Introduction: Heavy Duty King Bed Frame

About: I discovered Instructables when I was looking to buy a bunk bed. Instead of buying, I decided to build the sturdy bunk bed that my kids now sleep in every night. And thus I discovered that I loved building t…

After six+ years of sleeping on a 100% foam mattress, the firm support we required was finally lacking -- despite regular flipping & rotation (side note... yes, flippable mattresses still exist!). After much research & debate, my wife & I (both larger individuals experiencing sore backs) settled upon a king sized 100% latex mattress as a replacement. Unfortunately our existing bed was a queen... thus a new bed frame was in order!

We discovered not just any bed frame would work for supporting the latex mattress weight & that most commercially available frames would void warranty eligibility. Our options were either buy an overpriced yet basic platform frame from the mattress manufacturer/dealer or build a frame ourselves. Since we had already built a bunk bed from an instructable we stumbled across previously, the latter was the obvious choice, especially since we already had some idea of what to expect.

To maintain the mattress warranty, our platform bed frame build parameters needed to have:

  • spacing between slats no greater than 3” yet not greater than width of slats
  • slats no less than 2” wide & at least 3/4” thick
  • slats supported by a full length mid-rail with at least one mid-rail support that reaches the floor

Supplies

Safety:

  • Safety Glasses (Projectiles & Dust)
  • Hearing Protection
  • Respirator Mask (Vapour & Dust)
  • Nitrile Gloves

Tools:

  • 10" Table Saw
  • 10" Compound Mitre Saw
  • 5" Orbital Sander
  • Power Drill
  • Robertson Screwdriver Bit
  • 12" Trigger Clamps (recommend 8 minimum)
  • 36" Trigger Clamps (not required but helpful)
  • Measuring Tape
  • 5/64" & 11/64" Wood Drill Bits
  • 7/16" Spade Bit
  • 3/4" Auger Drill Bit (or a Forstner Bit)
  • Carbide Countersink with Low-Friction Depth Stop (Size #8)
  • Kreg Mini Jig Pocket Hole Kit
  • Graph Paper
  • Pencil
  • Shop Vacuum
  • Bright Flashlight (or shop light)
  • Paint Brushes

Consumables:

(25) 2" x 6" x 8' Wood (Pine Construction Lumber)

(48) #8 x 1-1/4" Robertson Wood Screws

(120) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws

(72) #8 x 2-1/2" Pocket Hole Screws

(2) 7/16" x 6" Hex Cap Bolt, (2) Nuts, (4) Washers

(min. 5 of each size) Sand Paper, 5" Orbital (80, 120, & 220 grit)

(1) Sheet of 400 grit Sand Paper

(1.5) 946 mL Varathane Ultimate Oil-Based Wood Stain, Kona (Stain, Colour of Choice)

(2) 946 mL Varathane Water-based Premium Diamond Wood Finish, Clear Satin (Sealant of Choice)

(1) 1" x 25' Painter's Tape

(1) 946 mL Titebond II Wood Glue

(1) 55 Sheets/Roll Scott Blue Shop Towels

(0.5) 946 mL Mineral Spirits

Step 1: Dimensional Drawings & Explanation

A king sized mattress has dimensions that are 76" x 79-1/2".

Bed frame dimensions were made to 76" x 80" so using graph paper, each square equated to 4". Lumber dimensions on paper where drawn in approximately, for visual purposes. Knowing this frame required a middle rail for support strength, the decision was to build each half separately. Doing so allowed for an extremely sturdy mid-rail, with extra strong legs. This also added the benefit of allowing one to be able to separate this king frame into separate twin frames in the future.

The legs need to be strong, as the frame, slats, latex mattress, & two adults is going to be extremely heavy. (Yes, it is a pipe dream, two adults only... we hoped... but realistically we knew there would be anywhere from one to three young ones joining us at any given time!). Each corner leg is composed of four boards so as to prevent wobbling & bed movement when someone gets on or off the bed, or tosses & turns during the night. Middle legs, each consisting of two boards, were added to all rails for two reasons: to give extra frame support & to allow addition of drawers (if one ever decided to). Note that only one single middle leg was required on the middle rail to maintain warranty but future planning is a safe bet. All legs were designed to allow all screws & bolts to be hidden in order to not take away from bed's appearance.

