Free Platform Bed Plan

There are many benefits to sleeping on a platform bed. These beds combine great style with superior practicality. In addition to their sleek, modern and minimalist style, platform beds also provide great storage opportunities underneath the platform. Platform beds are appropriate for many different demographics, from the budget-conscious young professional to the style-conscious hipster to the toddler who likes to keep toys stowed under his bed.

Platform beds can be a wonderful addition to any bedroom. Because of their increasing popularity, many platform beds can cost thousands of dollars or more for queen and king size beds. To avoid sticker shock, you can build your own. Best of all, they are fairly easy to build. Below you’ll find some helpful hints for building a platform bed from scratch.

A platform bed is composed of three major parts:

1) The Headboard

2) Storage boxes

3) The Platform

Necessary Materials

Two main types of wood should be used in creating a platform bed: poplar and plywood. Poplar wood should be used for the stile, mullion, rail, cap, facing, and platform edge. Plywood should be used for the panel, divider, back, top/bottom, end, toe kick face, toe kick end, cleat and platform. It is also recommend that you use a circular saw with a “speed square” to ensure precision cutting. You will want to have a large flat table on which to rest the wood when cutting and gluing. In addition to the wood, you will also need joining plates, woodscrews, finish nails, glue, sandpaper, latex primer and enamel. Of course, you’ll also need a drill or automatic screwdriver for the screws and a hammer for the nails. There are many types of platform bed plans, each appropriate for the person who will be sleeping on it. For example, if you would prefer a low-lying sleeping position, you may decide to skip storage boxes. Detailed step-by-step bed plans can be found at Ask the Builder, Popular Mechanic and other similar online resources. Good luck!