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DIY Platform Bed with Storage

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How to build a DIY platform bed frame with storage and wheels for our guest bedroom.

We’re finally done with our DIY platform bed with storage that we started a bajillion years ago.

The new full size bed is a perfect fit in this small guest bedroom and offers so much more than sleeping space.

It also has tons of storage and wheels, so I can easily move it away from the wall to make it.

I have to give major props to my mister because he did most of the building on this one.

I designed the bed and primed and painted it, but he did all the heavy lifting.

A bedroom with a platform bed

If you are new here, we have been busy redoing our 2nd guest bedroom the last several months.

I’ve installed a planked wall, made a light fixture, added crown molding and painted the ceiling, trim and walls. 

This is a small room, and a walk through from the kitchen to the back of the house, so a traditional full-sized bed wouldn’t work.

We had a futon in here that we used in Florida for a similar type room but I’ve always hated the look of it so I asked Roger if we could build a full size platform bed frame.

futon in small bedroom

The original plan was to build a single sized bed. After some consideration, we realized that a single bed just wouldn’t be practical.

Our girls come home to visit a few times a year, with their significant others, and a single bed just wouldn’t cut it.

Because of this we decided to build a platform bed frame with storage and use our futon mattress (which is actually a good and really comfortable mattress).

What is the best wood to use for a platform bed?

It depends on the finish of your bed. If you want to have a wood look, you need to use a solid and sturdy wood, like maple, walnut or oak.

If you’re looking for a painted finish you could use something like MDF, which is cheaper than a hardwood.

After looking at all the options for wood at the home improvement store, we decided to use MDF (medium density fiberboard) to keep costs down.

At around $31 a sheet, we bought 4 sheets, which was a lot less than the price of real wood.

Because I painted it, real wood would have just been a waste of money.

wood supplies for DIY platform bed

Building a DIY storage bed frame

I went with a simple design, just a platform bed with storage underneath and wheels. 

Essentially it’s just 2 big wooden boxes screwed together. 

The plan was to the bed frame in 2 parts (boxes). This made it much easier to take in the house (MDF is a very heavy wood).

DIY platform bed for a guest bedroom

We stuck to a simple design but I changed the design plan a bit in the middle of the build.

I decided to use wood to frame out the one end of the bed frame to add a little dimension.

Still simple but it adds a bit of interest.

We also attached pieces of wood inside the boxes for extra support to keep the wood from warping under pressure of body weight.

Wood glue and screws were used to make sure everything was secure.

DIY platform bed for a guest bedroom

The wheels (casters) were the last things that we attached.

We used 6 wheels total, 3 lock and 3 do not.

I won’t be able to lock the ones in the back, against the wall, so there was no point in spending the extra bucks for locking wheels.

adding wheels to a DIY platform bed for a guest bedroom

The circled wood pieces on the bottom of the one box are the supports to hold up the middle of the bed frame so it doesn’t sag.

DIY platform bed | www.chatfieldcourt.com

Done with the assembly and ready for primer and paint, which was my job. I filled all of the screw holes and seams with caulk.

DIY platform bed with storage and wheels

Then I sanded, primed and painted it with 3 coats of Benjamin Moore Advance White Dove, Satin.

Best paint ever!

With the painting done, we put back the mattress from our old futon. 

To keep the futon mattress from sliding around, I used a rug pad under it. Worked like a charm.

Then we added a new white mattress cover, a few pretty pillows and a fluffy throw to complete the bed.

A bedroom with a platform bed

We really needed storage solutions so I found a couple of large baskets in the perfect size and put them in the bed boxes.  

platform bed storage baskets

Now we’re ready for guests!

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Edited: I’ve been getting a ton of comments and emails from people asking for the dimensions of our DIY platform bed frame with storage. We custom made the bed to specifically fit our full-size futon mattress (which is a standard size).

The bed is 55″ wide and it is 76″ long (with each box measuring 38″) and it is 14 1/2″ from the wheels to the top of the bed (height).

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, feel free to send me an email or comment on this post.