Placement of the legs took into account bedside dressers, meaning if drawers were ever incorporated into the frame, the first spaces by the head of the bed would false drawers (not usable). The first corner leg at the head of the bed takes up 5-1/2", followed by a space of 18", then the first middle leg takes up another 5-1/2"... thus allowing for a bedside dresser of up to 23-1/2". The remaining distance, when divided in half, leaves the future possibility of adding two 20" drawers separated by a second 5-1/2" middle leg & followed by a last 5-1/2" corner leg.

Slats & spacers (not drawn in) were based on slats being 5-1/2" wide & spacers were estimated as needing to be 1-1/2" wide. Calculations called for twenty-two slats & forty-four spacers but as the pending cut list mentions, the actual spacers worked out to be 1-7/16" wide, therefore forty-eight spacers were required. This also allowed for an extra space being required, resulting in moving one slat from starting against the end frame to not.

Lastly, final bed height needed to be comfortable enough for one to sit on the edge when getting in, or out. Knowing the new latex mattress was 8" high & would be heavy, any concern of mattress movement/sliding was considered a non-issue. Thus the mattress could safely rest on top of the slats -- without any edge securing/holding the mattress within the frame. Taking into account the comfort level for bending knees (for our statures of 5'9" & 5'10"), final bed height settled on was 23"... resulting in a final required frame height of 15". The box frame would be 5-1/2" in height & thus would need to be raised 9-1/2" off the floor.

Step 2: Cutting

When buying lumber, handle each piece yourself to ensure each board is as straight as possible. Twists, curves, bends, bows, or large knots should be avoided. Personally, we like the look of knotted wood but care must be taken to ensure the board is usable. For example, where is knot located, how big is it, will it fall out, or prevent the wood from being cut?

All pieces were cut from 2" x 6" x 8' construction lumber* to make the listed components below:

*Important Note: Actual lumber dimensions come as approximately 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 8'... which is useful to know when cutting the wood down to the required sizes.

(4) 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 80" -- outside side rails

(4) 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 35" -- outside end rails

(4) 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 77" -- slat supports

(22) 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 35" -- slats

(24) 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" x 9-1/2" -- outside frame support

(24) 1-1/2" x 4" x 12" -- inside frame support

(48) 1-7/16" x 1-3/8" x 3/4" -- slat spacers**

**Note: Spacer dimensions changed from my original plan due to sanding, staining, & sealing of the slats. I recommend cutting only after dry fitting all slats on frame, to account. & adjust, for any variances.

Step 3: Sanding

Sanding will likely be the most time consuming part of the project. The finer one sands, the smoother the wood will feel & the better the finished product will look.

Note: One change I would recommend doing differently from the order I used, is to pre-sand all boards with 80 grit sandpaper using the belt sander, prior to cutting. This would remove all ink stamps & imperfections prior to cutting. Doing so should result in more accurate finished cuts which would require less finish sanding using the orbital sander. Alternatively, surface planer would work great & save lots of time versus sanding but alas, I don't own one.

Most sanders can be hooked up to a shop vacuum to reduce the amount of dust everywhere when sanding. Take advantage of this feature as an orbital sander's dust bag catches very little dust by itself.

Before starting sanding, put on a dust mask, safety glasses (or better yet a respirator & dust goggles), & hearing protection. Getting dust in your eye can be a minor annoyance or an expensive one. I learned the hard way... after spending over $50 to see an optometrist & another $75 on special eye drops, I was lucky... & have become more cautious!

Using the orbital sander, carefully & lightly sand all pieces.

  1. Start with 80 grit if the wood has imperfections or ink. If there is no need for this, proceed to using 120 grit.
  2. Use a bright flashlight at different angles on the wood to ensure no sanding patterns have been made. Failure to do so may result in sanding imperfections showing through when wood is stained. Sand more as needed.
  3. Next, use 120 grit to smooth out the wood.
  4. Again, use the flashlight to verify no sanding patterns were left.
  5. Now move on to using 220 grit sandpaper to give the wood a nice smooth feel.
  6. Use the flashlight one more time.
  7. If necessary, repeat steps five & six.

Once happy with the quality of your sanding, move on to drilling pocket holes.

