How to Assemble a Full-Sized Bed Frame

The bed frame is the hidden portion of a bed that supports the box springs under a mattress. The footboard and headboard are built into the top and bottom of the frame. Long bedrails extend down the length of the bed and support the sides the frame, which needs to match the size of the box springs to hold it up. Even if you have never picked up a tool before, you can still assemble a bed frame for a full-sized mattress.

Headboard
Head rail
Footboard
Bedrails
6 bed bolts
Flat-head screwdriver
6 bed bolt covers
2-by-4 bed slats (3)
Box spring
Mattress

Instructions

- 1
  Lay out the pieces of the bed frame where you want the finished bed to go. It's easier to move the pieces when they are disassembled.
- 2
  Place the headboard and head rail at the top of the bed and the footboard at the bottom. The wooden parts on the bottom of the head rail and footboard should face the inside of the bed because these support the ends of the mattress.
- 3
  Lay the two bedrails on each length of the bed with the wood mattress support facing the inside of the bed. Hold up the headboard and insert the head rail with the wooden piece facing inside the bed into the notches on the inside edges of the legs.
- 4
  Screw a bed bolt into each headboard leg to secure the head rail in place.
- 5
  Insert the ends of the two bedrails into the notches on the front of the headboard's legs.
- 6
  Screw a bed bolt into the hole opposite each of the bed rails to secure the bedrails to the headboard.
- 7
  Insert the opposite ends of the bedrails into the two notches in the footboard legs.
- 8
  Secure the bedrails into the footboard legs with the remaining two bed bolts.
- 9
  Press a bed bolt cover over each of the bed bolts you inserted.
- 10
  Lay three 2-by-4 bed slats horizontally across the width of the bed frame.
- 11
  Place the box spring on top of the slats and set the mattress on top of the box spring.

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Beds