How to Build a Hanging Bed

Cut Wood to Size

You’ll need to cut the side guard rails, end rails, bed slat supports, bed slats.

• Side Guard Rails 2×6 – Need (2) – 82 1/2 inches (table saw or skill saw)
• End Rails 2X6 – Need (2) 39 1/2 inches (table saw or skill saw)
• Bed Slat Supports Take a 2×4 and cut it length wise in 2 pieces. Length must be 79 1/2 inches. You’ll need a table saw for best results. (table saw)
• Bed Slats 1X4 Whitewood common board. You’ll want 15 slats at 39 1/4 inches. You’ll get (2) slats for each 8ft board you purchase. (table saw or skill saw)

Assemble & Hang Bed Frame

Note: the end rails go inside the side rails. Use the 3 1/2 inch screws (2 in each corner on the guard rail sides).

The top of the guard rails will be exactly 33 inches from the ceiling. Mark the stud locations on the wall.

Level and mount the constructed frame with the top of the frame 33 inches from the ceiling. Use a drill bit smaller than the lag screw (bolt) for your pilot hole. Then secure the frame (using one lag screw) to the wall. We didn’t use washers but in retrospect, I would have.

While having someone hold the one end of the frame use a 2X4 (the one you purchased if you’d like / before the cut) to level the bed and to prepare to attach the chain to the ceiling. At this point (now that the bed is level) use the other lag screws to attach the frame to the wall. Attach a lag screw to each stud the frame touches. Add the larger lag screws (double up) to the ends (touching the wall) of the frame. Adding the extra (and larger) lag screw to the ends is just a little extra precaution.

Drill a pilot hole in to the joist (this is a basement room) as close to directly over the corner of the frame. Screw in the the screw eye using a screwdriver (horizontally for leverage).

Install the other screw eye in to the side guard rail, close to the edge so the screw enters the end rail as well. We placed the screw eye down 2 1/2 inches from the top of the rail. Connect the spring links to the chain and attach both spring links respectively to the screw eyes.

Remove the 2×4 brace you were using to level the bed, cut it (as explained previously) and attach it using the 2 1/2 inch screws. Add one screw every foot.

Mount the gusset angle using the 1 inch screws. This is to add a bit more stability to the frame.

Then hang on the bed frame like a monkey.

Staining and Prepping the Hanging Bed

Depending on your situation, you can stain the pieces of the bed frame before assembling, before attaching to the wall or after you’ve attached it to the wall. The after you’ve attached it to the wall is a little more difficult so we went with that. 🙂

Finish Preperation

• Sand with an orbital sander.
• Application of paint thiner to clean up and prep for stain with cloth.
• Application of stain using a cloth.
• Application of polyurethane using a foam brush.
• Very fine steel wool to work out any imperfections and prepare for second coat of polyurethane.
• Application of the second coat of polyurethane.
• Very fine steel wool application to finalize the look and feel of the bed frame.

Buy rubber gloves (that stain sticks around if you don’t).