The blog favorite Farmhouse Bed, now in California King! This bed plan is a must read, as the construction is a tad different to accommodate no 4x4 posts and an easier method of joining the siderails with the headboard. Special thanks to JME Blog for their marvelous photos!
Preparation
9 – 1×8 boards, 8′ Long
1 – 1×3 board, 8′ Long
2 – 2×6 board, 8′ Long or Stud Length (doesn’t matter)
13 – 2×4 boards, 8′ Long or Stud Length (doesn’t matter, you may need more or less depending on if you have a box spring or not)
3″ self tapping wood screws
2 1/2″ self tapping wood screws
2″ self tapping wood screws
1 1/4″ nails for a brad nailer
Headboard
- 4 – 1×4 @ 72 1/2″ (Panel Trim)
- 2 – 1×3 @ 30″ (Ends of the Panel)
- 9 – 1×8 @ 30″ (Main boards in the Panel)
- 2 – 2×4 @ 34 1/2″ (Inner Leg for Headboard)
- 2 – 2×4 @ 54″ (Outer Leg for Headboard)
- 1 – 2×4 @ 78 1/2″ (Top of Legs and Panel for Headboard)
- 1 – 2×6 @ 80 1/2″ (Top of Headboard)
- 2 – 2×4 @ 10″ (Bottom Leg Piece for Headboard)
Footboard
- 4 – 1×4 @ 72 1/2″ (Panel Trim)
- 2 – 1×3 @ 15″ (Ends of Panel)
- 9 – 1×8 @ 15″ (Main Boards in the Panel)
- 4 – 2×4 @ 21″ (Legs)
- 1 – 2×4 @ 78 1/2″ (Top of Legs and Panel for Headboard)
- 1 – 1×6 @ 80 1/2″ (Top of Headboard)
Siderails and Frame
- 2 – 2×10 @ 87 1/2″ (Siderails)
- 2 – 2×4 @ 88 1/2″ (Side Cleats)
- 8 – 2×4 @ 69 1/2″ (Joists, you can use less if you have a box spring, may need more if your mattress is flimsy or you choose not to add plywood to top)
- Optional plywood on top of joists
Instructions
Step 1
Front of Headboard Panel. Lay out the panel pieces on a clean level surface. Take a measurement of the total length and cut your trim boards to this measurement (approximately 78 1/2″). Then fasten the trim pieces to the panel as shown above. Use the 1 1/4″ nails and glue. Attach from the back to hide your nail holes.
Step 2
Back of Headboard Panel. In the same manner as step 1, fasten the back trim pieces to the headboard. This is shown above. Use glue and 2″ nails. This will be the back of the headboard, as your nail holes are showing.
Step 3
Inner Leg. Predrill and countersink your screws, attaching the inner leg to the headboard panel as shown above. Use glue and the 3″ screws.
Step 4
Outer Leg. Fasten the outer leg to the inner leg, using the 3″ screws and glue. Again, use the countersink bit. Keep top and outside edges flush.
Step 5
Step 6
Bottom Leg Piece for Headboard. Use the 2″ screws and glue to attach the bottom leg piece. Countersink your screws. You may need to shorten or lengthen the bottom leg piece, depending on the thickness of your side rails. Take a measurement of your side rails before cutting this piece.
Step 7
Footboard. Except for the changes in the legs as shown above, the footboard will be assembled just like the headboard. The footboard leg pieces are identical in size and there is not bottom leg piece.
Step 8
Siderails and Frame. Begin by building the frame using 3″ screws and glue. The above joists are shown spaced every 12″. You may need to add more if you are not using a box spring (standard maximum slat spacings is 6″), and you could possibly get away with less if you have a good box spring. Remember, king beds often have 2 box springs.
After you have built the frame, attach the side rails to the frame. Keep the front edges flush. The bottom edge of the frame will overhang the siderails by 5/8″. Please note that you can adjust the height of the frame to suit your needs, higher for no boxspring, lower to accomodate a box spring.
Step 9
Attaching the siderails to the Headboard. You will only need a few screws on each side rail to attach the siderails to the frame because the bottom leg piece holds the weight. Predrill and countersink your screws, using 2 1/2″ screws. Do not use glue here.
Step 10
Attaching to the Footboard. Fasten the bottom frame joists directly to the footboard panel as shown here. Use the 2″ screws, but no glue.
Comments
Gwenevere (not verified)
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 00:53
Yeah, I knew I would find the
Yeah, I knew I would find the modification I was looking for. It's not that I didn't believe you when you said your bed was fine without a center support, it's just that I was fairly confident that with my luck, the bed I make wouldn't be. Thanks for the tip
Ariel Blayney (not verified)
Fri, 11/05/2010 - 07:06
Hey I really would like to
Hey I really would like to make this bed in a regular king size and not a califonia king. Any plans for that? I need the demensions and a list of what I need because this is the first thing I am going to be making. Can you help me out?
Ariel
Tsu Dho Nimh (not verified)
Sat, 11/20/2010 - 05:52
Ariel - If by "first thing".
Ariel - If by "first thing". you mean that you have never done a woodworking project, work your way up to the bed. Make a couple of the $10 ledges, and some crates first, to get used to making square cuts, drilling, countersinking and the rest. These plans are simple, but the cuts and alignment has to be very precise.
http://ana-white.com/2010/01/plans-how-to-modify-farmhouse-bed-to_09.ht… has plans for a standard king.
Farmhouse Bed … (not verified)
Sat, 12/04/2010 - 18:50
[...] King size mattress? Ana
[...] King size mattress? Ana White provides the plans and all you need to know to be successful here Many of her readers have used her plans to build their projects The photo’s of their finished [...]
Valerie (not verified)
Fri, 02/18/2011 - 12:49
Wow! I'm really excited about
Wow! I'm really excited about this! I can't wait for my husband to get home so I can show him what he's building this weekend! LOL
stephd
Sun, 03/20/2011 - 21:30
(No subject)
Bryan Feil (not verified)
Fri, 04/08/2011 - 23:35
needed updated supplies
really excited to build this bed for my wifes birthday, however, i just bought the wood that is listed at the top and began to build and then realized that i needed a lot more wood that what was said at the top, such as 1x4s, 2x8s and 2x10s. Ended up being a lot more money that i thought.
lollypoppy
Tue, 05/03/2011 - 21:32
Supply list missing items?
I'm going to be getting my lumber for this project and see that 2-2x10 & 4-1x4 are missing from the shopping list...but I didn't see any 2x8 like Bryan says. Am I missing something?
I'm so excited to work on a large project like this since my $10 ledges were such a success :) Thank you Anna!!
~Krista
Guest (not verified)
Sat, 05/14/2011 - 14:28
So excited!
I finally went and bought the wood for the side rails and frame. I finished the head and foot boards months ago. Just haven't gotten back to it. I can't wait for my husband to get home from Afghanistan and see what I built for him.
Guest (not verified)
Tue, 05/24/2011 - 10:30
Missing Shopping List items
I too, have noticed that the 2-2x10's and 8-1x4's are not on the shopping list. Can anyone else confirm this? I am about to start building this, bought my wood and was going back through the plans and noticed this. I just finished my Cabin Collection nightstands and they turned out great! My wife is anxious to get the bed done and in the room!