Bunk or Loft Beds
Bunk bed Construction Plans
This bunk bed is specifically designed to accommodate any of the various sizes of bed
frames found at your college or university. Students should use the bed frame provided
by the University.
Before cutting and building it though, measure the length and width of your bed frame or
mattress to make sure it fits. This frame as described in our plans will hold the bed frame
with the legs removed as long as it is 80" or less long and 34" or less wide. If yours is
longer or wider, you will need to make adjustments.
Please note that the top of the lower bed box should be a minimum of 12 inches from the
floor. The top bed box may be at any height, but it is suggested that it be at least two
inches below the top of the posts in order to capture the metal frame and mattress.
In addition, this design can easily be turned into a loft by removing items A2 and B2 (we
suggest that if this change is made additional cross supports be added to the
construction).
Since my daughter wanted to put her desk under the bed, she measured that and we raised
the leg height to 5' tall, rather than the 4' given in these plans.
If you don't have a bed frame to rest on the supports at either end, then the whole frame
can be covered with the 3/4" plywood and the mattress laid right on top of that.
Directions for building:
1. First, measure the bed frame or mattress that this frame will support.
The width should be the length of parts (C). You can add 1/4 inch for good
measure. I will use the 34" specified in the bill of materials, but you use your
dimension.
The length of the bed MINUS 3 inches will be parts (A). The 3 inches accounts
for the width of the parts (C). Again, you can add 1/4 inch for slop. And again, I
will use the 80" that I have specified, you use your dimension.
Finally, how high do you want this? 4 feet works out well, because you can cut an
eight footer in half for the legs, and not have much waste. Likewise, with 5 feet,
you can use 10 footers. I will use the 4 feet specified, but use what works for you.
These will be parts (D)
2. Ok, cut all the 2x6 lumber to length.You will have:
8 parts (D) for the legs
4 parts (A) for the stretchers
and 4 parts (C) for the Headboard and Footboard cross pieces
3. Now cut the 3/4 inch plywood (Part (B)). It will be 9 inches wide, by the length
that you use for parts (C).
If you don't have a frame, and intend to use it over the whole bed and lay the
mattress on top, it is part (C) wide by part (A)+ 3 inches long.
You can undercut the plywood by 1/8 of an inch to allow it to fit in without a
struggle.
4. Ok, all the parts are cut now.. It is time to assemble:
1. Start with the legs. Screw 2 pieces (D) together for each of the legs using about 10
3" wood screws in each.
2. It helps if you have a few C clamps to hold things square while you drill and bolt
the parts together. Measure up from the bottom of the leg 1 foot and draw a line at
that point on the inside of the legs. Measure down from the top of the legs 2 3/4"
and mark a line again on the insides of the legs. The pencil lines mark the location
of the top of the cross pieces.
NOTE: orient the legs and cross pieces correctly. The cross pieces go against the
side of the leg where they will be bolted to the same part that has the screws in it's
face. See figure A.
NOTE: Drill the bolt holes to allow for placement of the stretchers (A). The
holes
should be about 3 1/2 inches in from the outside edge of the leg. See figure B
3. Using a square to check that the cross peices (C) are at 90 degrees to the legs, drill
two offset holes 3/8 in diameter through both the cross piece (C) and the legs.
Insert a bolt, washers and nut and tighten to finger tight and then do then next
hole. Attach all four cross pieces (C) to the legs at the points marked.
4. Next attach the stretchers (A) to the top of the headboard and footboard. Have the
C clamps to hold things in place while you drill and bolt the parts together helps.
Again, square things up before you drill and bolt the parts together.
5. When all the stretchers that you are going to use are attached, you can use a
wrench to tighten all the nuts tight. Draw the heads of the carriage bolts into the
wood.
6. Finally attach the plywood on the two ends of each bed support. Screw it down
with the 1 1/2" wood screws (E).
BILL OF MATERIALS
Item Qty. Item Desc.
E 48 1 1/2" Wood Screws
A 4 2x6x80" (or to fit)*
F 32 3/8"x4" Carriage Bolts/Nuts
32 Regular Washers
32 Lock Washers
G 40 3" Wood Screws
D 8 2x6x48"*
B 4 3/4" Plywood (9"x37")
C 4 2x6x34" *(Or to fit)
* 10 8' 2x6s will cover these items.
Remember if you are modifying the plans to eliminate the bottom
bunk, you can get 1 less 2x6 and 4 fewer bolts.
