I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs
underneath.
3) MUST NOT SQUEAK... Hmmmm? dare I say why?


Get ya'lls mind out the trough, she's a light sleeper and we have a 4 year
old.

My thoughts: 1X6 box frame with stiles spaced 4" apart (correct me if I
misused the words stiles)
boxed in 4X4 posts for height
1/4" luaun (sp) plywood ( needsto be a solid surface
due to the Memory foam mattress)

She has not as of yet decided how this extra space is going to be hidden,
she's thinking fabric but I am thinking sliding doors on the side with the
most access space.

Any thoughts would be helpful, and keep in mind up until now all I have made
has been shelves, a doghouse and a blanket chest, which if I say so myself
is a work of art?!!

Thanks
Searcher

"Searcher" wrote in message
news:RbeGf.156$Tb.85@trndny01...
I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs
underneath.

Before you go any further, do some measuring. With 22" clearance, supports,
a spring and mattress, you'll have to be very tall to get into the bed
comfortably. I'd do a mockup of some sort first.

I'm not sure that a 1 x 6 will give the support you need. IIRC, the old bed
rails or wood were closer to 8", but do some checking on that.

I did my bed this way. The outer frame is made with 2x10's if I
remember correctly (can't go check because SWMBO is in the bedroom
sleeping on it). Within the box frame, I put 2x3 "joists" at roughly
12" on center. You could actually use joist hangers to attach them to
the box frame. I didn't think of that at the time, and built
essentially the same thing out of wood. Anyway, on top of all this
framework I attached pieces of 3/4" plywood extending to the exact
dimensions of the mattress, about an inch beyond the edges of the box
frame. I rounded the edges over with a router, and the mattress sits
directly on top of that. I don't use a box spring; I find the bed more
comfortable without it, and it would be WAY too high if there was a box
spring.

I designed mine so I could take it apart again to move it. All four
sides of the box frame can be separated; one has the headboard
integrated. The 2x3 cross members unscrew and pop out of their
hangers, and the plywood pieces (I have 8 of them) are individually
numbered and unscrew as well. Other than the mattress, the whole bed
can easily be moved by one person (albeit in multiple trips).

The bed went about five years without squeaking. It has recently
started doing so, and I've been too lazy to fix it. A screw has
loosened up on one of the cross members. If I didn't care about the
ability to break it down in the future, I'd use construction adhesive
on everything, and I'm sure the squeaking would go away and never come
back.

22" of height underneath is a LOT!!! Even without a box spring, you're
going to need to pole vault into bed. Can she substitute a larger
quantity of shorter Rubbermaid tubs? We store clothes, shoes, etc. in
rather flat ones (maybe 9" tall) which are short enough to slide under
the perimeter of the bed. Once underneath and beyond the thick "rim
joists" of the bed frame, they can be stacked two-high. I think we fit
12 or even 16 of them under there with no problem (it's a king sized
bed).

BTW, we just use a normal bed skirt (bed ruffle? Whatever the proper
name is) just as if there was a box spring under the mattress. You'd
never no there was a significant wooden structure under there.

Josh

I'm with Edwin on this, height of bed.

Also, check the Borg for cinder blocks. They're WAY cheap, and if
you're going to hide the bed frame, they won't show. AND THEY DON"T
SQUEAK.

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 04:42:59 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Searcher" wrote in message
news:RbeGf.156$Tb.85@trndny01...
I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs
underneath.

Before you go any further, do some measuring. With 22" clearance, supports,
a spring and mattress, you'll have to be very tall to get into the bed
comfortably. I'd do a mockup of some sort first.

I'm not sure that a 1 x 6 will give the support you need. IIRC, the old bed
rails or wood were closer to 8", but do some checking on that.

Would it not be easier to find somewere else for the tubs?


On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 04:11:29 -0000, Searcher wrote:

I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are
as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid
tubs
underneath.
3) MUST NOT SQUEAK... Hmmmm? dare I say why?

When I bought my new mattress and box spring I needed a ladder to get into bed
and it doesn't have 22" of clearance. At 22" plus M&BS plus supports it will be
at least 40" off the floor. Probably about 4" higher than your kitchen counter.
Getting in is one thing, if you ever fall out..... JG

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"Searcher" wrote in message
news:RbeGf.156$Tb.85@trndny01...
I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs
underneath.

Before you go any further, do some measuring. With 22" clearance, supports,
a spring and mattress, you'll have to be very tall to get into the bed
comfortably. I'd do a mockup of some sort first.

I'm not sure that a 1 x 6 will give the support you need. IIRC, the old bed
rails or wood were closer to 8", but do some checking on that.

"Searcher" wrote in message
news:RbeGf.156$Tb.85@trndny01...
I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs
underneath.
3) MUST NOT SQUEAK... Hmmmm? dare I say why?


Get ya'lls mind out the trough, she's a light sleeper and we have a 4 year
old.

My thoughts: 1X6 box frame with stiles spaced 4" apart (correct me if I
misused the words stiles)
boxed in 4X4 posts for height
1/4" luaun (sp) plywood ( needsto be a solid surface
due to the Memory foam mattress)

She has not as of yet decided how this extra space is going to be hidden,
she's thinking fabric but I am thinking sliding doors on the side with the
most access space.

