How to Build a Rope Suspended Bed

Building the Bed

• 1

  Lay out two 1 1/2-by-3 1/2-by-96-inch boards and two 1 1/2-by-3 1/2-by-45-inch boards in a rectangular frame so that the shorter boards are between the longer boards.

• 2

  Set a 3/4-by-48-by-96-inch plywood sheet on top of the rectangular frame. Drill holes around the perimeter of the plywood sheet and into the rectangular frame. Space the holes every foot, being careful not to go through the other side of the rectangular frame boards.

• 3

  Attach the plywood sheet to the rectangular frame boards using 2-inch wood screws placed in each hole and then tightened completely using a drill.

• 4

  Flip the bed over and drill two holes into each corner through both the frame boards and the plywood sheet with a drill bit slightly bigger than the diameter of the rope. Space the holes the same way at all four corners.

Hanging the Bed

• 5

  Find the floor joists in the ceiling using a stud finder or by moving any ceiling panels aside. Drill a hole in a floor joist directly above each corner of the bed. Insert a 1-inch eyehook and twist the eyehook until the head is touching the wood of the joist. Pass a screwdriver through the eye and use it to twist if the twisting becomes difficult.

• 6

  Thread the rope through the eyehook and down through one of the bed holes. Thread the other end of the rope through the other bed hole. Adjust the bed to the proper height and tie two overhand knots on the ends of each rope.

• 7

  Prop the bed up on something and dip each knot in Gorilla Glue. Allow the glue to set for four hours. Repeat for the other corners of the bed.