It's time to move our youngest out of a toddler bed and into a real bed. Our two girls share a room, and we were looking at all kinds of options for them to be comfortable for all the years, have some storage, and for the room to look nice. As we looked at buying new - the stuff in my price range looked like junk. As we looked at buying from marketplace and second hand, there was nothing we liked. My wife had a few ideas and sent me some pictures. Then it hit me....just build them. I've built a few things for the house over the years including a murphy bed, cubby lockers, and closet organizers. A carpenter I aint, but with a little help from caulk and some paint...something like that. Since we like progress stories on this site....here you go.
Making two platform beds. 1 under that old blanket in there. The basement has smelled like pine for days and days, it's nice. Between the basement and out my back door into the yard, that's the shop I have to work with.
The headboards seemed like they were going to be hard to make, but once I got going it came together quick. I cut two 30 degree angles same direction on those diagonal boards with a 90 into the top to fit those corners. I tried it first on a piece of scrap and it looked awesome so I sent it and it came out great.
This is when things got interesting....I had some "helpers" for priming day. There was paint everywhere - in toes, down shirts, up elbows, all over the grass, on the stone pavers. It was hard to stay calm here, it really was. But I think we made a core memory that day for the kids and it was worth it. I felt like I deserved a cold one after that.
One painting day with the kids was enough - so I went solo for putting on the paint. The bottom and inside cubbies are getting painted this gray color. I still have to do this for Bed #2 yet.
Added the mattress rails, the bottom legs, and trimmed it out today. This build has taken up a lot of my spare time, but I'm glad we're going this route. I don't think you can buy this. Still need to do all of this for Bed #2. I'm now thinking I will stain all of the unfinished wood including the headboard. I think a honey brown would match nicely to that gray paint color. Anyone have any products they recommend? I'm thinking a water-based stain to keep the smells low. Then it's poly or something comparable - I do like Odie's. I'll update in a few days again when I get more time to keep on keeping on.
Very nice, I will say I used to get "frustrated" with certain things. Then one day I woke up and said I am going to have fun no matter what. Now when the kids, grandkids nieces nephews help I go with the flow. No more perfection, overbearing correction, frustration, all fun and whatever happens I deal with. Then I go work on one of my restorations and beat myself up, LOL.
When we built our house, we needed beds and dressers. campinspecter made captain beds for the kids and a dresser for us. The base from our waterbed became the head board for the bed with drawers underneath in the base. The captain's beds have been passed on but we still have the rest.
They grandkids will talk about that at your wake; and they will share a laugh smile and tear. What else really matters in next 50 years
My dad made my first bed. I slept in it until I was 11. Very simple, raised so my toys could be stored underneath. Got a particle board store bought unit with captain's drawers after.