Step 4: Pocket Holes & Marking for Pilot Holes

Pocket holes were used to hold the corner leg supports together, & the main frame, while keeping screws hidden. One can freehand drill all the pocket holes but the Kreg Mini Pocket Hole Jig kit used ensured consistency of placement & depth.

Time-saving tip: Refer to picture "Marking spots for drilling". Use cardboard to make four templates the same size as the support pieces. Mark dots (as below) & drill out dot so as to allow a pencil tip to fit through to mark dots on the each wood piece.

Important: There is a slight variation in how all eight corner legs are built. Refer to picture 'Corner Leg Top View' (in Assemble Leg Supports section) & note that four should be built to look as pictured (backwards L) & four should be built to look like a correct "L". Failing to vary the direction will result in the legs not matching properly when assembled (ie. the joint lines will be on different sides of the leg on the same side of the bed). Simply reverse the sides referenced when marking/drilling holes (on four 12" Piece A, four 12" Piece B, & four 9-1/2" Piece A).

Part A

Eight 12" inside supports each get (3) pocket holes (& eight do not get pocket holes).

  1. Place each inside support flat & mark three dots (all 1-1/4" from the long edge/right side) as follows:
    • one at 2-1/2" from the top
    • one at 2-1/2" from the bottom
    • one at 6" from the bottom
  2. At this point, draw a light line across the piece at 2-1/2" from the top on the opposite side (for future reference). Also lightly mark as 12" Piece A.
  3. Place, center, & clamp the edge of the Kreg Mini Pocket Hole jig at each dot. Refer to picture of the clamped Kreg Mini Jig (top view). During drilling, two clamps were used to prevent side to side jig movement & a third was used to hold the jig tight to the piece of wood. Take note to ensure drill direction points towards the 1-1/4" space. This space ensures proper drilling depth for a 1-1/2" board (refer to Kreg Mini Jig Instructions if in doubt). Set Kreg drill bit collar 4-1/4" from the step of the drill bit & proceed to drill all three pocket holes.
  4. To clean up rough edges created by drilling, simply roll a small piece of sandpaper around a pencil & lightly sand.
  5. Mark six (slightly larger) dots to note where future pilot holes will be drilled for screws. Three on each side, all 1-1/4" from each side, as follows:
    • two 1-1/4" from the top
    • two 4" from the bottom
    • two 8" from the bottom
  6. Repeat on seven more 12" inside support pieces.

Part B

Eight 9-1/2" outside supports each get (3) pocket holes (& sixteen do not get pocket holes).

  1. Place each inside support flat & mark three dots (all 1-1/4" from the long edge/right side) as follows:
    • one at 2" from the top
    • one at 2" from the bottom
    • one at 4-3/4" from the bottom
  2. At this point, lightly mark as 9-1/2" Piece A.
  3. Place, center, & clamp the edge of the Kreg Mini Pocket Hole jig at each dot. Ensure drill direction points towards the 1-1/4" space. Set Kreg drill bit collar 4-1/4" from the step of the drill bit & proceed to drill all three pocket holes.
  4. To clean up rough edges created by drilling, simply roll a small piece of sandpaper around a pencil & lightly sand.
  5. Repeat on seven more 9-1/2" inside support pieces.
  6. The remaining sixteen 9-1/2" pieces will simple be labeled (lightly) as 9-1/2" Piece B.

Part C

The second set of eight 12" inside supports each get (3) marked dots where future pilot holes will be drilled for screws.

  1. Three dots (slightly larger) will be marked, all 1-3/4" from the long side/right side, as follows:
    • one 1-1/4" from the top
    • one 4" from the bottom
    • one 8" from the bottom
  2. At this point, lightly draw a vertical line, 1-1/2" from the left side, down the entire length. Also lightly mark as 12" Piece B.
  3. On the opposite side, draw a light horizontal line across the piece at 2-1/2" from the top (for future reference).
  4. Repeat on seven more 12" inside support pieces (remember to reverse 4!).

Part D

The third set of 12" inside supports get (6) marked dots where future pilot holes will be drilled for screws. Refer to picture 'Marking Spots for Drilling' & note that the '12" Piece A (straight drill holes)' should actually be labelled as '12" Piece C (straight drill holes)'.

