We give children a place to play and relax by making a bunk bed out of wood with our own hands

Bunk bed project. Step-by-step instruction

With a large number of children, many beds are needed. A wooden bunk bed will solve this problem. Before assembly, you need to draw a diagram of the bed indicating the dimensions of all elements. The height of the structure should be such that the top tier is not directly under the ceiling. Warm air rises here, which can cause discomfort for a sleeping child. Drawings and diagrams are located below each process. Various options are being considered.

The free space from the floor to the mattress of the lower tier should be at least 40 cm. The distance between tiers is 50-70 cm. The length and width of a standard children's model is 180x80 cm.

Preparing material for making a bunk bed

To assemble the bed you need to prepare (dimensions):

• timber 50x50 mm for frames,
• boards 30x150 mm for racks,
• timber 40x40 mm for handrails and supports,
• boards 20x200 mm (wood),
• steel corners,
• furniture bolts,
• screws,
• wood oil

All lumber should be thoroughly sanded before assembling the bed. The tools you will need are a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench and a hacksaw.

Frame assembly

Mattress frames are made first

When assembling them, it is important to ensure that the corners are square. The timber can be fastened using the tenon/groove method with gluing or steel corners

Spacers (at least four) are attached to the bottom of the frames, on which a sheet of plywood is laid or wide boards are stuffed.

Sides are fixed along the edges of each frame. It is best to make them from boards 200 mm wide. The ends of the edge that will be on top should first be rounded and sanded. Fastening is done using self-tapping screws.

Installation of racks

Racks can be made in two ways - from furniture panels or from timber. The second method is preferable, since in this case the lower tier will not be tightly closed (from the ends and from the side of the wall). This will allow the child not to feel locked in a confined space. The length of the beams should be such that they protrude above the plane of the upper tier by at least 40-50 cm.

The racks are preliminarily knocked down in two with transverse jumpers at the level of the height of the backs of both tiers. The prepared frames are attached to them with furniture bolts. To make work more convenient, it is worth pre-fixing temporary supports made of timber to the racks. You can also fill permanent steel corners.

Installation of stairs

For the racks of this structural element, timber is usually used. Steps can be made from the same. But it is better to cut several poles. Cobblestone steps are attached to bolts or angles. The poles are fixed with glue, having previously selected holes for them in the beam of the racks.

The ladder must be secured as securely as possible. It is better to use non-screws and bolts for this purpose. Fixation is usually carried out to the sides of the upper and lower tiers from the end or front of the bed. Photo:

The final stage

To prevent a child from falling down while playing on the top tier, railings along the length of the bed need to be attached to the posts. It is advisable to cover the backs with boards at the ends. All sharp corners of the structure should be rounded and sanded with a grinder with a special disc.

After the bed assembly is completed, all wooden elements are coated with varnish or oil. The latter option is considered more environmentally friendly. It is advisable to additionally bolt the finished bed to the wall.

DIY bunk beds. Video

How to choose material

The choice of material is a key aspect when making your own bunk bed and creating drawings and diagrams. It could be as follows:

Metal

The most durable and strong material that can last for several decades. A child, especially a small one, cannot spoil it. Also, the base of the bed will not allow the mattress to sag even under significant load.

However, metal is not very pleasant to the touch and does not fit well into the interior of children's rooms, and therefore is rarely used when creating a bed for a child. In addition, forged models are difficult to equip with storage space, and their size cannot be adjusted.

Metal is the most durable and strong material, but it does not always fit into the interior of a nursery.

Tree

The most balanced option for a nursery, since, on the one hand, it is durable and reliable, and on the other hand, it allows you to equip the structure with any necessary storage spaces. At the same time, the tree has attractive external data. However, high-quality wood is quite expensive.

The most successful material is wood, although it is not cheap.

Chipboard or MDF

They allow you to create a design in any style and color, which is especially important for children's rooms. These materials are completely environmentally friendly and also have a more affordable price. However, they are often not strong enough. To ensure their quality, you should check the corresponding certificate when purchasing.

More affordable materials are chipboard and MDF, which are inferior in strength to wood.

