at the other end of the board.

• 5

  Stand two of the 4-by-4-by-60-inch posts on end, 88 inches apart. Position one of the 2-by-4-by-96-inch pieces of stock lumber on top of two of the posts so that the chalk lines face the ceiling and all ends and corners of the posts and board are flush.

• 6

  Drill 1/8-inch-diameter pilot holes through the 2-by-4-by-96-inch stock lumber and into each 4-inch post at each marked screw positions. Switch to a countersink bit and drill each hole straight down -- 1/4-inch deep -- to accommodate the heads of the wood screws. Secure the board to the posts using 3-inch long, 1/4-inch thread diameter wood screws.

• 7

  Repeat for each pair of posts and each piece of 2-by-4-by-96-inch stock lumber to create the three bed support joists.

• 8

  Position the 2-by-4-by 60 inch support posts between the 15- and 17-inch lines on the bed support joists. Drill 1/8-inch diameter pilot holes through the joists and into the posts at the marked screw positions. Secure the support posts to the joists using 3-inch long, 1/4-inch thread diameter wood screws.

• 9

  Snap chalk lines 4 inches from each 96-inch side of the 44-by-96-inch sheet of 1/2-inch plywood. Snap a third chalk line halfway between the first two, the full length of the plywood sheet.

• 10

  Snap chalk lines 4, 15 and 17 inches from each 44-inch end of the plywood sheet. Lay a ruler from the right end of the 4-inch line to the left corner of the plywood sheet.

• 11

  Mark a single screw position 2 inches from the left corner. Repeat for all four corners of the plywood sheet. Repeat marking single screw positions between the 15- and 17-inch lines.

• 12

  Position the plywood sheet on top of the right and left support joists with all corners flush. Drill and countersink all screw holes and secure the plywood to the support joists using 3-inch long, 1/4-inch thread diameter wood screws to make the loft frame.

• 13

  Center the middle support joist along the chalk line running between the right and left supports. Drill and countersink screw positions along the chalk line, 1, 14 and 16 inches from each 44-inch ends of the loft frame.

• 14

  Secure the plywood sheet to the center support joist using 3-inch long, 1/4-inch thread diameter wood screws.

• 15

  Lay the two pieces of 2-by-12-by-96 inch stock lumber on top of the loft frame on their 2-inch faces, with the 96-inch edges and all corners flush. Mark screw positions every 8 inches along the right and left support joists from beneath the loft frame.

• 16

  Drill and countersink all holes and secure the 12-inch stock lumber to the loft frame to create the right and left mattress retention rails.

• 17

  Position the 2-by-12-by-40-inch mattress retention rails between the right and left mattress retention rails. Repeat steps 15 and 16 to secure the 40-inch rails to the loft frame.

• 18

  Mark screw positions 1 inch from each end of each right and left mattress retention rail, 3, 6 and 9 inches from the plywood loft platform. Drill and countersink each hole and secure the head and foot rails to the side rails using 4-inch long, 1/4-inch thread diameter wood screws

Assembling the Lower Bunk

• 19

  Make 4-inch wide, 4-inch long, 1-inch deep rabbet cuts -- which are rectangular recesses along the edge or end of a workpiece -- at each end of each of the 2-by-4-by-54 inch and 2-by-4-by-80 inch pieces of stock lumber, using a router.

• 20

  Turn the 80-inch boards over so their rabbet cuts face the ceiling. Lay the 54-inch boards rabbet-side down, fitted into the rabbet cuts on the 80-inch boards.

• 21

  Mark, drill and countersink pilot holes as you did when making the loft frame and secure the 54-inch boards to the 80-inch boards using 1 1/2-inch long, 1/4-inch thread diameter wood screws.

• 22

  Position four of the six posts as you did when making the loft frame, flush at the four corners. Mark, drill and countersink single pilot holes and secure the bed frame to the posts.

• 23

  Position the center support posts at the head and foot of the bed frame, flush with the 54-inch edges. Mark, drill and countersink pilot holes through the frame and into each post as previously described. Secure the center support posts to the bed frame.

• 24

  Lay the plywood sheet on the bed frame with all edges and corners flush. Secure the plywood to the frame using 3-inch long, 1/4-inch thread diameter wood screws.

• 25

  Smooth the entire loft and lower bunk using coarse and medium sanding belts on a belt sander. Seal the entire loft and lower bunk using three to five coats of clear wood sealant or bright-colored acrylic paint. Allow 24 hours drying time between each coat.

• 26

  Fit a highboy dresser between the posts at each end of the bunk. Place the mattresses on each bed.