ShannonT
journeyman
Reged: 10/02/06
Posts: 77
Loc: El Paso, TX
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I am trying to decide how to make a platform with drawers for my King size bed. It doesn't even have to have drawers. Cubbies that I can slide baskets into would be great. I just need the space to store stuff and all the bed frames we have looked at are so close to the floor you can't get your shoes under there. 
All right, back to the platform. Since this platform isn't going to be much more than 10-12" high, could I get away with making the cubbies out of 1"x10" composit pine boards with a MDF cross in the middle like a water bed and 3/4" plywood on top to support the box spring. My concern is that the weight of the bed is nothing like a water bed and the whole thing wouldn't hold together without fasting the plywood some how.
Would it be easier to put drawers in so you could build support framing out of 2x4s and then just put a nice face frame on it like you would a cabinet?
Other ideas? Has anyone ever done this or made a captains bed?
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ShannonT
Fixer of all things broken and some that are not.
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Bob_Fleming
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/28/01
Posts: 23897
Loc: Eagle, CO USA
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If I was going to the trouble of making ANYTHING under a bed, I would do drawers. But drawers are duck soup to me, and may not be to you. Also, drawers may limit you to specific sized items, and that may not be blankets.
Think in terms of a plywood box with a plywood top to support the box springs. The two sides and foot would be face frames. You will need a center support and an easy way to do that is with a vertical partition running from head to foot, and acting as a divider between the compartments on the two sides.
Other considerations: My wife would have a fit if this platform could not be covered with a dust ruffle or the like. You don't necessarily need a lip around the edge of the top to hold the spring in place; that will be a lot of weight and it isn't going anywhere. And when flipping the mattress or something, a lip might fight you.
I would use plywood mostly and hardwood or smooth paintable wood for the face frames. I am not fond of MDF or particleboard.
Also, be kind to your carpet or flooring and put a strong foot around the bottom edge of the sides, top and bottom. Something as simple as a 1x2 glued and screwed to the inside of those pieces would do wonders. If going on a hardwood floor, install rubber or plastic glides every foot or so.
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morrisdancer
"Lunatic"
Reged: 10/27/05
Posts: 7617
Loc: Michigan
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Bob has some great advice there! Just to add a few snippets.
We had a waterbed with a home made frame (we didn't make it). The vertical pieces were 1 by 1 pine and the platform was tongue in groove 3/4 inch pine. Thinking that a box and mattress are lighter than a waterbed, ply would probably be a good idea for the platform.
Cruise through some furniture stores for ideas--I get so much inspiration from them, especially the "high end" furniture stores. Ask to look through their special order books. Pulaski Furniture has a fantastic Special Order book (too expensive to buy, but a bounty of great ideas!)
I'm not carpentry inclined enough to make a drawer, but if you do, I'm thinking to make sure you get the "good rolling glides with ball bearings", it will make a big difference in ease of use. If you decide to go the basket method (which to me, would work great and probably cheaper), make sure you shop carefully for baskets so they'll fit properly under the bed--if you can't fit the baskets end to end under the bed properly, that's ok, a space between baskets is great for rolled up area rugs that you aren't using (and we all have them!)
I'm also thinking that if you make drawers, you might want to skip handles and undercut the backsides of the drawerfronts instead, think a 70's style formica kitchen cabinet. Handles could scrape ankles when getting in and out of bed.
As far as a bedskirt, Bob has a great point that needs discussing, but it is all personal preference. A beautifully finished wood would look as good as a bedskirt. You could even embellish the drawerfronts with trim and make it look modern, antique, whatever. And you won't have the hassle of flipping up the bedskirt everytime you want to open a drawer (I'm a klutz and would manage to get the skirt tangled up when trying to shut the drawers!  with me, it would be "ease of operation").
Ooooh, and as far as the platform, DO sand the top edges round so you don't scrape yourself getting out of bed. The waterbed frame we had had sharp edges and I remember a few scraped calfs!
Liz
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Thanks, Chris and Ernie!
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ShannonT
journeyman
Reged: 10/02/06
Posts: 77
Loc: El Paso, TX
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Quote:
Cruise through some furniture stores for ideas--I get so much inspiration from them, especially the "high end" furniture stores. Ask to look through their special order books. Pulaski Furniture has a fantastic Special Order book (too expensive to buy, but a bounty of great ideas!)
Good advice. I had been shopping to buy, then soccer season started  and I got this crazy idea to save some money and build something myself.
Quote:
I'm not carpentry inclined enough to make a drawer, but if you do, I'm thinking to make sure you get the "good rolling glides with ball bearings", it will make a big difference in ease of use. Definately!
If you decide to go the basket method (which to me, would work great and probably cheaper),...
