bed

The largest project I've completed so far is a king size platform bed for my parents. Since my parents live in a very small apartment, every cubic inch of space is precious. They needed a custom sized bed with a lot of storage space. The challenge for me was to come up with a design to meet their needs while making a bed that can be easily broken down for shipping 5000 miles away. Using four full sheets of birch plywood, some poplar wood for trimming, and a bunch of screws, the following is what I came up with for this platform bed giving my parents approximately 60 cubic feet of storage space. The completed bed was finished with a coat of stain and a coat of polyurethane/tung oil for protection. Next, I still have to build a head board.

First order of business - Cutting down the 4x8 birch plywood sheets.

The result of the four 4x8 birch plywood sheets.

First step is to make ten support partitions for the platform bed - this is a typical partition.

A quick fit check of three partitions and upper and lower panels making up two storage bays.

Completion of the first of two platform modules making up the king size bed. Each module will have four storage bays.

Another view of the module. Sixteen upper and lower panels are screwed together to the partitions.

A low angle view.

Inside details of end parition and uper panel.

Two complete modules with trims installed. The upper and lower trims have longitudinal grooves for sliding doors.

Fit check of sliding doors.

Details of a sliding door and track.

Two completed modules with all doors in sliding tracks for fit check.

Details of doors/tracks.

Close-up of doors/tracks.

Fit check of the two modules making up the king size bed.

Checking to make sure all doors work in the up-right position.

Final installation of the two modules after protective coatings. Open space in the middle is for storage of lengthy items.

Details showing sliding doors at the foot end of the platform bed.

Same sliding doors partially open.

Details in the doors.

Side storage bay with door half open.

In the process of breaking down the modules for shiping.

Fully assembled bed at destination.

Side details.

With one side door open.

Another view of a side door open.

Foot-end view.

Foot-end sliding doors.

With one sliding door open.