There are several advantages of making DIY loft beds. Lofted beds purchased from a store can be quite expensive and may not fit the décor of your room. It is possible that you want to make a closet under your bed or just use the space as your mini music studio. There are chances that the design you want is not available with the stores and custom made beds just don’t cut your budget. Making your own lofted bed will give you a sense of achievement and will also reduce your costs considerably. While making your own bed, you can choose your own dimensions, material and design.
Assemble The Basic Requirements
Before assembling DIY loft beds, draw out a prototype of the bed that you have in mind and make a note of the dimensions you want. You can also refer to the different types of lofted beds and select one as a reference. Once you have finalized a blueprint of your bed, it is time to assemble everything you need. If your bed is going to be of wood, according to the design measure out how much wood you will need. Depending on the height of the bed, purchase right sized planks accordingly. You will also need wood for the stilts, the floor of the bed, the railings and the slide if you want one. You will also need – wood glue, measuring tape, sand paper, nails, bolts, screws, paints and brushes. To protect yourself, you will need gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection.
Building The Lofted Bed
First you have to build the base of the bed along with the support slats and the frame. Once that is done, move onto building the railing. The railing is essential to stop the sleeping person from falling off and it must have openings for the ladder and the slide. Once the side rails are attached to the base of the bed, work on the stilts and the supports. The taller the bed, the more support slats it will need. Some of the supports have to run across the floor to stabilize the structure. Once that is done build the slide and the ladder along with the supports. The angle of the ladder and the slide has to be comfortable for climbing. The length of the ladder and the slide will depend on the height of the bed. What comes under the bed depends on you. You can attach drawers, make a railing for a wardrobe or even attach a desk. Some people prefer to use the space to store things.
Finishing Touches To The Bed
Once your basic structure is ready, with the use of sandpaper, give the bed a smooth finish. Wear down any sharp edges to avoid getting hurt while sleeping. If the bed is made of good quality wood it will require transparent polish to make the wood look good in its original form. If you want you can paint over the wood so that the bed matches with the rest of the décor in the room. What you do in terms of design is entirely up to you and that is why it makes sense to go in for a do-it-yourself loft bed.