A DIY bed frame sounded so awesome and SO SCARY to me, for a long time.
Finally, we did it! This simple DIY wood bed frame is inspired by some of the $1000 – $2000+ beautiful wooden bed frame and platform bed designs we love. SO, what does it take?
One weekend, $100, and a few simple tools most beginning DIY enthusiasts have!
The process of designing and building our DIY bed is so rewarding, we learned a ton! In this detailed step by step tutorial, I will share with you our free DIY bed frame with headboard building plan, plus everything we have learned in this project:
We will start with what are the best wood choices to build a bed frame – SUPER important!
The detailed step by step tutorial will cover how to build a simple wood bed frame that is easy to disassembled when moving, how to adapt the free DIY bed frame plan to any size bed ( king bed to twin bed, with or without headboard) and the best natural finishes for your wood bed frame and headboard.
We just spent an entire year sleeping on the floor, like this. ( Some of the helpful resources are affiliate links. Full disclosure here. )
Last summer, inspired by this amazing book: The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up, we decided to embark on an epic decluttering of everything, the first things we let go of were our huge mattresses and box-springs. Oops!
I always wanted to design and build a beautiful and simple DIY wood bed that is uniquely ours, and share the simple plan and tutorial with everyone.
When I shared my idea with our dream mattress company Sleep On Latex, they generously sent us some amazing gifts to support our DIY project : a heavenly mattress made of 100% natural latex foam, certified organic cotton and organic New Zealand Wool! Plus two luscious latex pillows!
Hubby is always super supportive. This time, he is not only supportive, but beyond excited about how surprisingly easy it was to build this bed and how much he, a born perfectionist, loves our new, sturdy, gorgeous DIY bed!
Step 1: Choose the right wood to build a DIY bed frame ( very important!! )
Do NOT use pressure treated lumber, there can be toxic chemicals in them!
To build a wood bed frame that is beautiful and sturdy, we need to choose wood for strength, work-ability and beauty. Select wood with structural integrity, tight grain, small knots , few cup and twist, and no splits.
Knots are very dense, making them hard to drill and cut through. Study the plan to see where the screws are, and select boards with few knots in those areas.
We used Douglas Fir for our DIY wood bed posts and rails. It is a popular structural/construction lumber on the west coast. The wood is very stiff and strong. Southern Yellow Pine / Spruce Fir is also a great choice and popular on the east coast. Other great choices are Poplar, Ash, Oak, Alder, Birch, Cherry, and Maple.
If you are using other species of lumber, make sure that the wood is good for structural use. Don’t just base on the name ‘hardwood’ or ‘softwood’. An example about hardwood vs softwood: Doug Fir is a softwood that is super strong, while Basswood, a hardwood, is super soft and has poor screw holding characteristics. Which means a rocky and squeaky bed frame!
Step 2: gather materials and tools.
When we showed our DIY bed frame plan to a nice Home Depot employee, he got so excited for us, and cut most of the wood for us with great care, which made it so much easier! Take the plans and cut list with you ! 🙂
4×4 posts: (2) 4×4 @ 1’2″ L, (2) 4×4 @ 4’6″ L, cut from (1) 4×4 @ 12′
2×6 rails: (2) 2×6 @ 4’8″, (2) 2×6 @ 6’6″, cut from (2) 2×6 @ 12′
2x4s : (2) 2×4 stringers @ 6’8″, (1) 2×4 @ 4’8 for top of headboard, cut from (1) 2×4 @ 8′, and (1) 2×4 @ 12′
1x4s : (10) 1×4 @ 4’8″, (3) 1×4 @ 2’11.5″, cut from (6) 1×4 @ 10′
Plywood slats and spacers: (14) 3″ wide x 5′ long. We used PureBond 1/2″ thick plywood which is a great quality, formaldehyde-free plywood. The sheet is 4’x8′. Home Depot cut it to 4’x5′ first, then to 3″x5′ slats for us. We cut one of them into smaller spacers later.
Slat supports: (2) 2×2 @ 6’3, cut from (2) 2×2 @ 8′, save the extra to use for stringer supports
Please follow good practices to build safely and smartly. Follow safety guidelines for each tool. Work on a clean level surface, free of clutter or debris. Always use straight boards. Always wear safety goggles and hearing protection. And remember to check for square after each step!