Drawing

Work on creating a two-tier structure begins with the selection or independent development of bed drawings. There are such popular models:

• sofa bed The lower tier is made in the form of a sofa with a back. At the right time, it folds out to form a wide bed. The design is most suitable for older children;
• bed with drawers and shelves. Drawers are mounted at the bottom. The sides can be made in the form of cabinets;
• beds for large families. The most common option is a double first tier and a single second floor. If there are a large number of children, the second tier can be made wide and divided by a partition;
• loft bed. According to the type of two-tier design, you can make a bed only on the second tier. In this case, instead of the lower bed, a workplace for the child is formed.

The traditional design is most widespread. A simple, typical design is made up of the following elements:

1. Bed (2 pieces) made of solid wood or chipboard with a thickness of at least 18 mm.
2. Frame for installing the stock. It is made of boards and timber. If necessary, cross members are installed to strengthen the bed.
3. Legs (4 pcs.) made of wooden beams.
4. Sides. On the back side they can be made in the form of backs, and on the side - in the form of decorative sidewalls.
5. Ladder for climbing to the upper tier.

Any person can assemble a standard bed. For its manufacture and assembly, it will be necessary to develop separate drawings of all parts (detailing) and an assembly drawing

Particular attention is paid to connecting elements

Reference: the standard dimensions of a sleeping place for a child are 120x60 cm.

How to make a bed for children?

The manufacture of various elements and the assembly of a simple, traditional bed is carried out in the following order:

1. 
   4 legs of the required length are cut from timber measuring 10x10 cm. They are processed with a plane and polished.

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2. The stock arrays are cut to size and .
3. The frame of the lower bed is made of 5x10 cm timber .
   Strictly according to the size of the cut array, 2 short and 3 long boards are cut. First, the short elements are attached between the legs at the desired height. Then, the legs are connected by two long elements. The third beam is fixed in the center of the bed between the short walls of the frame. The connection is made using metal corners, which are secured with screws.
4. Segments are cut from 5x2.5 cm timber, which are fixed between the frame elements in parallel, in increments of 7-10 cm. They form a reinforcing sheathing .
5. Similarly to the lower frame, the frame of the upper tier is assembled and mounted .
6. Sides made of 25x2.5 cm boards are installed along the upper cut of the legs
7. The side of the lower tier is made of 10x2.5 mm boards . It is glued to the side and back. The front side is not installed.
8. Installation of the bed . The cut panels are installed on the frames and secured with glue.

A mandatory element of a bunk bed is a ladder . Most often it is performed vertically on the front side of the bed. It can also be mounted on the side, and in this case an inclined installation is possible. The design of the staircase is simple. 4-6 steps are fixed between two vertical bars. It is recommended to attach the lower step additionally to the frame of the lower tier. The steps can be connected to the racks using metal corners or by inserting them into a groove. External mounting can also be used.

Important : the steps must be strong and withstand (with a margin) the weight of an adult.

Frame assembly

So, now be careful: I begin to describe the construction process itself. I hope that the photos of the bunk bed accompanying my story will help you understand all the details of this project and make my explanations as clear as possible. I do not give the sizes of the sleeping places because they will depend on the sizes of the mattresses that you are going to use

Please note that the mattresses themselves should easily fit into the frames assembled for them, but should not dangle there

The sleeping frames must be made first because their width determines the length of the stair treads. For making frames, ordinary pine boards with a cross section of 5x15 cm are suitable.

I want my creation to have a slightly aged look, so don't try too hard when sanding. I don't need the wood surfaces to be super smooth, but it is still worth removing the factory marks from the wood.

To speed up the process, I decided to use a planer rather than a sander. A few passes, and not a trace remains of the factory stamps.

The frame pieces are assembled together using wood glue and screws using a flush-mounted miter joint. They will be hidden by mattresses and no one will ever see them. A special tool is used to make countersunk holes at an angle. Next, a self-tapping screw is screwed into each hole.

To support the river bottom, bars with a cross section of 5x5 cm are needed. However, for me it turned out to be cheaper to buy 5x10 cm bars and make 5x5 cm blanks from them.