Any thoughts would be helpful, and keep in mind up until now all I have
made has been shelves, a doghouse and a blanket chest, which if I say so
myself is a work of art?!!

Thanks
Searcher


You do not say what size mattress you will be using. Does SWMBO know that
NOT having a center support with a king size mattress and box springs WILL
void their warranty? If you have any doubts, ask the manufacturer or a
knowledgeable store.

Ok, got some good points there, But I forgot to mention that we already have
the height that I need for storage area. But it looks crappy and it is now a
2x4 framed supports holding up a mattress and box spring. So, by rebuilding
the bed frame and not having a box spring (its a memory foam mattress now)
We are actually going to lose about 6 to 8 inches of height. I just want to
make a "finished project" this time. THe last bed was thrown together with
the thought of "doing it right" when I have them time. Well, what do you
know, I just can't figure out where those three years have gone! The new
mattress needs to sit atop a solid surface.

Searcher

SOrry, its a queen sized mattress

JGS wrote in
:

When I bought my new mattress and box spring I needed a ladder to get
into bed and it doesn't have 22" of clearance. At 22" plus M&BS plus
supports it will be at least 40" off the floor. Probably about 4"
higher than your kitchen counter. Getting in is one thing, if you ever
fall out..... JG



The beds my school has are adjustable, and most people trying to save
floor space have them on their highest setting to allow the dresser (two
drawer, about 24" tall) to fit underneath. My procedure for getting in
to the bed has been to take two running steps and jump!

Puckdropper
--
www.uncreativelabs.net

Old computers are getting to be a lost art. Here at Uncreative Labs, we
still enjoy using the old computers. Sometimes we want to see how far a
particular system can go, other times we use a stock system to remind
ourselves of what we once had.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 19:16:56 -0000, Puckdropper
wrote:

JGS wrote in
:

When I bought my new mattress and box spring I needed a ladder to get
into bed and it doesn't have 22" of clearance. At 22" plus M&BS plus
supports it will be at least 40" off the floor. Probably about 4"
higher than your kitchen counter. Getting in is one thing, if you ever
fall out..... JG



The beds my school has are adjustable, and most people trying to save
floor space have them on their highest setting to allow the dresser (two
drawer, about 24" tall) to fit underneath. My procedure for getting in
to the bed has been to take two running steps and jump!

Puckdropper


The kids at the school where I work use a springboard thing called a
trampette, I think, to get them over a vaulting horse. That should do the
trick. A bit of practice and you should be hitting the bed 3 times out of
4.
Getting out - why not try an inflateable crash mat like those they land on
when pole vaulting.


Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

"Searcher" wrote in message
news:RbeGf.156$Tb.85@trndny01...
I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs
underneath.
3) MUST NOT SQUEAK... Hmmmm? dare I say why?


Get ya'lls mind out the trough, she's a light sleeper and we have a 4 year
old.

My thoughts: 1X6 box frame with stiles spaced 4" apart (correct me if I
misused the words stiles)
boxed in 4X4 posts for height
1/4" luaun (sp) plywood ( needsto be a solid surface
due to the Memory foam mattress)

She has not as of yet decided how this extra space is going to be hidden,
she's thinking fabric but I am thinking sliding doors on the side with the
most access space.

Any thoughts would be helpful, and keep in mind up until now all I have
made has been shelves, a doghouse and a blanket chest, which if I say so
myself is a work of art?!!

Thanks
Searcher


Seems easier just to trade 'her' in on another model!

"Searcher" wrote in message
news:%JpGf.2295$Sb.825@trndny06...
SOrry, its a queen sized mattress



We have a platform bed (used to have a Somma Water Tube mattress) with four
drawers under the platform. While you indicated you need to slide plastic
storage boxes under, the drawers in the pedestal might give you some food
for thought.

I don't have drawings, but if you'd like, I can take some photographs and
send them.

I didn't make this bed, it was custom made by "The Loft Bed Store" in
northern Virginia about 12-14 years ago.

Regards,

Rick

Then I would have to break in the new model, and she would want to infringe
on my woodworking by getting all lovey dovey. And then theres the credit
cards They would be maxed out with makeup and parfumes and frilly
underthingys. Nah, I'll just stick with the well worn in easy going nag that
I already have!

Just kidding honey you know I love you! (in case she reads this while I'm
in the shop)

Searcher

That would be great having the pics could eas my mind and give her something
to think on.

THanks



Take the splinter out, CAREFULLY though

Searcher

Searcher wrote:
Then I would have to break in the new model, and she would want to infringe
on my woodworking by getting all lovey dovey. And then theres the credit
cards They would be maxed out with makeup and parfumes and frilly
underthingys. Nah, I'll just stick with the well worn in easy going nag that
I already have!

