Double Decker Bed: How to Make It Unique

It’s an understatement to say that a bunk bed has a lot riding on it. They can, however, be made safe and to accommodate growing children while remaining temporary elements of the bedroom as the demands of the family change. They’re also a great DIY project to have on hand.

Here’s how to design and construct a built-in wooden double decker bed for your adolescent, complete with a desk below the sleeping platform.

Planning a DIY Double Decker Bed

In some ways, bunk bed design is similar to pergola design in that there are no hard and fast rules. Double decker beds, like pergolas, come in an almost unlimited variety of shapes and sizes, and we all recognise one when we see one. Furthermore, we are aware of when they seem to be correct and when they are, well, off the mark.

When it comes to double decker beds, there are 2 primary forks in the road to consider:

• The height of the ceiling
• Then, like our TOH Beach House bunk room, decide whether your double decker bed will be free-standing or connected to the wall.

While this article focuses on a basic built-in design for a teenager with a desk below the bed platform, most double decker beds include the same five key components:

• Board of ledgers
• Box for a mattress
• Platform for the mattress
• Rail
• Ladder

Constructing Your Bunk Bed

Double decker beds, no matter how you build them, lend themselves to being laid out in situ rather than depending simply on paper. Blue tape and cardboard are two essential tools for “seeing” how your double decker bed idea will operate before cutting a single board. This is significant since the addition of a bunk may impact things like transit lanes through the room, door swings, furniture arrangement, lighting, and even power.

The other—and perhaps most important—question is how much space you want to leave between the top of the mattress and the ceiling. The “rule” is that your kid must be able to sit up and move about freely, as well as simply ascend and disembark the ladder. For a bed like this, a 9-foot ceiling is optimal.

Steps in the Planning Process:

• Choose the design you desire since it will influence the materials you choose. One of the great things about double decker beds is that they can be made out of high-end furniture-grade plywood, rustic, organic-looking 5/4 pine, or 2-by framing and still look great. The purpose of this article is to discuss the usage of commodity lumber.
• Place a piece of blue painter’s tape vertically on the wall where you want your bed to go. Begin at the ceiling and measure down to where you believe the mattress’s top should be. Mark this location on the tape.
• You’ll also need the tape to record the mattress’ thickness, which varies depending on the brand. Due to the lack of a box spring, most double decker beds just need a mattress.
• This will take you to the top of the mattress platform, which I generally construct out of 34″ plywood. Make a mark on the blue tape with that thickness.
• Because the mattress platform is normally supporting by a 2×2 cleat connected within the mattress box, take into consideration the mattress box’s complete thickness. In most cases, 2×6 or 2×8 will enough. You can now see how everything is laid up in real time. Tommy may refer to it as a narrative pole.
• Also, keep in mind that your youngster will need a spot to set a drink, devices, a book, or all of the above. You’ll also need space around the mattress to make the bed. As a result, prepare for a 12-16-inch “halo” on at least two sides of the mattress.
• Next, mark out the mattress box on the floor using blue tape or cardboard. This diagram depicts how the bed will effect passage in the room, which is difficult to deduce from a sketch on paper.
• It’s time to start cutting boards after the height and location have been determine.

Making Your Own Double Decker Bed

This style of double decker bed has a lot in common with deck framing as a piece of furniture. Begin by using a ledger board. A particular length must be trim from the ledger.

Steps for constructing a double decker bed are as follows:

• Cut three inches off the ledger if your bed is eight feet long and the frame is made of 2-by-12-inch thick timber. Later, you may attach the left and right sides of the mattress box to it, bringing the total length to 8 feet.
• Locate the studs and use two 3-inch deck screws per stud to secure your ledger. Check to see whether it’s level.
• Install the box frame’s left, right, and front. While the permanent posts are being installing, use temporary posts to keep the left and right parts level. As posts, 2x6s connected at right angles to each other to create a “L” shape work nicely. If there is carpet, compress it so that when the weight is applying, the box frame stays level.
• By obtaining diagonal measurements of the bed frame and jimmying the frame’s outside corners until your measurements are identical, you may square up the box. Inside the mattress box, install the 2×2 cleat.
• After that, put in the mattress platform and the bed rail, which is a necessary safety element. To make the bed conveniently accessible, you’ll need to construct a solid ladder. A clear, 34-inch-thick wood or oak ladder might be use to make this sort of ladder. The top of the ladder should be fastened to the bed frame for safety.
• If you choose, you may construct or install a desk below the bed after it’s done. A height of 36 inches is a nice place to start.
• Then set aside a day to complete the project. Urethane, boiled linseed oil, and semi-gloss paint are all excellent choices for finishing.
• Finally, since everything is fastening together, when the time comes when double decker bed world is no more, everything comes apart quickly and wall repair is low.

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