They are glued and screwed to the walls of the frames from the inside.

Typically, a removable slatted bottom is made of 2.5×10 cm or 2.5×15 cm slats. For single mattresses, these sizes can be considered optimal. But I managed to buy 5x10 cm boards cheaper per linear meter than 2.5x10 cm. To slightly reduce the thickness and at the same time increase the stability of the planks, I made cutouts at the ends of each. I made a couple of tools that make it easy to make cuts using just a circular saw. The first device will help you make a cut with a depth of 13 mm.

The second will come in handy when you make a perpendicular cut. This is simply a piece of plywood with a wooden spacer that is attached with a clamp to the end of the rail, which allows you to precisely set the position of the saw blade. As a result, you will be able to make neat and uniform cuts (and you will need the sawn blocks at a later stage).

I made these two devices for the sole purpose of showing you that there is no need to purchase expensive tools (a band saw or a cutting machine with a table) to complete this project. All necessary cuts can be made with a simple circular saw. In fact, this was just a demonstration of the possibilities; I myself made the rest of the cutouts on the ends of the planks using my bandsaw.

The first plank to be laid is the central one. This is the only strip that is attached to the frame using self-tapping screws. The rest are not fixed.

Then small wooden blocks are glued onto the support bars and nailed with parquet nails - scraps left after preparing the planks for the bottom. The purpose of these spacer blocks is to prevent the slats that form the bottom of the beds from moving.

What material to choose for making a bed for children with your own hands

In order to make a children's bed yourself, you need to purchase some materials and tools. It is best to make baby cribs from wood with your own hands; coniferous species are suitable for this: pine, cedar, spruce. You can use plywood or MDF. It all depends on your capabilities and abilities.

When making beds for children with your own hands, it is preferable to use natural wood, as it is more environmentally friendly than other materials. Wooden furniture has always been highly valued for its qualities, which include strength, durability of the product, and beauty. When using a wooden bed, children's sleep will be much stronger and more peaceful. But before you begin the creation process, you need to purchase a mattress. Because the stock will be made exactly according to its dimensions

And it doesn’t matter whether you make a bed for a girl with your own hands or for a boy. It is more advisable to buy a mattress in a store

Fortunately, modern industry makes them for every taste.

Choosing a mattress

When purchasing, you just need to take into account some features of the product you are purchasing:

Rigidity. If the child is small, you need a more rigid option so that the baby’s back is secured. For an older child, you can buy a softer product. Double-sided mattresses are also sold, that is, with sides of different hardness. Coconut fiber is used as filling in such products. For children over three years old, the mattress is changed and blocks of independent springs are used, which are inserted into separate pockets, which helps to evenly distribute the child’s weight. Filler. Be sure to read the information about the mattress filling. As a rule, the manufacturer puts the “eco” or “bio” label on its product. Wool is often used as a filler. It is highly undesirable to use mattresses filled with cotton wool or foam rubber. Moreover, they can be passed on by “inheritance” from child to child. Cotton wool and foam rubber tend to accumulate harmful substances, fall off and crumble. Therefore, the mattress becomes uneven and can create problems with the spine. Upholstery

The drapery of the mattress is also important. It is desirable that these are natural materials treated with antiseptic compounds against fungi and parasites

A children's mattress should be easy to maintain, so it would be a good idea to consider having a removable cover.

You also need to take care of purchasing paints and varnishes. you can choose a shade depending on whether you are making a bed for a boy or a girl with your own hands. Well, in addition, you will need to purchase carpenter's glue for the possible connection of parts of the structure being created.

What paint is best to use when painting a crib?

Furniture manufacturing plants usually use oil paints; antiseptic agents are added to them to protect the wood from rotting, and they give the products a bright color. This has a positive effect on the appearance of the product.

The varnishes used to cover the surface of the bed are water-based. They highlight the texture of the wood and are pleasant to the touch. But there is no need to wash the surface treated with such products with active detergents, as it quickly becomes unusable. It will be enough to wipe the surface with a damp cloth. To paint a homemade children's bed, you should buy compositions with non-toxic components.