Tools needed to make a bed frame:
- Kreg Pocket Hole Jig: this one is a good starter pocket hole jig, use it with a woodworking clamp, or this bigger set which has a built-in clamp, 1.25″ Pocket Hole screws and 2.5″ Pocket Hole screws
- Bed rail brackets : Our DIY bed frame can be easily assembled or disassembled when moving thanks to these awesome bed rail brackets! They don’t come with instructions, so I have included detailed instructions on how to install these brackets.
- Sand paper : I used 120 grit sand paper for sanding the cut surfaces, and 300 to 400 fine grit sand paper to sand the exposed wood surfaces
- tape measure, combination square, pencils for marking
- drill, circular saw or jig saw, safety goggles, dust mask, hearing protection. Follow safety procedures!!
IMPORTANT: after all the wood is cut, check the pieces together which have the same length: this will ensure our DIY bed frame is square and all the pieces fit nicely. Consistency is more important than numbers!
For example: all the 1x4s on the headboard should be the same length as the two 2x6s on the headboard and foot-board. It is OK if all of them are, let’s say, 1/4″ less than what is written on the plan (this diy platform bed frame is forgiving if you are off by 1/2″ to 1″ ). It is NOT OK if some of them are 1/8″ more, and some are 1/8″ less than the 4’8″ on the plan.
Sand all the cut surfaces and exposed surfaces so the wood is nice and smooth. If you want to paint or stain the wood, now is a good time.
Step 3: How to install bed rail brackets on wooden bed posts and side rails
This important step is not difficult, but it requires patience and accuracy. If you do it right, the rest of the DIY bed frame is super easy! Let’s see how to install bed rail brackets in detail.
These surface mount bed rail brackets come in 4 pairs. The brackets with the slots goes on the 4 bed posts, and the brackets with the “claws” goes on two 2×6 6’6″ long side rails, one on each end.
Set a 2×6 rail ( or use a smaller scrap piece of 2×6 ) on a foot-board post, the top of the rail should be flush with the top of the post. The end faces of the rail and post are touching when mounted.
Set the pair of brackets in a locked position onto the post and rail, and mark the outer edges of the brackets and each drill hole carefully.
First, pre-drill each marked drill hole, and attach the slot bracket onto the 4×4 post using 2″ to 3″ long screws. If you are off, the rail will not be flush to the post. Remember to keep checking at each step!
This happened to us once. We filled the drill holes with JB Weld wood putty and redid it.
Have some JB Weld wood putty handy, you might need it to correct mistakes!
Next, attach the “claw” bracket to one end of the rail, check everything is square and flush.
Don’t tighten the screws too much on the “claw” brackets yet. At this stage, we want to easily hook and unhook these brackets. In the final step when we get the brackets hooked together, we will tighten the screws so the bed is rock solid!
Repeat this process until you installed all the brackets. Keep checking to make sure everything is lined up accurately in all dimensions: height, width, and depth.
Step 4: build wood bed frame and headboard
Tip: It is easier to drill all the pocket holes first, then screw the pieces together.
When building the headboard, create the center panel first, then attach it to the posts, and 2×4 top piece and 2×6 bottom rail. See diagram below. The key is to leave a tiny gap (even 1/32″ is enough ) between the 1×4 slats to allow room for wood movement. More about wood movement in the DIY headboard tutorial here
Instead of making this super long tutorial even longer, I have included detailed step-by-step instructions on how to build the center panel, how to check for square, wood movements, plus other helpful tips in this DIY wood headboard tutorial here. It also includes variations on how to build a wood headboard like this if you already have a bed frame and just want to add a headboard!
For our DIY headboard, I gave the boards a light gold stain to bring the white pine 1x4s closer in color to the Doug Fir posts and rails, using Recipe #7 in this tutorial: Easy Homemade All Natural Wood Stains with 7 Recipes!
Easy Homemade All Natural Wood Stains – 7 Recipes!
