Build a bed with limited tools and limited space
I frequently get requests from viewers who live in apartments or other small spaces and want to make stuff with a limited assortment of portable power tools. I built this twin bed in my driveway using a circular saw, a drill, and a few other inexpensive accessories.
This bed is sturdy and surprisingly simple to make. You can easily build it in a weekend. (Note: my plans are designed for a twin XL sized mattress.)
Tools I used:
Cutting the lumber
Start by cutting all the 2x4s to their final lengths. Use a speed square to get square cuts. I like to cut off a little from the factory cut ends to make sure they are square.
Adjust your saw to cut halfway through the thickness of a 2×4 and make a series of cuts, creating a half-lap joint.
Line up the boards for the headboard and footboard on their edges, clamp them together, and make another series of notches. This time, set your saw to cut the full thickness of a 2×4.
Next, glue and screw all the half lap joints together. I used two screws on each side of the joint.
Here I’m gluing and screwing furring strips on the inside of the headboard and footboard “frames”. I held them flush with one face by raising them with a scrap of wood while drilling the screws in place.
The wider furring strips drop onto that ledge and get screwed into place.
I screwed the bedframe together and attached furring strips along the sides to hold the mattress slats.
Assembly
Inside the bedroom, I attached the headboard and footboard to the frame by sliding them together in the notches and securing them with lag screws.
I spaced the slats apart somewhat equally and held them in place with a single screw on each end.
And finally dropped my Casper Mattress into place.