  1. Six dots (slightly larger) will be marked, all 1-1/4" from the either long side, as follows:
    • two 1-1/4" from the top
    • two 4" from the botiom
    • two 8" from the bottom
  2. On the opposite side, draw a light horizontal line across the piece at 2-1/2" from the top (for future reference). Also lightly mark as 12" Piece C.
  3. Repeat on seven more 12" inside support pieces.

Part E

The last pocket holes needed will be on each end of all four outside end rails.

  1. Place each end rail flat & mark three dots (all 1-1/4" from each short side edge) as follows:
    • one at 1" from the left side
    • one at 1"from the right side
    • one at 2-3/4" from either side (ie. at center)
  2. Place, center, & clamp the edge of the Kreg Mini Pocket Hole jig at each dot. Ensure drill direction points towards the 1-1/4" space. Set Kreg drill bit collar 4-1/4" from the step of the drill bit & proceed to drill all three pocket holes.

  3. To clean up rough edges created by drilling, simply roll a small piece of sandpaper around a pencil & lightly sand.

Part F

Mark locations on slat supports (to be pre-drilled later when screwing to side rails) where screws will be placed.

  1. Place first mark/dot 1" from left side. Then place another dot every 5", ending with last mark at 76" (for a total of 16 marks).
  2. Repeat on remaining three slat supports.

Step 5: Assemble Leg Supports

Eight identical corner supports were made, each consisting of (2) outside frame supports & (2) inside frame supports. Additionally, eight middle support legs were made, each consisting of an outside frame support & an inside frame support. All inside supports act as the main frame attachment points while the outside supports hold the weight of the frame. Together, all supports act as the legs of the bed that provide the stability & height required.

Note: Once wood glue is in use, try to work as fast as possible to allow clean up of the glue while it is still wet. Failing to do so requires more sanding to remove dried on glue. Dried on glue affects the appearance of the assembled piece when finishing with a stain.

Corner Legs

Important: There is a slight variation in how all eight corner legs are built. Refer to picture 'Corner Leg Top View' & note that four should be built to look as pictured (backwards L) & four should be built to look like a correct "L". Failing to vary the direction will result in the legs not matching properly when assembled (ie. the joint lines will be on different sides of the leg on the same side of the bed). Simply reverse the sides referenced when marking/drilling holes.


  1. Dry fit/place (1) 9-1/2" Piece A against (1) 9-1/2" Piece Bat a 90° angle. Refer to Picture 'Corner Leg Top View' (outside pieces).
  2. Spread wood glue lightly between Piece A & B (where they touch). Clamp together tightly.
  3. Use (3) #8 x 2-1/2" pocket hole screws to secure Piece A to Piece B.
  4. Re-tighten clamps from Step 2 as required.
  5. Use a wet shop cloth to thoroughly wipe off any excess glue (from area that becomes the outside of the leg).
  6. Dry fit/place the back of (1) 12" Piece B against the inside of the 9-1/2" Piece B (sides of 12" Piece B & 9-1/2" Piece A should also be in contact).
  7. Spread wood glue lightly between the pieces in step six (where wood is in contact between all pieces). Make sure to keep the glue below the horizontal line drawn previously on the back of 12" piece B. Clamp 12" Piece B to 9-1/2" pieces. Refer to picture 'Clamping 12" Piece B to 9-1/2" pieces'.
  8. Drill 5/64" pilot holes through (2) lower dots marked on the 12" Piece B. Drill depth is 2-1/2" (pilot holes go through both the 12" & 9-1/2" pieces of wood).
  9. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes through (2) pilot holes (made in Step 7) in 12" Piece B. Overall depth (combined countersink & clearance) of 1-1/2" required only.
  10. Secure 12" Piece B to 9-1/2" Piece B using (2) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws. Refer to picture 'Countersunk Screws'.
  11. Re-tighten clamps from Step 7 as required & use a wet shop cloth to thoroughly wipe off any excess glue from the back of 12" Piece B (where squeezed out).
  12. Dry fit/place the back of (1) 12" Piece A against the inside of the 9-1/2" Piece A (side of 12" Piece A & inside of 12" Piece B should also be in contact).
  13. Spread wood glue lightly between the pieces in step twelve (where all pieces contact). Make sure to keep the glue below the horizontal line drawn previously on the back of 12" Piece A. Clamp 12" Piece A to 12" Piece B only.
  14. Use (3) #8 x 2-1/2" pocket hole screws to secure 12" Piece A to 12" Piece B. Re-tighten clamps from previous step then clamp 12" Piece A to 9-1/2" Piece A. Refer to picture 'Clamping 12" Piece A to other pieces'.
  15. Drill 5/64" pilot holes through (4) lower dots marked on the 12" Piece A to a depth of 2-1/2" (pilot holes go through both the 12" & 9-1/2" pieces of wood).
  16. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes (through four pilot holes made in Step 16) to an overall depth of 1-1/2" (combined countersink & clearance).
  17. Secure 12" Piece A to 9-1/2" Piece A using (4) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws. Re-tighten clamps & use a wet shop cloth to thoroughly wipe off any excess glue from all pieces.
  18. Set aside & let glue dry for 24 hours before removing clamps.
  19. Lightly sand away any excess dried on glue with 120 grit sandpaper & touch up with 220 grit.
  20. Repeat Steps 1 thru 19 for remaining seven corner legs.

