Making an Upholstered Box Bed Frame

Measure the length and width of your mattress. Add 1 foot to each of those measurements. Cut two of your 2-by-10 boards to the width plus 1 foot measurement. Cut another two pieces of 2-by-10s to equal the length plus 1 foot measurement. Place these boards in a pile labeled frame boards.

Use the adjusted width as the guideline for cutting six more of your 2-by-10 boards. Cut the boards to a length about ½ inch shorter than the adjusted width measurement determined in the previous step. Cut your remaining 2-by-10 about ½ inch shorter than the length plus 1 foot measurement recorded in the previous step. Place these boards in a pile labeled interior boards.

Take one of your frame boards. Cover the front of the board with a coat of spray adhesive. Cut a piece of batting equal to the length of the board and about 4 inches wider than the width of the board. Place the board adhesive side down onto the batting. Wrap the batting around to the back of the board, as you would wrap a gift. Staple the batting in place. Leave the wood exposed on the ends of the board. Repeat with the remaining frame boards.

Unroll your upholstery fabric face down on the work surface. Place one of your batting-covered frame boards onto the fabric. Place the board so that the stapled side faces out. Cut the fabric to about 1 inch longer than the length of the board and about 5 inches wider than the board.

Fold the right side of the fabric in 1/2 inch. Create a sharp crease on the side. Use an iron to create your crease if necessary. Repeat on the left side. Wrap and staple the fabric around the board, as you did the batting. Leave the wooden ends exposed. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining frame boards.

Build your frame on the floor in your bedroom. Put your frame boards together with the adjusted width boards at the top and bottom. Place the adjusted length boards on the right and left side to form a rectangle. Cover the ends of each board with a thin layer of wood glue. Use clamps to hold the boards together. Allow the glue to dry completely.

Cut your adjusted width, interior boards in half. Place the interior boards inside of the rectangle frame. Place the adjusted length board in the center of the frame to create a center support. Space six adjusted width boards evenly on the right side of the bed frame. Repeat on the left side.

Glue the interior boards to the frame and clamp in place. Use a nail gun to nail the boards to the center support.

Measure the length and width of your completed frame. Cut your MDF sheet to these measurements, so the sheet fits snugly on top of the frame. Use a jigsaw to cut ½-inch wide and 6-inch long vents in your MDF sheet. This will allow proper air circulation for your mattress.

Unroll the remaining batting on the work surface. Cover the front of the MDF sheet with spray adhesive. Place the sheet adhesive-side down on the batting. Wrap the batting around to the back of sheet and staple in place. Repeat with upholstery fabric.

Measure the diagonal width of the corners of the frame. Cut four pieces of scrap wood to this measurement. Nail these support boards into the corners of the frame. Nail from the interior of the frame to avoid nails showing through the upholstery.

Place the upholstered MDF sheet on top of the frame. Glue in place if desired. Place your mattress on top of the completed frame.