In this case, a good option might be:

1. Water-based paint, also called acrylic. It has increased wear resistance, is not afraid of water and wet cleaning. Has an affordable price.
2. Nitroenamel paint. Forms a durable film and dries quickly. The democratic price guarantees that everyone can buy it.
3. Water-based paint. Not harmful during use, masks wood damage up to 1-2 mm deep.
4. Covering the surface of the bed with oil and wax. It emphasizes the structure of the wood very well and protects it from damage.

Some people want to see the wood texture of a homemade bed without being covered with paint, then it is necessary to use acrylic varnish. It has no pungent odor and can withstand ultraviolet rays. All other varnishes are either highly toxic or short-lived.

All materials can be purchased at hardware or specialized stores and timber trading centers.

Build process

Let's take a closer look at how you can make and assemble a bunk bed for children with your own hands using prepared frame elements: there are many design options, but most are assembled according to the same principle. Assemble the drawers according to the instructions, then work on the frame of the headboard and backrest. Next you need to do the following:

• install the drawers in the gaps left between the side pads of the vertical posts. Attach them on each side with four self-tapping screws. This can be done manually or using a screwdriver;
• install the structure on the floor and attach the handrail, ladder with steps, and also the enclosing crossbar with self-tapping screws;
• screw the slats (lamellas) on which the mattress will be laid. This is an optional step: the slats are held in place by screwed bars on both sides, which should fit snugly against the slats;
• sand the entire structure to make the boards as smooth as possible. This can be done manually; to reduce labor costs it is better to use a grinding machine. Sanding helps prevent scratches, the surface should become perfectly smooth;
• treat all wooden elements with impregnation or stain to protect them from rotting. After this, it can be painted or varnished to give it an aesthetic appearance. The color is selected depending on the overall interior design; it is not advisable to use too bright colors.

The Bunk Bed with Drawer Assembly Guide includes several additions. Drawers are located under the lower tier, which allows you to store various useful items and bedding. The boxes are assembled from boards or more affordable fiberboards and installed on metal guides. For ease of use, they are equipped with handles, or holes can be made in them for ease of pulling out. The homemade version looks original, in which the drawers play the role of a ladder. They guarantee safety when lifting and allow you to allocate space for storing toys and other things.

Any homemade bunk beds must be additionally secured to the wall, unless it is made of plasterboard. This precaution helps prevent the structure from tipping over during noisy children's games. The fastening must be as reliable as possible; it will have to withstand heavy loads.

Decoration of the structure

The main decoration of a two-level bed can be a non-standard side. For furniture intended for boys, it can be made in the shape of a racing car and painted under the starry sky. For girls, a castle-shaped side (with a rounded top or curly towers) is more suitable. A universal option would be a side consisting of honeycombs in the shape of sea waves.

Hanging garlands on it and covering it with themed stickers will help you decorate a homemade 2-story bed. A very interesting decor option using LED garlands and ribbons. They can simply wrap around the frame or be located near the stairs to highlight them. You can install overhead battery-powered lamps in the form of flashlights on the furniture frame. To decorate a wooden bed painted in different colors, it will help to mount on the wall a row of paintings in similar colors or in wooden frames painted to match the color of the bed.

What materials are used for the frame?

There are many types of wood suitable for making a bed.

Let's look at the main ones.

Unglued board (solid). This is a very expensive and difficult material for beginners to use in manual work, requiring special preliminary preparation. To work with arrays, it is better to have some experience. The advantages of using it are that the manufactured products last a long time and are beautiful. Considering that children grow quickly, this requires a reconsideration of the issue of their placement, therefore it is very uneconomical to use expensive material to make their furniture.

Planed boards, timber, edged boards are the most common materials in furniture manufacturing, characterized by ease of use.

When selecting them, it is only important to take into account the quality of drying in order to exclude structural damage in the finished product.