Middle Legs

  1. Dry fit/place the back of a 12" Piece C (centered) against the inside of a 9-1/2" Piece B.
  2. Spread wood glue lightly between the pieces in step one (making sure to keep glue below the horizontal line drawn previously on the back of 12" Piece C). Clamp pieces together.
  3. Drill 5/64" pilot holes through (4) lower dots marked on the 12" Piece C to a depth of 2-1/2".
  4. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes through (4) pilot holes (made in Step 3) with an overall depth (combined countersink & clearance) of 1-1/2".
  5. Secure pieces together using (4) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws.
  6. Re-tighten clamps from Step 2 & use a wet shop cloth to thoroughly wipe off any excess glue.
  7. Set aside & let glue dry for 24 hours before removing clamps.
  8. Lightly sand away any excess dried on glue with 120 grit sandpaper & touch up with 220 grit.
  9. Repeat Steps 1 thru 8 for remaining seven middle legs.

Step 6: Assemble Side Rails

Attach Slat Supports

  1. Lay side rail flat with inside facing up. Measure 1-1/2" from what will become the top of the rail & lightly draw a line horizontally across the rail. Place a slat support level with but below the line. Use the end rails to ensure the slat support is centered & then lightly trace a line around side rail. Set slat support aside with surface (that is to join the rail) facing up. Note that mark dots are facing down at this point.
  2. Place painter's tape around lines drawn. Spread glue lightly within painter's tape as well as along the slat support. Put slat support onto side rail & clamp together, making sure that mark dots are now facing up (& not covered by clamps). Refer to picture showing taped & clamped side rail.
  3. Drill 5/64" pilot holes through all (16) dots marked on the slat support (to a depth of 2-1/2").
  4. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes through (16) pilot holes made in Step 3. Overall depth (combined countersink & clearance) of 1-1/2" required only.
  5. Secure slat support to side rail using (16) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws. Re-tighten clamps & use a wet shop cloth to thoroughly wipe off any excess glue from around slat support. Remove painter's tape.
  6. Set aside & let glue dry for 24 hours before removing clamps.
  7. Lightly sand away any excess dried on glue with 120 grit sandpaper & touch up with 220 grit.
  8. Wipe assembled side rail with a shop cloth dampened with mineral spirits (in well ventilated area & with proper safety gear). If required, deal with any missed glue, or imperfections.
  9. Repeat Steps 1 through 9 for remaining (3) side rails.

Step 7: Staining & Sealing

All pieces were stained with Varathane Ultimate Oil-Based Interior Wood Stain (Kona colour). It claims one coat provides desired colour & faster dry time (allowing faster sealant application). We still ended up staining all pieces, except slats, twice to get darker, deeper colour. Note that most commercially made beds do not stain or seal slats (or interior parts that will not be seen) whereas this bed was stained/sealed almost completely. Sealant used was water-based Varathane Premium Diamond Wood Finish in a clear satin (required multiple coats but it was way less odorous during application). Follow directions of your chosen stain (& sealant).

Our limited work space dictated how many pieces could be finished (& allowed to dry) at any given time so organizing pieces was key to working efficiently.