We decided to leave our wood bed frame natural, another good option is a whitewashed wood finish. Here’s a detailed tutorial on how to whitewash wood in 3 simple ways-
How to whitewash wood in 3 simple ways
To build the footboard, use 2.5″ pocket hole screws to attach the 2×6 to the 4×4 posts, ckeck they are flush at top and on the side that faces out.
Step 5: add supports for slats and stringers
We are almost done! 🙂
Because our goal is to keep this DIY bed frame easy to assemble and disassemble when we move, I design it so the bed slats and supporting 2×4 stringers are held in place by supports and spacers, instead of attached to the bed rails.
The key here is to measure carefully so the bed slats are just 1/4″ below the top of the 2×6 side rails. You can have them flush with the top of the 2×6 side rails, we chose the 1/4″ offset for a cleaner look, and 1/4″ does not affect how the mattress sits on top of the platform bed.
The U-shaped slots for the 2×4 stringers are made from 2x2s, screwed onto the 2×6 rails on the headboard and footboard. The 2x4s just slide sideways into the slots.
The 3″ wide slats are supported by the 2×4 stringers and 2x2s attached to the side rails with screws. The slats are held in place by 3″ wide spacers cut from one extra slat. The spacers are 3 1/8″ apart for a little wiggle room.
When you glue or screw the spacers onto the 2x2s, line up the two 2×6 side rails, so the spacers are perfectly lined up too. See image above.
Step 6: assemble the DIY wood bed frame
Time to enjoy the sweet fruit of our labor and assemble our DIY wood bed frame!
First, place the headboard and footboard where you would like the bed to be. Lift the 2×6 side rail and slide the bed rail bracket claws into the slots so they lock in place. Two people can do this pretty easily.
If you have trouble, loosen the screw on the “claw” brackets a little. After the brackets are hooked together, tighten the screws so the bed is sturdy and solid.
Place the 2×4 stringers sideways into the U-shaped slots on the headboard and footboard. Add the slats.
Add your favorite mattress and pillows! We LOVE our beautiful mattress made of 100% natural latex foam, organic cotton and wool, and our latex pillows, gifts from Sleep On Latex , a company which has received tons of raving reviews! You can read more about their unique story here.
We can honestly say that when things are made with love and care, they radiate joy into your living spaces. Our bed, mattress and pillows bring smiles to us each day.
Because we are inspired by the amazing book: The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up, we are adding furniture very slowly and only choosing things that spark joy in us.
We will build night stands or other pieces at some point, but for now, why not get creative with things we already have and love? A wood crate and a white bar stool can hold a few books, a cup of tea, and some lovely plants. Life is perfect.
Additional tips: How to adapt this DIY bed frame plan to any size bed, with or without headboard.
This DIY queen bed frame plan can be easily adapted to create other sized beds using the reference chart below.
For example: to build a king size bed frame, just add 16 inches to the length of all the horizontal components: the 1x4s, 2×4 and 2×6 on the headboard, the bed slats, and the 2×6 on the headboard.
To build a twin size bed frame, reduce 21 inches on the length of all the horizontal components: the 1x4s, 2×4 and 2×6 on the headboard, the bed slats, and the 2×6 on the headboard. And reduce 6 inches on the length of the 2×6 side rails and 2×4 stringer ( you only need one stringer because the twin bed is a lot narrower.
To build this DIY bed frame without a headboard, just change the two taller 4×4 posts to the same height as the shorter 4×4 posts, omit everything above, that’s it!
Some of you might be wondering if parts of this wood bed frame can be made from pallets. The answer is yes!
However, not all pallet wood are suitable. Before you start, please check out this detailed guide on where to find and how to work with pallets!
Best natural finishes for your wood bed frame and headboard:
My favorite wood finish is an all natural furniture wax made from bees wax and olive oil. You can get the easy non-toxic wood finish wax recipe here. You can also buy them, these two are both great : a beeswax furniture polish, and a butcher block wood conditioner
I also selected a couple of great DIY bed ideas you can explore – a DIY upholstered bed frame here, an IKEA hack bed frame with storage here, and a pallet bed frame here.
Happy building!
Jill Conyers
The new bed looks wonderful!! Great job with the DIY!
Michael
This is super nice! I’m not quite crafty enough to make a bed frame with headboard like this but it turned out awesome!