If I went the basket route, I think I would have to have a lot more wood framing. I was thinking each little cubbie would have to be framed all the way to the other side or at least to the center. You will be able to see all the way around the baskets (I was thinking of skipping the bed skirt) so it would have to be nice looking. I'm affraid this will run into a lot more cost and work.
Quote:
I'm also thinking that if you make drawers, you might want to skip handles and undercut the backsides of the drawerfronts instead, think a 70's style formica kitchen cabinet. Handles could scrape ankles when getting in and out of bed.
I'm thinking that drawers and baskets would both have to be set back at least 4-6 inches from the edge of the mattress just for this reason.
Quote:
Think in terms of a plywood box with a plywood top to support the box springs. The two sides and foot would be face frames. You will need a center support and an easy way to do that is with a vertical partition running from head to foot, and acting as a divider between the compartments on the two sides.
Bob, how would you support the drawers? Would vertical supports at the face frame and at the center support be enough to support drawer slides?
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ShannonT
Fixer of all things broken and some that are not.
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morrisdancer
"Lunatic"
Reged: 10/27/05
Posts: 7617
Loc: Michigan
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Oh, Soccer! Keeps ya busy, don't it? Son played for 6 years and coached for 3
As far as idea shopping goes, feel free to bring paper to make drawings, tape measure to take measurements and even a camera. "High End Interior Designers" do this all the time--just pretend you're one 
Liz
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Thanks, Chris and Ernie!
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Bob_Fleming
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/28/01
Posts: 23897
Loc: Eagle, CO USA
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I would use a full-length center plywood divider for support as well as backstop for drawers. Depending upon the type of drawer, you will want a wood strip on the bottom at each side to act as a runner. If you want to get more fancy - and extravagant - use full extension ball-bearing slides. Or anything in between. Depends also on how much you figure you would be accessing the drawers. Wood runners are not long life items, unless you wax them.
There are many different types of slides and you can see a few of them at a home center. To do some arm-chair designing, go to www.rockler.com and look around. Some of these need only a roller on each side in the front and a guide block in the center in back. Others need full length sides inside the frame to fasten the slides to. When you look at slides, they are usually rated for allowable weight. The center guide types are light weight. They are also rated for the depth of the drawer. And remember, you have to get your hand and a screwdriver way in the back to fasten the rear of a slide. Unless you fasten them with the whole thing set on its side.
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ShannonT
journeyman
Reged: 10/02/06
Posts: 77
Loc: El Paso, TX
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Inspiration
This is my inspiration piece from Pottery Barn. I noticed that it is made of three pieces with baskets and a platform on top. This may be the way to go. The pieces could be made as many baskets (or boxes ) deep as I want. Just make the boxes out of cabinet plywood and put molding on to hide the raw edges.
Made of seperate pieces, they can be taken apart when moving is required. That was one concern - building a monstrosity in my bedroom that couldn't be easily taken apart/moved.  Inspiration
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ShannonT
Fixer of all things broken and some that are not.
Edited by ShannonT (11/08/06 02:42 PM)
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morrisdancer
"Lunatic"
Reged: 10/27/05
Posts: 7617
Loc: Michigan
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Ooooh, that is a pretty bed, Shannon! Doesn't look like it would be too hard to build, either (but whaddaIknow? )
Liz
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Thanks, Chris and Ernie!
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Bob_Fleming
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/28/01
Posts: 23897
Loc: Eagle, CO USA
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Looks like a winner! Made in sections has merit; hadn't thought about that.
I use wood strips to cover plywood edges a lot. What I do is cut thin strips of the same wood as the plywood face, just a little wider than the thickness of the plywood. Trim the plywood pieces to a uniform width, for drawer sides as an example. Glue the strips to the plywood edge and use 1-1/2" masking tape to clamp it on. That width masking tape stretches enough to act as a good clamp. When the glue is dry, I run the pieces through the table saw again to trim the edge strips to a uniform thin thickness. Then sand the edge of the strips to match the plywood face.
If you are going to paint, you can get by using almost any scrap wood for the edge strips, as long as it doesn't have knots.
I prefer this method over using the thin heat sensitive tape or self-stick tape. They tend to peel off if things are not perfect.
BTW that photo looks to me like they didn't use a box spring. That will work as long as the sleeper is not too heavy!
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yardmaster
Pennsylvania Prince
Reged: 09/05/02
Posts: 13810
Loc: http://tinyurl.com/PAOpenCarry
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Just a thought....matter of preference of course...instead of the two baskets at the foot of the bed as pictured...one more on the side, but one that goes all the way thru...for the longer items that stored.
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Tough as toilet paper from the dollar store
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