Safety

Stains & sealants contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) & they should be avoided as best as possible. If one knows nothing about VOCs, I highly recommend reading up on what they are prior using any product containing them. For the purpose of this instructable though, think of unprotected VOC exposure as an overpowering smell that at the very least may likely provide a massive headache & also irritate one's nose, throat, &/or eyes. For this reason it is important to ensure a respirator is worn that protects against breathing in VOCs. Safety glasses protecting against splashes, & gloves protecting skin, are also ideal. Finally, stain, seal, & let pieces dry in a well ventilated area to reduce VOC exposure risk. Once sealing is complete, there will still be off-gassing for quite some time therefore the longer the finished pieces are left in the well ventilated area, the better. Do not immediately assemble & place in a room in which you, or your kids, sleep. This project cured for approximately two weeks (but if in doubt, wait longer) prior to being used!

Staining

  1. Place painter's tape on any areas that stain or sealant is not desired. If unsure whether to glue & screw rails together or just screw them, tape the areas where glue may be used.
  2. Use clean shop towel, lightly dipped in mineral spirits, to fully wipe down wood. This cleans & preps wood prior to staining. Let dry (takes moments unless too much is used).
  3. Dip shop towel in stain & generously wiped on each wood piece.
  4. Once allotted time passes, use shop towel to wipe excess stain off. Set this shop towel aside as it can be used multiple times for wiping stain off (or in step two when a different towel is required).
  5. Allow piece to dry fully prior to setting aside.
  6. Repeat steps 1-5 for remainder of pieces.
  7. Once all pieces are initially stained, repeat steps 3-6 for a second coat (if desired), but wipe with clean shop towel between coats.

Sealing

Note: Painter's tape was left on between staining & sealing.

  1. Carefully dip paint brushes in sealant to avoid air bubbles.
  2. Brush sealant onto piece with a steady & smooth linear passes. Resist urge to re-brush areas already brushed.
  3. Allow piece to dry fully.
  4. Extremely lightly, sand using 400 (or finer) grit sandpaper to remove minor imperfections/air bubbles.
  5. Wipe with a lightly dampened (water only) clean shop towel to remove fine dust (prior to re-coating or assembling).
  6. Repeat steps 1-6, as desired, until desired thickness of sealant coat is achieved.
  7. Remove painter's tape.
  8. Let all pieces off-gas & cure as long as necessary.

Step 8: Making Slat Spacers

    Spacers thickness is not critical. They can be made slightly thinner, or as thick as the slats (1-1/2"). Thickness of 3/4" was only chosen because of the 1-1/2" leftover scrap from ripping 2" x 6" x 8' to a 4" width (for the inside frame supports).

    1. While all previously made components off-gas, dry fit the end & side rails together to make two twin frames (aka sides) without legs.
    2. Start at one end & place eleven slats, without spaces, in each frame.
    3. Measure the leftover Area (A) from the last slat, to the inside of each frame. Both should be very similar, if not the same.
    4. For each frame, calculate required spacer Width (W). Divide A by 22 (number of slats per side).
    5. As all inside frame supports (1-1/2" x 4" x 12") were ripped from 2" x 6" x 8' lumber, there should be some leftover pieces that are approximately 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 8'. Rip one in half (ie. 3/4" x 1-1/2" x 8').
    6. At this point, lightly sand, stain & seal both pieces (like previous components) as desired.
    7. Cut pieces to width required (W) to obtain the 48 slat spacers*** needed (ie. W x 1-1/2" x 3/4").
    8. Let all pieces off-gas & cure as long as necessary.

    *** One may decide to stain &/or seal all six sides, none, or any combination of. Either way, these will all be covered by a mattress about 99.99% of the time. Ours was done on three sides only (ie. stained board was ripped in half).

    Step 9: Assemble Frames

    Completed bed is heavy, so it's recommended to place all pieces in the room where bed is to used -- prior to assembly.

    Attaching Corner Legs

    1. Assemble end & side rails together, using (24) #8 x 2-1/2" pocket hole screws, to make two twin frames (ie. each side of the king frame).
    2. Lay out all eight corner legs, paying attention to how joint lines are desired to be seen. Refer to 'Joint Lines Pictures' & note how lines in picture do not match up (I wanted them to, & they could have -- by simply changing corner pieces -- but I did not win this "debate" with my wife). Place frames onto corners & use clamps to hold legs & rails together.
    3. On the top inside of each corner leg, there are still (3) dots (two on one side, one on second side). Drill 5/64" pilot holes through all (3) dots to a depth of 2-1/2".
    4. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes through all pilot holes made in Step 3. Overall depth (combined countersink & clearance) of 1-1/2" required only.
    5. Secure all corner legs to rails using (24) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws.