• Fine wood fraction in the form of a board (MDF). It is a completely safe material with the same formaldehyde emissions as the first two types of materials. One of the peculiarities of working with MDF is that when drilling it does not form sawdust shavings, but dust. Usually MDF sheets are laminated to give an aesthetic appearance. If you use MDF without decoration, then you need to at least varnish them. As a rule, cutting parts from this material is ordered in workshops where there is special sawing equipment. Craftsmen can also glue the edges at the cut points.
• Wood chipboard (chipboard). Since the release of formaldehyde from such material is increased, with the exception of class E1 boards, the products require an airtight coating. Features of use: the material is easy to cut, but does not hold fastenings at all. It is best used in the manufacture of lightweight structural elements that will not be subject to load. Chipboard, pre-coated with laminate, is suitable for the manufacture of backs and finishing panels.

Step-by-step process for making a bunk bed with your own hands

Frame making

First, you should measure the mattress, the shape of which corresponds to the size of the bed. If the design includes a sofa, then the lower part of the seat is measured.

The process for creating a frame is as follows:

1. Creating side panels - tsarg. To do this, two boards of different widths are fastened together at right angles to resemble a shelf.
2. Attaching bars to the panels, between which boards will later be placed to hold the mattress.
3. Fastening all four bars using tenons or self-tapping screws.
4. Attaching boards between beams.

First, the bed frame is made.
If using a sofa, it must be attached to the box. For this purpose, side supports are prepared, which are two vertically located bars, pulled together by other bars, smaller in size. There should be two such supports, for both sides.

The boards are fastened using either tenons or lugs, which are treated with wood glue. The elements must be connected very firmly to prevent the frame from weakening during operation. Afterwards the box is dried.

The frame manufacturing process is quite simple.

Back

It is best to make a slatted version of the back by adding slats to the frames of both tiers. They allow you not only to hold the bed, but also to protect it from contact with the walls. The back of the lower tier is often made soft, which allows it to serve as a sofa.

To make the backrest, you will need boards pressed tightly together or a furniture panel equal in width to the frame, as well as dowels for connection. The slats must be attached to the back of the box by drilling holes in both elements and connecting them using dowels.

The backrest is made of closely spaced slats.

Side boards and stairs

For the side walls, divided into a headboard and a backrest, you will need two sanded boards (one slightly narrower than the second) and four side slats. The headboard is attached as follows:

1. Installing the boards for the headboard into the slats on the sides.
2. Connection between back and headboard.
3. Making lamellas, lattice or mesh to support the mattress.
4. Attaching the slats to the inside of the box.
5. Preparing the frame for the lamellas and positioning it on the inner plane of the tier.
6. Overlay the slats on the frame in increments of 5-7 cm.
7. Chamfering the outer ribs using a hand plow.

Finally, the side boards and stairs are made.

When attaching the backrest, you need to change the arrangement of the boards, installing a narrow board on top and a wide one on the bottom. Thus, the height of the narrow headboard board should coincide with the wide back board.

The staircase can have a different number of steps, be located straight or at an angle, and also be placed on different sides of the bed. Its assembly consists of the following steps:

1. Installation of two parallel bars, which are the bases and guides of the stairs.
2. Attaching steps. First, the lower one is fastened to the backrest, and then the rest are placed one above the other. The steps should be inserted into the bars.

The staircase is made in two stages.

There are such types of step connections as recess, external and metal corner. In any case, the fastening must be hidden, which will protect the child.

The staircase is also equipped with a handrail, which is a board attached to the frame. It is selected taking into account the easy grip of the child's hand.

Legs

The legs can have different sizes and shapes, calculated to ensure maximum structural reliability. Most often, round, square or carved legs are used, which can be secured from the outside, from the inside, or by inserting them into the frame.

The legs are made from bars and can be of any shape.

To make the legs, bars 50-100 mm thick are used, which are connected in pairs. The result should be a shelf-type end, with the length of the leg matching the height of the upper tier fence.

Bunk bed decor

It is necessary to think about decorating the bed before starting production, as it can significantly change the project. If you have certain skills, you can make furniture in the form of a car, a house or any other object. A simpler, but no less popular option is to equip the bed with a wall bars, rope and bars. It is also common to install a slide for a quick descent.

Ideas for decor can be very diverse.

Making a bunk bed yourself is a rather labor-intensive and painstaking process. However, with some skill and care, you can get a unique and high-quality product.

