How to make bed slats with your own hands

For beds, slats can be made exclusively from wood. Birch and poplar are most often used. This material is chosen due to its flexibility and elasticity. Wood also contributes to excellent ventilation of the mattress.

Experts believe that 30 slats are enough for a double bed, and several times less for a single bed. Manufacturers do not adhere to this opinion and place 20-22 pieces. But if you decide to make slats and a bed with your own hands, you can calculate their number yourself.

The benefits of making furniture yourself

Among the advantages of building a bed and slats yourself, the following factors are noted.

1. Eco-friendliness. Natural material, i.e. wood, cannot have a detrimental effect on human health.
2. Durability. A product made with your own hands will last for many years. The bed will be able to withstand a large load, which confirms its durability.
3. Individual size and design. The bed will be made with your own hands according to your drawings. You will be able to adjust its size and shape to the required parameters. You will not have to look for a place to place a large bed.
4. Savings. This applies not only to the space in the room, but also to money. You calculate the amount of material you need yourself and buy it. This will cost several times less than buying a ready-made product in a store.

Bed design and construction

The designs of single or double wooden beds are quite similar and quite simple. Both types of furniture consist of the following parts.

1. The mattress on which the person will sleep is placed on a flat base or slats. For the first option, a thick sheet of plywood is used. The slats are transverse planks. This design is preferable. The mattress will not deform on it, the planks themselves are quite elastic. This design is more comfortable for sleeping.
2. The planks or plywood are placed on a frame made of high-strength beams.
3. Side panels or legs can be used as a support to which the frame is attached.

When choosing the size of the future bed, it is recommended to rely on the parameters of the mattress. It is also worth considering the place and location of the product. The standard size of a single bed is 200-210 cm long and 90-100 cm wide. For a double bed, the length remains the same, and the width is 180-200 cm, that is, it doubles.

The height of the product is a rather subjective parameter. It all depends on your preferences.

Purpose of the crossbar

It has already been noted that a thick sheet of plywood can be used instead of a crossbar. It is worth noting the advantages and purposes of the lattice to understand that it is preferable.

1. Reduced load on the sleeping area. Due to this, the product's qualities are enhanced and its service life is increased.
2. It has the quality of a spring. The bar is elastic and therefore all the load that acts on it is distributed evenly.
3. While you sleep, your spine will be in the correct position.
4. The grille is fixed with special holders. This allows the structure to be reliable and avoid creaks and noise later.
5. The bar is positioned in such a way that natural ventilation of the sleeping area can be achieved from all sides.

Necessary materials

Before buying everything you need and making a bed with your own hands, as well as slats, you should make a detailed drawing. For a double bed of standard parameters, the following materials will be required.

• 3 boards measuring 200x30x3 cm. They will become the walls and headboard of the product.
• 2 boards measuring 250x30x2 cm. They will become the side parts of the bed.
• 5 bars, each 200 cm long, 4x4 cross-section. Needed to make the supporting structure, support and legs.
• A slat measuring 150x4x2 cm. It will become a crossbar at the base of the bed. The slat is needed to secure the headboard boards.
• Stain.
• Wood glue.
• Varnish;
• Self-tapping screws.

It is worth clarifying once again that the amount of material is indicated for a standard double bed. You should select everything in accordance with the parameters of the future product and drawings.

Necessary tools

To assemble the bed yourself and make the crossbar, you will need a drill, a cutter, and sandpaper. Also prepare a hacksaw and a pencil. Rulers, tape measure, and square will come in handy for measuring and accuracy. The tools needed to make the bed yourself should include a plane, a screwdriver, and a jigsaw.

Manufacturing process

After purchasing the required materials and preparing the tools, you should begin marking and then cutting them. It is recommended to adhere to the following rules in this process.

1. Make a detailed drawing of the future bed, indicating all the exact parameters.
2. Write a list of all the parts needed for the product. Indicate how much material is needed for each of them.
3. It is recommended to mark the places of future cuts using a cutter or pencil and, of course, a ruler.
4. When making identical parts in several copies, you should make one and leave it as a template. This will make the process easier and faster.
5. The cut areas must be cleaned with sandpaper.

After making the marks, you can begin to build the frame.

It is recommended to start the assembly by measuring the parameters of the mattress that will be used on this bed. It fits freely into the frame of the frame.

Using the measurements taken, cut 2 end and long boards, which will become the sides.

Assemble the resulting parts into a rectangle. To fasten them together, you can use wooden dowels or eyelets. Cut the holes with a jigsaw. You can chisel them out.

The resulting lugs are lubricated with glue and connected. Align everything at an angle of 90 degrees and, using clamps, fix until completely dry.

The frame is ready. It is quite reliable and strong. To make the assembly of the wooden bed base an easy process, you should connect the parts using self-tapping screws with additional fastening and metal corners.

After the frame, proceed to installing the legs. Cut several bars of identical length. They are mounted in the corners of the product. They can be inserted into the frame or fixed from the outside, from the inside.

To insert the legs directly into the base, use the tenons for fixing. This is the most reliable option. If the width of the bed exceeds 220 cm, the 5th leg should be installed in the middle of the product. For this, a longitudinal board is mounted to which it is attached.

The final stage

Now you can proceed to assembling the slatted base. These are the crossbars that support the mattress and prevent it from deforming.

1. Nail the fastening stopper strip to the base, side and end parts.
2. Make markings at least 100mm above the top edge.
3. The lath is fixed along the entire perimeter using a solid line and a dotted line. You can use a metal corner instead.
4. You will need a 30x30 bar. Make a frame for the crossbar from it. Fasten it according to the internal parameters of the base.
5. Then a slat measuring 150x4x2 cm is nailed to the frame. Secure it across the length. The distance is no less than 5 cm.

If you perform all actions strictly following the drawings, you will not have any problems with installation. At the final stage, you should process the base with sandpaper and cover it with varnish.

You should be careful when choosing the covering for your finished bed. After all, it should fit into the interior of the room completely. Before covering the product with varnish, it is recommended to first give it a tone. A stain is suitable for this.

It should be applied evenly using a brush. The surface should be varnished only after the stain has dried. It is necessary to make 2 varnish layers.

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