Cynthia
This is awesome! It looks like an expensive store-bought bed, and only $100, also love the super detailed drawings! Good job!
Cole Nemeth
Awesome DIY! Looks so beautiful! It must feel amazing and the mattress looks incredible!!
Tanya @ Intimate Explorations
Amazing work! I’m always impressed with myself when I can even put my IKEA furniture together. It must be so gratifying to sleep comfortably on something you built yourself. Super inspiring!!
Jack Jaleby
Absolutely nice article!! the bed with the mattress and headboard looks amazing! Very inspiring!!
dawn
very nice job! i love how it looks. it goes so well in the room, and looks super comfortable. i’m so impressed!
Emma
Wow, what an undertaking – I’ve never thought of designing my own bed but I guess it makes sense to have something perfect and personal when you spend a third of your life in it! The final result looks stunning – enjoy sleeping on the gorgeous mattress!!
Krysti
Wow, I’m so impressed with people who DIY and it looks so incredible! You guys did an amazing job!
David Elliott
I will have to think about this as I am considering getting my daughter a new bed in the near future. I am not sure that this is the right size for her room, but this looks great, maybe I can make some modifications.
Eloise
I love, love, LOVE DIY projects… I would love to give this headboard a try, it’s simple and beautiful! I love the wood texturized white wash wall decor as well that I will some day DIY for my house too! THANK YOU!
Last year one of my guy friends invited everyone to a bonfire in his backyard (he just built a firepit) Well, he had a TON of wood palettes and all of a sudden he started carrying them out and breaking them for the fire… I had to go save those things… Noooooooooo, I yelled… give those things to me… then I explained the value of them and he had to go get new firewood to burn. I’m not going to lie, kind of felt like a DIY superhero…lol
Okay, now I’m done with my story… :)!
Thena
Great tutorial, looks so beautiful!! We would love to build this for our next bed!
Mary
Firstly, I can’t imagine how a half empty air mattress could possibly spark joy! LOL So then did that mean that there was a lack of joy during the time you slept on the floor? I went without during a good part of my life, so not only does everything I have chosen to have in my house or just the freedom of choice in my life, bring me a spark of joy…but I appreciate and a am grateful for all inanimate AND animate things in my life. BUT that being said, I absolutely love your bed and your craftsmanship! Kudos and enjoy!!
ananda
hi mary, great question! 🙂 our life was full of joy when we slept on the floor, it was liberating to have very little stuff! however, being joyful does not mean everything will stay just the same – it actually make us want to create and refresh things. this bed gives us a new “blank” canvas to decorate our bedroom for fun in a lot of new ways! stay tuned! 🙂
Adeyemisi
WOW… I just can’t believe my eyes… This is absolutely beautiful… Like you guys made a bed yourself… Great job????????… Would be a good memory for you both
Carol
I love your bed! Thank you for the detailed plans and especially how you installed the brackets. I had trouble with those and switched to these brackets from Rockler – rockler.com/surface-mount-bed-rail-brackets. But will give the ones you used a second try since I still have a set and plan to build a king size bed, My problem with the brackets was with the claw side. Once screwed on they were difficult to insert. I will try loosening the screws and then tightening them after like you suggest doing. Thank you for sharing your awesome talent and creativity.
ananda
thank you carol! i learned that trick from other users! it worked great =)
laura
HI, I am planning on building a bed frame but I have noticed that a lot of the wood I’ve been looking at have dimensions that are a bit off. The 4 x 4s are really 33/4 x 33/4 and the 2 x 4s are 11/2 x 31/2 etc…
Was this the case for the lumber you used to build your bed? I’m not sure if this is standard.
Thanks for your help and your beautiful oh so inspiring website.
Laura
ananda
hi laura, yes that applies to most wood we get, including what we used here, and on the plans! =) so you are good to go!
Adam Smith
Awesome build, correct measurement is a must for the final project to be like the drafted design. Really love the simplicity of the design.