Constructions

There are many varieties of children's bunk beds. And it's not about the size, but about the designs. Let's start with the principles of construction:

• The basis of the structure is a frame made of timber, to which all other parts are attached: sides, railings. The bars must be higher than the level of the upper lounger by the height of the back or sides. To ensure safety, the height should be at least 40 cm from the top edge of the mattress.
• They make two identical beds with thick posts and a strong frame. One is placed on top of the other and connected using dowels or pins. If the height of the legs and backrest is not enough, and the mattress of the upper tier is too low, the racks are further increased, not forgetting to strengthen the joints.
• Corner arrangement of beds. When the bedrooms are not located one above the other, but against two adjacent walls. Then downstairs there is also the opportunity to organize a workplace or play space (playhouse).
• The sleeping places are located along one wall, but not above each other, but shifted. This option makes it possible to use the available space more efficiently - fill it from wall to wall.
• Roll-out or pull-out two-story children's beds. This is a transformable furniture option. During the day, the lower berth is hidden under the upper one. With this construction, the height of the bed may be small. This is a solution for those who are afraid that children may fall from the second floor or stairs.

The choice of designs is great, but that's not all. Stairs add further variety. They can be ordinary, like on a wall bars, or in the form of steps or boxes stacked on top of each other. The most economical option is conventional: they require little material and take up little space. But you can put things in a ladder of drawers, like in a chest of drawers, which is also practical. And such steps are even more reliable: you can attach high railings to them to make them even safer.

Staircase option with drawers

Stairs made of rungs or steps can be located in front - along the long side of the beds. At the same time, they are sometimes made in the center, sometimes on the right or left. Another option is stairs from the end. They are also made vertical, and then they take up almost no space, and sometimes at an angle. It’s easier to climb on these, but it’s not always possible to place them: the space doesn’t allow it, and it’s easy to get caught on the protruding legs.

Method for making a bunk bed

Some of the most inexpensive materials are pine boards and timber. It is from these that we will make a two-story bed.

Material calculation

When making a bed, you need to keep in mind that not only a child can sit on the lower bed, so the distance to the bottom of the upper bed should not be less than 85 cm. The size of sleeping places in the case of purchased mattresses is determined by their width and length. If you make your own mattresses from two layers of foam rubber in a thick fabric cover, then the dimensions are taken based on personal preferences.

The figure below shows the individual elements of the bed, and the table shows the purpose, dimensions and number of pieces.

1 — vertical posts (legs); 2 — external linings for the racks; 3 - boards of the supporting frame; 4 - upper and lower headboard strips; 5 — central headboard bar; 6 — side guards; 7 — staircase railing; 8 - steps of the stairs

Qty	Size, mm	Name
4	38x76x1730	Vertical racks
4	38x76x1730	Blanks for external linings for vertical posts
4	38x140x2030	Bed support frame boards
4	32x44x1850	Longitudinal mattress support bars (not shown in the picture)
24	20x76x1000	Transverse mattress support slats (not shown in the picture), cut in place
8	20x140x914	Upper and lower headboard/footboard slats
4	20x90x914	Headboard/footboard center slats
1	20x90x1510	Stair railing
3	20x64x482	Stair steps
2	20x90x1800	Fence railings, cut to the required size during installation

Assembly units

A bed is furniture consisting of several assembly units, which are then assembled into a single unit. Identical parts can be cut by holding them together with a vice or clamp, so they will turn out absolutely identical. Before assembly, you need to make sure that all wooden parts are cleaned, smooth and free of burrs. It is better to work with a special wood sander or grinder.

1. Headboard and footboard

These are two almost mirror-like elements. The difference is that the fence rails are built into the footboard as shown in the pictures below.

Headboard and footboard

Detailed layout with dimensions of headboard and footboard

Installation order: 1 - dowel 8 mm; 2 - the stand and backrest slats are drilled simultaneously; 3 - this part is attached after assembling all other parts of the headboard

2. Elements of the supporting frame

To assemble two supporting frames, you will need four prepared boards - the longitudinal components of the frame. To ensure the reliability of the structure, the longitudinal strip must be glued to the board and additionally screwed with screws to the middle of the thickness of the board. Between the bars glued to the longitudinal support strip of the mattress, transverse slats will be laid - the base for the mattress.

