Building Wooden Bed Frames With Storage

Cutting the Mating Slots

• 1

  Measure halfway along a 40-inch edge of three sheets of 15-by-40-inch 3/4-inch plywood and mark a 7.5-inch line that is perpendicular to the 40-inch edge.

• 2

  Cut a slot that is 3/4 inch wide and 7.5 inches long at each of the lines you marked, so that all three pieces of plywood have a mating slot of this size centered on one of their 40-inch sides.

• 3

  Cut three mating slots the same size as the ones on the 15-by-40-inch pieces of plywood onto a piece of plywood 15-by-75 inches. They should be spaced 18.75 inches apart, along one of the 75-inch edges. The slots on the three smaller pieces of plywood will mate with the slots on this piece to form the storage cubbies for the bed base.

• 4

  Sand the four pieces of plywood with the slots cut into them, as well as two pieces of plywood measuring 40-by-75 inches, which are the base and platform of the bed. Sand a sheet of 16.5-by-40-inch plywood for the footboard of the bed and a piece of 40-by-40-inch plywood for the headboard.

• 5

  Paint all the components of the bed and let dry before assembling. It is easier to sand and paint when the bed is still in flat panels, rather than after it is assembled. The bed will be twin size.

Assembling the Bed Frame

• 6

  Apply wood glue to the slots on the four slotted pieces. Mate the slots on the three smaller pieces with those on the longer piece. The smaller pieces should be perpendicular to the longer piece, and create four storage cubby areas on each side of the longer piece of plywood. Let the glue dry.

• 7

  Sit the base piece of plywood over the top of the glued slotted pieces. Secure the base to the tops of the slotted plywood with 1 1/4-inch wood screws driven every 6 to 8 inches along the length of the longer central slotted plank, and into the tops of the cubby divider planks as well.

• 8

  Turn the frame over so the base is on the bottom, then attach the platform piece of plywood in the same manner.

• 9

  Sit the footboard piece of plywood over one end of the bed frame. It should be flush at the bottom with the base and flush at the top with the platform, and it will abut the end of the central slotted piece of plywood. Secure it in place with 1 1/4-inch screws driven every 6 to 8 inches through the footboard into the ends of the base, platform and central planks.

• 10

  Sit the headboard plank over the other end of the bed. It will be flush at the bottom with the base and extend 23.5 inches above the level of the platform. Secure it to the bed frame in the same manner as you did the footboard.

Finishing the Bed Frame

• 11

  Cut the ends of two pieces of 23.5-inch molding to 45-degree angles with a miter saw. Repeat with two pieces of 16.5-inch molding and four pieces of 40-inch molding.

• 12

  Apply wood glue to the back of the two 23.5-inch pieces and two of the 40-inch pieces of molding. Form the molding into a rectangle, with the mitered end mating to create the corners of the rectangle.

• 13

  Glue the rectangle to the face of the headboard to create a decorative edging around the headboard piece of plywood.

• 14

  Repeat with the 16.5-inch molding pieces and the remaining 40-inch pieces on the footboard to finish the bed frame with storage.