How to Make a Bed Foundation With Drawers

Cut four 2-by-4s to 75 inches in length with a circular saw. Cut four 2-by-4s to 54 inches in length and seven 2-by-4s to 10 inches. Cut one 2-by-4 to 71 inches in length and two 2-by-4s to 16 inches. Measure and draw a 1-by-1 inch square on each end of the 2-inch wide faces of the 75- and 54-inch-long pieces. Cut the rectangles out with a hacksaw.

Measure and cut two sheets of 1-inch-thick hardwood to 75 inches in length and 18 inches wide with the circular saw. Cut one sheet of 1-inch-thick hardwood to 54 inches in length and 21 inches wide. Cut one sheet of 1-inch-thick hardwood to 54 inches in length and 26 inches wide. Cut 23 1-inch-thick hardwood pieces to 52 inches in length and 2 inches wide.

Attach a 1-inch pilot bearing to your router. Cut a 1-inch-deep groove into the edges of two of the 75-inch long 2-by-4 pieces. Apply wood glue to the cutout grooves. Fasten the glued ends to the ends of two of the 54-inch-long pieces so the 1-by-1 inch square cutouts you made earlier interlock to form a rectangle. The 1-inch grooves cut with the router must face into the rectangle.

Form a second rectangle from the remaining 75- and 54-inch-long pieces. Reinforce the glued joints on both rectangles with a hammer drill equipped with a screwdriver drill bit and long screws. Countersink the screws to keep the faces of the wood flat.

Glue two of the 10-inch-long pieces together to form a piece that is 10 inches long, 2 inches wide and 2 inches thick. Glue the ends of four 10-inch-long pieces. Fasten the 10-inch-long pieces onto the corners of the non-grooved rectangle so the 10-inch pieces stand vertically. Fasten the grooved rectangle on top of these vertical pieces to form the bed frame. Reinforce the joints with countersunk long screws.

Decide which side of the bed the drawers will be on. Glue and screw the 8-inch-wide, 10-inch-long piece into the middle of the side of the bed frame that the drawers will be on. Glue then screw the remaining 10-inch-long piece into the middle of the opposite side of the bed frame. These are the side supports for the bed.

Glue then screw the 71-inch-long 2-by-4 piece into the base of the bed frame 20 inches from the inside edge of the side that the drawers will be on. Glue then screw the two 16-inch-long pieces into the bed frame between the side of the frame and the 71-inch-long piece, 15 inches from the 54-inch-long ends of the bed.

Screw the 54-inch-long, 21-inch-wide hardwood sheet to the end of the bed to form the footer. Screw the 54-inch-long, 26-inch-wide hardwood sheet to the opposite end of the bed to form the headboard. Screw one 75-inch-long, 18-inch-wide sheet to the side of the bed that will not have drawers.

Measure 4 inches up one of the 18-inch sides of the remaining 18-by-75 inch hardwood sheet then measure 2 inches along a 75-inch long side. Starting at this point, draw a rectangle 10 inches tall and 31-1/2 inches wide. Measure 8 inches along one 75-inch side from this rectangle and draw another 10-by-31 1/2 inch rectangle.

Attach a 1-inch drill bit to the hammer drill. Drill a hole at each corner of the rectangle. Cut the rectangles out of the hardwood sheet with the hacksaw. Screw the hardwood sheet to the side of the bed where the drawers will go. Place the 23 2-inch-wide hardwood pieces into the grooves in the top of the bed frame with a 1-inch gap between each piece.

Cut two sheets of 1-inch-thick hardwood to 10 inches in width by 31-1/2 inches in length with the circular saw. Cut four pieces of 1-inch-thick hardwood to 18 inches long by 9 inches wide. Cut two pieces of 1-inch-thick hardwood to 31-1/2 inches in length by 9 inches in width. Finally, cut 2 pieces of 1-inch thick hardwood to 31-1/2 inches in length by 19 inches in width.

Glue then screw two of the 19-inch-long by 9-inch-wide pieces into the edges of the wide face on one of the 31 1/2-inch-long by 9-inch-wide pieces to form a “U” shape. Repeat to form a second “U” shape. Glue then screw one of the 19-inch by 31 1/2-inch pieces to the underside of each “U” to form drawers with no front panels.

Screw one drawer handle to the center of one of the wide faces of each 31 1/2-inch by 10-inch piece. Glue then screw one 31 1/2-inch by 10-inch piece to the front of each drawer so the handles are on the outside. Slide the drawers into the holes in the side of each bed frame to complete the bed foundation with drawers.