Please critique my bed design

[rwe2156]

Looks good to me. I would consider some type of finial or decorative cap over each leg. Even something simple like what you see for decks.

[AHill]

I'd skip the plywood and go with traditional cross-braces. The ply is going to sag, even with that post in the middle. After awhile, you'll feel the rise at the middle post. Cross-bracing also allows more ventilation to get under the mattress, which is a good thing. Agree with the comments about a taller headboard and footboard - taller than the mattress.

I like the first design better - the second design, while simpler, makes for a very plain headboard and footboard. You could use contrasting woods to add interest and still keep the panels flat.

[JosephP]

Headboard has got to be taller than the mattress...otherwise, what is the point.  I see a lot of beds - especially more modern and simplistic designs where the footboard is not.  I like both of those designs.  I like the raised panels.  But if you do the drawers, I think the raised panels will start to make things look too busy - to much "broken" surfaces.

I also like the way you have capped the headboard and footboard.  Personally, I think a cap like a deck post would look outta place.

[BrentDH]

Thanks for all the comments.  To be clear the second bed with the drawers and the plain fields in the head board and foot board is already built for a different daughter.  I added that picture after someone discussed adding drawers.  I wanted to point out my theory that four drawers one each side was better than three because a nightstand would likely block the drawers closest to the headboard.  I am trying to keep this one more simple by avoiding the drawers since this daughter doesn't have the same space constraints that the other one did.  But by giving up the drawers I lost a lot of resistance to racking which was my main concern with this new design.

I will consider some additional bracing for more support and I think I will increase the height that the side rail sticks up above the platform as suggested to help hold the mattress in place better.  While I can't argue that the bed bolts wouldn't be better, I can't bring myself to clutter up foot board posts with a hole and a plate to cover the bolts.

Some have suggested that traditional slats would be better than plywood for the platform.  I can see how that would breathe better, but would a 3/4" slat every few inches really sag less than plywood?  Maybe I am missing something.

Again, thanks for all the advice and feedback.  I feel much better having a review from this group to make sure I am not doing something completely stupid.

[crokett™]

I like the design of this bed. I have built a couple beds. The first one I built I did for myself in my first apartment. I used plywood to support the mattress. After the first time I moved I switched the plywood out for slats. If/when the bed is ever moved, slats are much easier to pack and move than a large sheet of plywood. if a couple of the slats have holes drilled in the ends and pegs are insert into the cleats on the side rails this ties the side rails together. you could do it with plywood too but it's much easier to do with slats.

[woodmats]

Brent,

I converted an old 4-post pine California King water bed frame in the style you are considering. The water mattress was long gone and our mattress was resting on the old drawer frame on a plywood platform. I did away with the drawers and the platform and used 1x4 slats (common pine) on 6" centers. I installed a 2x4 brackets to the inside of the side rails and cut notches for the slats to rest loose but fastened the 2 end slats with screws. The end slats are 1x6 and wrap around the posts so no notches. All rails were fastened to the posts with special hardware so you could take them apart. Very loose and sloppy. Instead, the sides rails and foot/head rails are attached to the posts with 2 loose tenons (1/2 x 1 1/4 wide) at each end. Like you, I didn't want the fasteners to show and used cross dowel nuts between the loose tenons in the legs with 3/8" bolts fastened from the inside of the side rails. The foot board and head board are fastened to the legs the same way. Took some time and a lot of care to get all the drill holes for the dowel nuts and bolts in the legs to line up correctly. Same story for the loose tenons. Made cut-outs for the heads in the side rails and made room for a washer under the bolt head so I could tighten them good. The frame has a foot board but at the head end, there is a bottom rail but the proper head board is fastened to the legs with L brackets. When the bed is assembled, there is no racking at all, as a matter of fact, I can flip the bed on it's side. Since it is a California King and kind of wide, I added a 2x6 support down the middle to prevent the slats from sagging. 

Mats

[FS7]

I used Festool Domino knockdown connectors on my last bed build. I don't even have the XL and they are remarkably strong and stable.

https://www.festoolusa.com/company/news/...-connector

If you have a Domino I'd look into it. They are much easier to use than traditional bed joinery.

[Bryan F.]

Looks very similar to a full size bed that I built for my son 12yrs ago.  He is 14 now with autism, so he has "put the whoop" on the bed.  A lot of jumping flopping etc... I used the Rockler bed rail hardware and it is still good. I did drill through the rail from top to bottom and put a dowel through so the screws on the bed rail bracket had cross grain to bite.  I've done bed bolts on my other sons, they're not much more trouble.  I also went with a plywood platform but like I said its a full not quite the span of a queen.

[Johnny Currado]

Love your design on this build and I actually have built a few very similar to it.  I would drop your rails down a bit too as it would help the mattress.  However I know others have commented about adding a sheet of plywood to use as support for the mattress I highly recommend that along with hardwood rails going across. and also some support in the middle.  That will help a ton for support on your mattress.  Looks awesome overall and be sure to share some pics when you have completed it!

[Johnny Currado]

Looks very similar to a full size bed that I built for my son 12yrs ago.  He is 14 now with autism, so he has "put the whoop" on the bed.  A lot of jumping flopping etc... I used the Rockler bed rail hardware and it is still good. I did drill through the rail from top to bottom and put a dowel through so the screws on the bed rail bracket had cross grain to bite.  I've done bed bolts on my other sons, they're not much more trouble.  I also went with a plywood platform but like I said its a full not quite the span of a queen.

I have built some furniture for my son who is highly functioning on the spectrum as well.  He is now 25 and just graduated from UT Knoxville and now looking for a job.  How is your son doing?