Pat
The stringers should be 6 ft 10 inches instead of the listed 6 ft 8 inches. Instead of 2 inches longer than the side rail, the stringers need to be 4 inches longer because you gain 2 inches in length on each side from the posts.
ananda
hi pat, thank you for the observation! in this case, we installed the 2×6 (below the headboard ) flush at front with the posts, so the stringers only gain 2″ at the footboard. hope it makes sense! =)
Shelly Jankowski
just to clarify, are the plans for a queen size bed?
ananda
yes! 🙂
Mary
Is there any concern that the design wouldn’t be strong enough for a king bed? Specifically, would the frame need more center support, such as extra stringers and/or legs?
Thanks!
Mary
ananda
hi mary, yes it is strong enough for a king bed! 🙂
Erik
Mary i just finished mine and it is a king size made out of cedar.
Eliese
Hi there! We just finished building this bed this week end! We adapted the plans to build a king-sized bed frame and WE LOVE IT!! We just got a new mattress (leesa sapira) and it was so fun to have a new bed altogether! The bed is very sturdy and well put together. We used Douglas fir and a walnut stain. We loved trying out a pocket hole jig! The instructions were helpful although there were a few things we had to figure out on our own. A few notes for the tutorial:
1. If using Douglas for the highest grit sand paper you want to use is 100/120…otherwise it doesn’t absorb stain as well.
2. We highly recommend using pre stain. It’s a super easy step that doesn’t take long and it helps the wood to evenly absorb the stain as opposed to having it’s softer and harder spots absorb the wood lighter and darker.
3. For the headboard you actually need TEN 1×4’s. The instructions say 9 but the diagrams show 10. It was very frustrating to get everything ready to assemble the headboard only to discover we had to run to the store and buy another and cut, sand, pre stain, stain and clear coat one random board.
4. Depending on how you assemble the bed, the strivers could use an extra inch or two in length. They still work a little shorter but maybe cut them a little longer and sand or cut it down later.
5. Also, instead of using wood, we bought 2×4 joists to attach the stringers. They’re about $0.75 each and was just easier for us.
The project took us about a week in all. We were only really working in the evenings and juggling two small children and extremely hot temperatures. I’m pregnant and still found this to be an enjoyable project to do together with my husband. Everyone is so impressed with our bed and we think it’s pretty great ourselves!!! I wish I could post pictures!
ananda
hi Eliese, thank you SO much for sharing your experience! congrats on your new bed!! i have corrected the 1x4s amount, sorry about that! i also added a note for people to check out your comment for more helpful tips! best wishes! =)
Chelsea
Hi Eliese! I just finished making this in king size (using poplar), and used the metal joist brackets too! Indeed, they were only $.78 at Lowe’s. My support slats and spacers were actually .75” boards, instead of .5” plywood, so this allowed me to hang the stringers a tiny bit lower to accommodate the extra height.
I ran into your issue with the headboard, too… I was one board shirt, but could only fit a 1×3 at the bottom, instead of a 1×4. It looks like Ananda used a smaller piece here too.
Ananda, thank you for sharing your plans! This was a blast to make! How can those who have followed your tutorial share photos of the final product?
ananda
hi chelsea, thank you so much for sharing!! 🙂 you can tag apieceofrainbow on instagram or upload photos on our facebook page, and i will share them in the post!
Chelsea
Done! Thanks again 🙂
Corey Cimball
Would you be able to share the materials with wiemeasurements for the king size bed? I would love to start this project up this week. How is your bed holding up? This looks like a simple and beautiful frame.
Thanks so much!
Rahul Rema
I was looking for information regarding this and finally got one. Thanks for sharing the information with us. The article was a great help to me.
Hanna Norell
Amazing work! Thank you so much for sharing!!
If I wanted to modify this so that the mattress didn’t sit atop the entire thing, but rather fit into the frame (with a few inches of wood surrounding the lower half of the mattress) would that be possible?
I imagined adding an additional board to make the sides taller, or dropping the slats down so the mattress was inside the parameters of the wood would work…though I really don’t have much experience with woodworking and realized the measurements may be a bit too small to fit a queen size mattress into the frame as opposed to having it floating.
What are your thoughts on this? I hope the way I’ve explained it makes sense!
Thank you so much!
ananda
hi hanna, yes you can drop the slats lower, and / or use 2×8 instead of 2×6 . the current plan measurements of the 4 sides will allow the mattress to fit inside. but double check your mattress, especially if it has hard rigid sides!