    Attach First (4) Middle Legs

    1. Line up both frames side by side & clamp two touching corners together. Ends should be even & level.
    2. Refer to 'Dimensional Drawing - Side View' (at beginning of instructable). Measure 23-1/2" from the head of the bed frame & place the first middle leg (ie. center of leg should be at 26-1/4"). Clamp leg securely to side rail.
    3. Drill 5/64" pilot holes through (2) dots (located on inside top of middle leg) to a depth of 2-1/2".
    4. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes through all pilot holes made in Step 3. Overall depth (combined countersink & clearance) of 1-1/2" required only.
    5. Secure middle leg to rail using (2) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws.
    6. Repeat steps 2-5 for middle legs two through four that are parallel to the first.

    Attach Second (4) Middle Legs

    1. Measure 49" from the head of the bed frame & place fifth middle leg (ie. center of leg should be at 51-3/4"). Clamp leg securely to side rail.
    2. Drill 5/64" pilot holes through (2) dots (located on inside top of middle leg) to a depth of 2-1/2".
    3. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes through all pilot holes made in Step 2. Overall depth (combined countersink & clearance) of 1-1/2" required only.
    4. Secure middle leg to rail using (2) #8 x 2-1/2" Robertson Wood Screws.
    5. Repeat steps 1-4 for remaining middle legs six through eight that are parallel to the fifth.

    Join Both Sides

    Only two bolts will be used to join the four middle legs. This will keep the attachment points hidden & will prevent the two sides from separating. Additionally, if the sides are ever separated (to use as twin beds) the middle pieces could be removed fully, leaving behind no visible damage or holes.

    1. Clamp touching middle legs together. Refer to 'Attaching Middle Legs' picture.
    2. On top clamped middle legs, use 3/4" (or width of the washer if different) auger bit to drill a hole 6" from bottom, centered, & slightly deeper than depth of the 7/16" hex bolt head & single washer.
    3. Use 7/16" spade bit to drill out the center of the hole in previous step. Drill through both legs until bit barely comes out other side (ie. through middle legs two & three).
    4. On opposite side of where 7/16" hole was started, use 3/4" (or width of the washer if different) auger bit to widen the hole, centered, & slightly deeper than depth of the 7/16" nut & single washer.
    5. Place one washer on 7/16" hex bolt & slide bolt through the hole made in step 4. Add second washer then nut. Tighten snug. Refer to picture 'Two sides joined with single bolt'.
    6. Repeat Steps 2-5 for bottom clamped middle legs.
    7. Remove all clamps.

    Step 10: Add Slats & Spacers

    Place all spacers & slats onto the inside of the rails until frame is filled. Refer to picture 'Confirming slat & spacer placement'. At this point, you may need to either sand a few spacers (if too wide -- due too staining/sealing) or make a few new ones (if too narrow -- not likely). Slats should be snug between spacers but they should neither move/rattle or be too tight to put in/remove. Once all are place as desired, proceed to secure the spacers to the slat support.

    1. Clamp spacer.
    2. Drill 5/64" pilot hole through spacer to a depth of 1-1/4".
    3. Drill countersink & 11/64" clearance holes (through pilot hole made in Step 2) to an overall depth (combined countersink & clearance) of 3/4" only.
    4. Secure spacer to slat support using (1) #8 x 1-1/4" Robertson Wood Screw.
    5. Remove clamp.
    6. Repeat Steps 1-4 for remaining spacers, across both sides of the bed frame.

    Step 11: Conclusion

    All in all, we were extremely happy with the finished product. Unfortunately while our Quality Control Tester approved the new bed, she also felt it necessary to do ongoing follow up tests 3-4 times per week -- usually at 2 am when she sneaks in!! Thankfully there is now tons of room -- she takes up the middle half & allows my wife & I our own quarters on either side...

    Our end material cost was slightly more than $225 -- a win for a bed that will last for a long time & will allow future customization (under bed drawers, headboard, footboard) as desired.

    Cheers & happy building!

    Furniture Contest

    Runner Up in the
    Furniture Contest