DIY Platform Bed in 20 Easy Steps

Just 2 inches shy of fitting through the door frame and up the stairs into our new apartment, our queen sized box spring is now wrapped in plastic and sitting in our garage. The mattress, being memory foam, was able to be squished enough to fit. But for the past month it has been lying on the ground. I didn't think it would bother me so much, but it did. Not the fact that it was so low, but how hard it was to make the bed - get the sheets tucked under and keep them there. After a disappointing trip to IKEA (all they had were slat bed frames, and those are not recommended for memory foam mattresses), I did some online research on how to construct a simple raised platform bed frame. Most of the plans weren't that simple, or they involved making the platform much larger than the mattress for that "new age" look. Seeing as we only had 9 inches to spare at the foot of the bed, and none on either side if we still wanted the door to close, I came up with my own version. Feel free to use these plans to make your own. Just be sure to MEASURE YOUR MATTRESS before you begin and adjust the needed materials accordingly.

Necessary Materials for a 80" x 60" Queen Sized platform:
2 pine 2"x10" boards cut to 80"
4 pine 2"x10" boards cut to 57"
2 pine 2"x4" boards cut to 24 5/8"
1 pine 2"x4" board cut to 24 3/4"
1 plywood 3/4" sheet cut to 80"long x 4'wide
1 plywood 3/4" sheet cut to 80"long x 12"wide
12 corner L braces, 1 1/2" (4 hole)
a whole bunch of 3", 1 5/8", and 1" drywall screws

Optional Materials for the platform:
-enough fabric to cover all the boards and plywood
-plenty of staples to attach fabric to boards
-40 felt pads, 1" diameter (use these if you don't want to scratch a hardwood floor)

Tools needed:
Electric drill/screwdriver
tape measure
square or 90 degree triangle
pencil
saw (only if the lumber yard or hardware store can't cut the wood for you)
staple gun (only if using fabric to cover the boards)

Step 1:
Cut all boards and plywood to size.

Step 2:
Cover the 2x10's with fabric. If you can afford something nicer than pine, you could stain or paint the boards instead.

Step 3:
Cover the plywood with fabric. Again, if you can afford nicer grade plywood, you can stain or paint them instead.

Step 4:
Attach felt pads 11" apart on the bottom edge of all the 2x10's. This step is approximate, and only necessary if your bed will be placed on a hardwood floor instead of a carpeted floor.

Step 5:
Bring all boards into the room you want the bed to end up in. It is easiest to assemble the platform in place, as it will get large and heavy quickly when the pieces start going together.

Step 6:
Lay out the boards. The two 80" long 2x10's will be on the OUTSIDE. The four 57" 2x10's will be set in between the long boards.

Step 7:
Use two 3" screws to attach the outside most boards together at the corners.

Step 8:
Temporarily place the 2x4's as spacers between the middle sections. Use the 24 3/4" one in the middle section.

Step 9:
Mark a center line at 26 3/4" from the ends. This is where you'll line up the centers of your cross supports and screw them in with two 3" screws on each side.

Step 10:
Use the square or triangle to square up the corners of the frame. Screw in one L brace to each inside corner using the 1" screws.

Step 11:
Mark 12" in from the outside of the width as a center mark for where the 2x4's will be placed. Line up the 2x4's with their marks. The 4" side should be facing up, and flush with the 2x10.

Step 12:
Attach the two outer 2x4's first, using 2 screws and one L brace for each.





Step 13:
Attach the center 2x4 with four L braces.









Step 14:
Stand on the frame to test it for sturdiness and wiggling. If needed, add more screws and/or L braces wherever they will help. (You probably won't need any more unless you bought really warped boards.)

Step 15:
Position the larger piece of plywood onto the frame.

Step 16:
Position the smaller piece of plywood onto the frame.

Step 17:
Line up the corners and sides as best you can.

Step 18:
Starting with a corner on the smaller plywood, use the 1 5/8" screws to attach the plywood to the frame and the 2x4 bracer bars.

Step 19:
Pushing the larger plywood into the smaller plywood, line up the edges and screw plywood to the frame and 2x4 bracer bars using the 1 5/8" screws.

Step 20:
Place mattress on top and take a nap!