How to Build an English Poster Bed With Canopy

Foundation

• 1

  Rip the ¾ inch plywood into six pieces that are 7 7/8 inches by 8 feet long. Use this to make a base for the English four poster canopy bed that measures 75 ¼ inches by 44 ½ inches. Butt join the pieces together, so they form a firm support on which the mattress will rest.

• 2

  Add a mitered layer of ¾ inches finished plywood to the base to hide the edges of the plywood. The finished dimensions of the base will be 7 7/8 inches by 46 inches by 76 inches.

• 3

  Form two panels from plywood that are ¾ inches by 30 ¾ inches by 87 inches long. These will rest on the base and will overlap it by 8 inches on either side as well as the front of the bed.

The Four Posts

• 4

  Pick some wood that's 13/16 inch thick. This wood can be hardwood or anything of your choice.

• 5

  Cut the wood down to 5 inches by 83 ¼ inches long, as well as four more pieces that are 5 13/16 inches by 83 ¼ inches long.

• 6

  Lay them on your work bench, and prepare then for dowel or biscuit jointing.

• 7

  Add a detail, such as a scroll, into the outside edges near the top of the four pieces. This is optional. Begin the detail about 5 inches from the top of the post.

• 8

  Glue the pieces together so they are butt jointed, making sure they are absolutely square before clamping them.

• 9

  Rout them to give some roundness to their shape.

• 10

  Create indentions notched into the corners of the platform, which it the section where the plywood extends beyond the base. During the final assembly, add hardwood blocks to help support the notches and the posts.

• 11

  Use 2-inch counter sunk screws to fasten the posts to the base of the English style four poster canopy bed.

Upper and Lower Skirt Boards

• 12

  Choose a design for your skirt boards. This can be scrolled, but try to keep the widest part of the design within a certain perimeter like 6 ¾ inches wide. This is ultimately up to you.

• 13

  Create a template with the design and use it to cut the four upper skirt boards.

• 14

  Cut some 13/18 inch lumber into skirt boards, and cut the scrolled design you have chosen into the boards. Make the upper skirts 50 ¾ inches long for the head and foot of the bed and 75 ½ inches long for the sides.

• 15

  Sand the edges of the upper skirt boards, and prepare the ends for biscuit jointing. Glue top skirt board for the head board in place at the head of the bed, between the posts.

• 16

  Make a bottom skirt that is 50 ¾ inches long that will fit between the posts, but make it 6 ½ inches wide. You may have to remove one of the posts to glue it in place, then replace the post.

• 17

  Insert the upper skirt boards between the posts at the head and foot of the bed and glue and joint them in place.

• 18

  Fit the top skirt boards in place on the sides by jointing them with dowels, then inserting a screw diagonally through the skirt into the post.

Headboard

• 19

  Cut a piece for the headboard that is 35 inches long, and will extend up from the plywood of the bead platform. Since 20 inches or so will be covered by the mattress, it's up to you whether you have a panel that is finished for the entire width of the board.

• 20

  Form 12 pieces of 5 1/16 inch wide wood pieces.

• 21

  Lay the boards on the work bench and put them together with a "V-groove and bead" fashion with loose spines. Use plenty of glue, and clamp them together.

Crown Skirt and Top Frame

• 22

  Cut four pieces that are 13/16 inched by 5 ¾ inches by 89 5/8 long. Prepare them for butt jointing.

• 23

  Clamp and glue the crown skirt to the top of the frame.

• 24

  Make crown skirt pieces for the top by cutting 13/16 inch by 2 ¼ inch pieces. Shape them by using a router, and miter the ends so they will neatly meet. Keep the end square where it goes against the bed. Fasten them with screws to aid in disassembly of the English style four poster canopy style bed should you need to move it. The details of this design are up to you.

• 25

  Add retainer boards to the bottom sides, and fit them with in place with bull noses and glue.

Finishing Touches

• 26

  Add decorative details to the four corner of the bed such as boots.

• 27

  Install two boots on either side of the headboard, and mitered boots to the whole former of the posts' fronts. They help to hide the screws, and you attach them with screws.

• 28

  Choose ½ inch by 13/16th inch molding and tack it over any plywood edges.

Wood Finish

• 29

  Use a stain that has an oil base.

• 30

  Cover with a paste wax.

• 31

  Reapply the wax when needed.

• 32

  Pick out fabric for your canopy and bed curtains and hang them.