Design and dimensions of the supporting frame board

3. Details of stairs and railings

The railing of the fence is simply a processed board, the railing of the stairs is a board with a cut for mounting on the frame. Places for fastening the steps must be marked in advance, and make sure that the screws for fixing them do not fall on the frame screws.

1 — cutouts 38 mm; 2 — places of fastening of steps; 3 — stair steps, 3 pcs.; 4 - fence

4. Frame assembly

The footboard and headboard are connected at the bottom to the boards of the supporting frame using screws. After this, the transverse slats and mattress holders are laid, and the outermost ones are filed in the corners for tight installation. There is no need to secure them. The second tier is assembled in the same way.

5. Assembling stairs and railings

The stairs and railing are simply fixed to the frame with screws. If desired, the fence can be made on the side of the wall - for the lower and upper beds. Then you will need four more planks.

Now the wood can be painted and varnished, mattresses can be laid - and the bed is ready!

In conclusion, we suggest watching a video about making a bunk crib for real princesses.

Video. Part one

Preparation of parts

How to make a bunk bed with your own hands? Having prepared everything you need, you can begin preparing the components of the bed and assembling the furniture. The first step is to measure the mattress; the shape and configuration of the future bed depends on it. On each side, 2 cm is added to the obtained values ​​to make it convenient to tuck in bed linen in the future. All outer edges of the bed must be chamfered, as there should be no sharp corners on children's furniture. To solve this problem, a plow is used. When choosing materials, it is necessary to pay special attention to quality: children love to jump on the bed, testing its strength.

Headboard

Side wall

Frame

The basis of the frame is made up of 4 side parts - drawers. They are side boards to which longitudinal slats are attached to support the mattress and bars are stuffed. Between these bars will be held the transverse slats on which the mattress is placed. The upper inner side must be chamfered - the drawers should not have an internal sharp corner, as this can lead to scratches. The bars hold the mattress boards, preventing them from moving to the sides, so the slats do not need to be screwed in with self-tapping screws.

Next, you need to assemble the frame of the headboards, that is, the footboard and headboard. The ends are assembled from timber support posts and crossbars; the assembly instructions will help you do this correctly:

• drill holes in the posts and crossbars to install dowels;
• connect the support post and the headboard using dowels soaked in wood glue. The glued frame is tightened with clamps to dry completely to ensure strength;
• apply external covers to cover the fasteners;
• At the top of the headboard, attach three decorative pads to which the fence will be attached.

Frame assembly

Legs

The role of the legs in such a bunk bed is played by the vertical posts of the frame; assembly is carried out using screws or other types of connections. The lower part of the legs can be given any decorative shape yourself. Carved wood looks beautiful: processing of the legs can be pre-ordered at a turning workshop. Round figured bed legs will become an important element of nursery decor.

If you want to make your own two-story bed with a sofa installed in a box, use strong bars for the legs. They are fixed from the outside or inside, and they can also be inserted into the box.

Ladder

It is necessary to make and assemble a ladder with three steps. For this purpose, vertical posts are used, in which it is necessary to make cutouts 38 mm deep for attachment to the frame. Guide holes are drilled in the racks for attaching the steps. When placing the lower step, it is important to ensure that the fasteners do not fall into the same place where the fastening of the lower tier board is located.

If the staircase is installed obliquely rather than vertically, it is advisable to provide it with handrails for maximum safety. For this, a beam of small thickness is used; it is selected in accordance with the circumference of the child’s arm. The railings are firmly fixed with self-tapping screws.

Stair parts

Assembling the stairs

Drawings and tools

As for the drawings, they need to reflect every single parameter of the future bed. You should not rely on your memory - during the installation process you can forget about some element or lose sight of the value of one or another parameter, and then all the work will go down the drain.

The following must be noted on the drawing:

• bed dimensions;
• assembly diagram;
• aspects of connecting nodes.

