DIY: Make Your Bed, Part 1

I wanted to share with you my latest DIY project. Adding baby #3 into the mix put us in a pickle that required some rearranging/redesigning. Bunking up the two older kiddos made the most sense; that way the upcoming arrival would get his own pad. Even though it was quite a bit of work since I am halfway through my pregancy, it was so much fun to dream up and watch this project evolve.

Our oldest has been in a twin bed for quite some time, so our first instinct was to add another twin bed, but we ran out of real estate fast. Bunk beds, a common, small space solution, wouldn’t work for us since our oldest only turned three a few months ago. Instead, I looked for an “in between” sized bed, and it turns out IKEA happens to have a mattress, the Vyssa Vinka, in just the right size—smaller than a twin, bigger than a toddler bed and big enough for a few years of growth.

With such a specialty-sized mattress, finding the perfect frame was going to be a challenge. When I realized I wasn’t going to find the exact idea I had in my head, I knew I had to get creative and start this little DIY project. I did some research and decided I wanted a platform style bed using wooden pallets on casters. Unfortunately, finding a pallet that isn’t in need of some stray nail removal, major sanding and general TLC would not prove easy, so I decided it would be best to make my own pallets (material list at end of post).

Since all of the boards were pre-cut, the first step was a light sand, prime and paint.

Next, I laid out all of the pieces. I first attached the 4″ blocks to one end of the (3) 64″ 2 x 6 boards. Then the (3) 64″ boards were attached on each end with wood screws to the 28″ 1 x 4 boards. The  remainder (9) 28″ 1 x 4 were evenly spaced out and screwed into place. This step was repeated on the bottom.

We filled all of the screw holes with wood filler and then sanded.

Next, we attached the (4) casters to the bottom side and applied a final coat of paint.

We placed the beds in the corner in an L-shape to create their new sleep/lounge area—I was two boards short on one bed so it is almost complete.

The room still needs quite a bit of work. Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for more DIY Projects: Headboard Tutorial, Bedding Tutorial, Decorating Tutorial and then…the final room reveal!!!

Materials for each bed platform:
(Wood was cut for me at my local Home Depot)
(3) 2 x 6 – 64″L
(22) 1 x 4 – 28″ (11 boards for the top and 11 for the bottom)
(3) 1 x 6 – 4″ blocks
(4) Casters – I got mine at Ikea
Drill
Wood Screws
Wood Filler
Sandpaper
Primer
Paint

Remember to measure the mattress you are working with and adjust your wood sizes as necessary. I was working with the Vyssa Vinka mattress, which measures 27.5″ x 63″.

Have a DIY project of your own that you’d like to share with us?
Email editor@projectnursery.com with details and pictures.