Just kidding honey you know I love you! (in case she reads this while I'm
in the shop)

Searcher


Well that's gonna cost ya 20 bucks not to tattle.
;-)
jo4hn

That's an unusually high bed (and something I'd rather not fall out
of!) With no supports underneath, beefy sides prevent movement (and
squeaks). The 4x4 posts sound like a good idea. Sounds like SWMBO
is thinking about installing a sham. If you decide to put sliding
doors on the sides, then recess them about 2" to allow toe kick space
(needing for easier bed making).

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 04:11:29 GMT, "Searcher"
wrote:

I need to make a bed frame as per the SWMBO's desires. Her thoughts are as
follows;
1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid tubs
underneath.
3) MUST NOT SQUEAK... Hmmmm? dare I say why?


Get ya'lls mind out the trough, she's a light sleeper and we have a 4 year
old.

My thoughts: 1X6 box frame with stiles spaced 4" apart (correct me if I
misused the words stiles)
boxed in 4X4 posts for height
1/4" luaun (sp) plywood ( needsto be a solid surface
due to the Memory foam mattress)

She has not as of yet decided how this extra space is going to be hidden,
she's thinking fabric but I am thinking sliding doors on the side with the
most access space.

Any thoughts would be helpful, and keep in mind up until now all I have made
has been shelves, a doghouse and a blanket chest, which if I say so myself
is a work of art?!!

Thanks
Searcher

1) she wants at least 22" of height underneath.
2) There can be NO obstruction, she wants (NEEDS) to put 6 Rubbermaid
tubs
underneath


Hmmm! My first thought was: Have you considered a walk-in closet or
an office addition. Speculating: Seems she is looking for more space
..... to declutter another area or for organizing her work-at-home
items. "No obstruction" indicates to me the need for quick access to
important items.

Actually, she needs the underbed storage for things that she doesn't use
year round, as in seasonal clothing and such. We already have a high bed and
thats something we're used to. We have the old mattress on a frame of 2x4s
18'' high then add the box spring then the mattress so the total height
right now is 36". I would be adding 4" to the underneath and subtracting 8"
for the existing box spring, which should bring me to a max height of 32"
high. 22" for the bed frame and 10" for the mattress. I hope this is making
sense, cause right now I'm lost.

Searcher

On Tue, 07 Feb 2006 20:54:36 -0800, Josh wrote:

I did my bed this way. The outer frame is made with 2x10's if I
remember correctly (can't go check because SWMBO is in the bedroom
sleeping on it). Within the box frame, I put 2x3 "joists" at roughly
12" on center. You could actually use joist hangers to attach them to
the box frame. I didn't think of that at the time, and built
essentially the same thing out of wood. Anyway, on top of all this
framework I attached pieces of 3/4" plywood extending to the exact
dimensions of the mattress, about an inch beyond the edges of the box
frame. I rounded the edges over with a router, and the mattress sits
directly on top of that. I don't use a box spring; I find the bed more
comfortable without it, and it would be WAY too high if there was a box
spring.

I designed mine so I could take it apart again to move it. All four
sides of the box frame can be separated; one has the headboard
integrated. The 2x3 cross members unscrew and pop out of their
hangers, and the plywood pieces (I have 8 of them) are individually
numbered and unscrew as well. Other than the mattress, the whole bed
can easily be moved by one person (albeit in multiple trips).

The bed went about five years without squeaking. It has recently
started doing so, and I've been too lazy to fix it. A screw has
loosened up on one of the cross members. If I didn't care about the
ability to break it down in the future, I'd use construction adhesive
on everything, and I'm sure the squeaking would go away and never come
back.

22" of height underneath is a LOT!!! Even without a box spring, you're
going to need to pole vault into bed. Can she substitute a larger
quantity of shorter Rubbermaid tubs? We store clothes, shoes, etc. in
rather flat ones (maybe 9" tall) which are short enough to slide under
the perimeter of the bed. Once underneath and beyond the thick "rim
joists" of the bed frame, they can be stacked two-high. I think we fit
12 or even 16 of them under there with no problem (it's a king sized
bed).

BTW, we just use a normal bed skirt (bed ruffle? Whatever the proper
name is) just as if there was a box spring under the mattress. You'd
never no there was a significant wooden structure under there.

Josh

I did my son's bed like Josh details in his post. For our king bed I
built two twin size panels using torsion box techniques. 1/2 inch
plywood on both sides with a 1.5 inch interior web. The supports are
4x4 posts about 12 inches long (6 of them) spaced in three rows about
12 inches in from each side and in the middle. Sides are finished with
1x6's for appearance. My objective was a platform bed with recessed legs.
The panels are joined together in the middle with recessed bolts. Overall
the bed has worked well. It's been in use 10 years. Biggest problem is
the weight, those panels are heavy. If I was to do it over I'd likely try
three torsion panels with 1/4 or maybe 3/8 plywood skins. The torsion box
would have a core of 2" insulating foam sheet (or if I could find it, some
honeycomb paper core with hardwood lumber banding on the edges. Our bed
has 12" of under bed "head room" and we have about six under bed boxes
under there. The boxes are 8" or 9" thick. Don't know if I'd attempt to
make the legs longer without doing something to prevent racking.

D.G. Adams