Danny herrera
Hi ananda! Was wondering, for making this accommodate a full size bed, would I just reduce all measurements by 6 inches? According to the chart at the end of the article a full size bed is 6 inches shorter on both sides than a queen.
Thanks in advance
ananda
hi danny, yes, except for the vertical pieces. also make sure it’s not full XL size, which is 80″ long. good luck! 🙂
Melissa @ Veranda Interiors
That is fantastic way to utilize the pallets! My husband got a lot of them at our recent project.
Will definitely use it and try it out.
nick kilgore
so dumb question. when screwing the 1×4’s to the 1×4 supports. did you screw from the back going forward or through the front? also is glue on the 1×4’s a bad idea?
ananda
hi nick, glue will form a really strong bond if you clamp each piece tightly for 1 hour, which is possible, but screws are easier. we did it from the back because it looks better that way. happy building! 🙂
Kate
Wow, this is beautiful. Such a great tutorial too with all the info anyone could need! Thanks so much, hoping to make our frame within the coming weeks!!!
ananda
thank you so much kate! happy building! 🙂
Daniel
Love the project quick question though how did you get the 10 slatst slats for the headboard I have 3 1x4x10′ and 3 1x4x8′ and am only coming up with 9 slats after you take out the 3 2’11” pieces for the back.
ananda
hi daniel, thank you so much for pointing that out! i just changed it to (6) 1x4s @ 10′. thank you! 🙂
Brandy Nguyen
Hi! What color stain did you use? I noticed you posted a link to the diy stains and you said you used recipe #7, but I am a little bit confused because when I went to the page, recipe #7 was a recipe for staining wood colors like blue?
ananda
hi brandy, recipe 7 is good for any color. 🙂 i mixed a golden brown color from a yellow and a brown, hope that helps! 🙂
Tommy
Hi Ananda, what are you using to connect the short side of the bed frame to the posts? Are you gluing the 60″ 2×6 to the posts?
ananda
hi tommy, we used pocket holes to attach the. glue would not be strong enoungh, especially on end grain. 🙂
Aliyah
Just finished mine! Such a fun way to spend time, I absolutely loved the finish product. Thanks for putting this together, I would have never thought this was something I could do and have it actually turn out well!
ananda
yay!! thank you Aliyah for letting us know! enjoy! 🙂
Janet
I cannot figure out how to get the graphics that you used on the box with the oranges. I signed up for your emails, but I feel like I’m just going in a circle looking for the graphics. Thanks for your help.
ananda
hi janet, here you go, enjoy1
https://www.apieceofrainbow.com/creative-fun/
Stan HVACSystems
Wow! As coolly at you it turned out. Bed simply super! Such beds in shops stand from $1000, but I even couldn’t think that it can be made most and for only $100. I just moved to the new apartment and itself should choose quickly furniture so far there do repair and repair system of heating, after all in Philadelphia is cool now. Whether now I will think it is worth buying in shop or it is better to make most. Thanks for the instruction, I will watch further your new ideas.
Amanda
So happy we found your plans for this bed! Just recently finished building ours, switching it up a bit with our headboard. LOVING the results! And feeling accomplished for actually building a piece of furniture! 😊
ananda
thank you so much Amanda for sharing your experience! so happy for you! 🙂
Mazi
Beautiful and well talented.
FergusonTamrott
So glad I’ve found such awesome instructions here. This is one of the best tutorials on building a bed!
Sarah Kennedy
I made this bed frame last year. Because I could only find a 4x4x10′ for the legs and headboard supports, I shortened the headboard. Painted it with one coat of red latex so the grain shows through. It’s beautiful and even elegant. Now I have to make another bed frame and wanted to try another design, but after fruitless looking, decided to go back to this design. The directions are very specific and that really makes the whole project so easy! Thank you!
ananda
thank you so much sarah for sharing your experience! 🙂 happy building!!
Sara
Thank you for putting so much thought and care into this tutorial and how to deviate; it’s really helped me vector in what I want to do when I build a bed. Do you find that your mattress slips around on your bed frame, or is it held pretty securely?
ananda
hi sara, the mattress doesn’t move at all! happy building! 🙂