Bed design

[mickthetree]

Hi all
We have a tiny bedroom and our sleigh bed is too big. The misses wants the smallest possible bedframe for the space and has seen this:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S19895754/ Theres £30 delivery on top of that price as well.

She absolutely wants it to go to the floor like this one so as little dust and gumph gets under there as possible.

So theres me saying "I can make that" and now shes set the challenge.

I can get the MDF at my local timber merchant and they can cut it too. I'm wondering about the construction behind this. I assume it must have something fairly substantial. Not just some battons in the corners!

Anyone have any thoughts as to how to construct this or something very similar?

Must be pretty quick to make as well!

 

[mickthetree]

Found this so far:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blitzcat/s ... 280335042/

Also it must have underbed drawers. Apparently I'm not allowed to keep my guitar cases under there anymore :-(

 

[marcros]

i would cost it carefully first. Ikea are pretty good at passing on the benefits of efficient manufacture

 

[mickthetree]

I agree marcos. I do have an alternative solution which is to build a traditional bed frame using reclaimed wood, then making some drawers for underneath, but she particularly want the sides enclosed.

One thing I cant work out on a traditional bed frame design is shown in the photos below. How do you make it so the matress can be tight against the rails? The leg gets in the way.

Leg in way:

Matress right into corner:

Thre is a fair gap all the way around the matress on our bed, but I'd like to minimise that if possible.

I could bolt the rails to the outside of the legs, but doesnt look as good.

 

[AndyT]

Looking at the 'leg in the corner' problem - the corners of a mattress are not sharp as in your diagram, but are curved on quite a big radius, and also you need at least an inch clearance all round for sheets etc and making the bed. So the problem goes away. Make it too tight and it won't work.

It might help to have a good look around a shop display - now you are thinking about these details, you'll notice a lot more.

 

[Paul Chapman]

If you look at the "Read more" part of the IKEA link you posted, they tell you how it's made - basically MDF or chipboard covered in 'foil' (which would be some sort of melamine coating). There's a mid-rail of galvanised steel. The slats would rest probably on a piece of metal angle.

Why don't you make it the same way? You could use solid wood for the mid-rail and slat supports. If you're not sure of any of the details, go into IKEA and lift up the mattress

Cheers :wink:

Paul

PS I'd use knock-down fittings to join the sides and ends - something like this http://www.woodfit.com/product_info.php ... +14mm+long

 

[cambournepete]

Taking the logic in your pictures one step further, why not build the frame exactly the same size as the mattress and then sit the mattress on top of the frame rather than inside it.
That's what I did for our bed and it works well. It also meant that we could have a king size bed rather than standard size.

Bear in mind that Ikea beds and mattresses aren't standard UK sizes (at least those I looked at) so building your own has other advantages.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Hi all
We have a tiny bedroom and our sleigh bed is too big. The misses wants the smallest possible bedframe for the space and has seen this:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S19895754/ Theres £30 delivery on top of that price as well.

She absolutely wants it to go to the floor like this one so as little dust and gumph gets under there as possible.

So theres me saying "I can make that" and now shes set the challenge.

I can get the MDF at my local timber merchant and they can cut it too. I'm wondering about the construction behind this. I assume it must have something fairly substantial. Not just some battons in the corners!

Anyone have any thoughts as to how to construct this or something very similar?

Must be pretty quick to make as well!

If you use fittings like these on flat panel or corner post designs.
http://www.woodfit.com/product_info...Assembly+Fitting+-+set+4+corners+-+Zinc+Pltd.
http://www.woodfit.com/product_info...Assembly+Fitting+-+set+4+corners+-+Zinc+Pltd.
They will be quick to make and put up.

 

[mickthetree]

thanks all very much for your input. Yes a trip round a bed showroom would probably reveal some good info.

We have some friends who saw the Ikea frame and mentioned it is made for non UK sized matresses.

I may well butcher everything from the sleigh bed (metalwork, slats etc) and build a new base from this if it all fits.

P.S We sell all of the fittings mentioned where I work ;-)