Drawing of a bunk bed with steps and drawers

All assembly units must be marked. This is the headboard and footboard, a support frame with 4 points of support, its longitudinal components, as well as sides and a ladder.

As for tools, the list may generally include a jigsaw, sandpaper or sander, drill, screwdriver, tape measure and pencil. You may also need glue, varnish or paint, a primer mixture for wood, etc. In addition to the wood itself, you need to buy bolts and screws, as well as corners that will be needed to fasten the elements.

Recommendations and nuances

A staircase in the form of drawers is one of the safest designs

To ensure that the result – a bunk bed for children’s sleep and rest – is pleasing and lasts for a long time, construction professionals advise taking into account the following nuances:

1. To make an attic-type bed from wood, parts of different sections are used. Work begins with assembling the left end element
2. A pull-out bed (often used in rest rooms in kindergartens) can be assembled from MDF sheets with a thickness of 19-22 mm
3. The wooden structure is fastened using tenons and chops, which are pre-lubricated with wood glue, or using ordinary metal screws
4. The backs of the tiers should be made soft to eliminate the risk of the child hitting himself in his sleep.
5. For reliability and strength of the structure, both tiers are attached to the wall with metal corners
6. A transverse rail is installed in the frame to give the frame rigidity
7. Traditionally, a staircase has 3 steps, but sometimes it is advisable to make more steps, and as children grow older, change the distance between the elements
8. To give the structure stability, the lower tier is placed on the fifth leg, which is placed in the middle of the transverse beam of the base
9. It is preferable to connect wooden parts using an oblique flush joint
10. For greater safety, the stairs are made inclined, with railings, and anti-slip pads are glued to the steps

For stability, the two-tier structure is screwed to the wall and “placed” on the fifth leg

Whatever model and design is chosen for self-assembly, the main thing that attention is paid to is the accuracy of calculations and the quality of the materials used. Safety, reliability and convenience characteristics come to the fore when assembling children's furniture.

If you take the measurements correctly and the work itself is careful, then a bunk bed assembled with your own hands will not be inferior in performance characteristics and service life to factory models, and will surpass them in design.

Methods for connecting wooden knots

What is the most convenient way for a novice craftsman to make a bunk wooden bed with his own hands? There are several ways to connect wooden knots:

• connection with self-tapping screws is the simplest option, with the help of which the boards are connected at right angles. Self-tapping screws are screwed in so that the caps do not stick out above the surface, the joints are covered with decorative overlays;
• connection using dowels - they can have a round or rectangular shape. A furniture dowel allows you to connect parts made of any materials, including solid wood, chipboard, and fiberboard. It is not visible from the outside. It does not spoil the appearance of the furniture;
• adhesive connection - wood glue is used to attach overlays that increase the strength of the support posts. This connection option can be further reinforced with self-tapping screws.

To create the shaped elements of the back and foot of a bunk bed with your own hands, the project is initially developed on paper. The finished paper template is applied to the workpiece, after which the part of the desired shape is carefully cut out with a jigsaw.

1 - half-tree connection; 2 - “claw” connection

1 - complete cutting; 2—cutting is not complete; 3 - steel corner

1 - connection with rectangular keys; 2 - connection with dovetail keys; 3 - connection to the main tenon

If you have a wooden single-tier children's bed at home, you can turn it into a bunk bed with your own hands. The existing box will become the basis for a new frame, which is built according to the previously described scheme. It is only important to make sure that the legs can withstand the additional load; if necessary, they can be further strengthened. This solution will save space and give children more space to play.

A more complex design to manufacture is a bed for a large family. It consists of two combined double beds, which will allow you to equip 4 sleeping places and take up a minimum of space in the children's room. This solution allows you to free up space for games even in a small apartment.

The models of bunk beds presented in the photo will allow you to appreciate the variety of such furniture. It can be combined with a sofa, with drawers and more. The attic bed model, which combines both a bed and a student’s workplace, is very popular. The lower tier can be equipped with a work desk or cabinets with drawers, the upper tier turns into a comfortable sleeping place. Below are photo options, drawings and dimensions of a bunk bed that you can assemble with your own hands.