Preparation of the project and drawing
When choosing a ready-made solution or starting production from scratch, start planning:
- They think over the general design concept : how many people the bed will be designed for, whether there are drawers or niches. When choosing a size, take into account the parameters of the room - there should be enough free space around the furniture.
- A preliminary sketch or drawing is made with the main details: the base box and the frame for the mattress.
- Choose a mattress model . Only after the dimensions have been clarified do we begin designing. Otherwise, after making the bed base, you may not find a mattress of the right size.
- A detailed drawing of the base box, load-bearing frame, headboard and backrest is drawn up, indicating the method of fastening the parts together.
A detailed drawing is necessary to purchase materials and fasteners, as well as to prepare the missing tools.
Features of a bed with a lifting mechanism
Bed with two lifting parts and a drawer for linen
A bed with a lifting mechanism has features that you should pay special attention to when creating a multifunctional product with your own hands:
- dimensions of the planned bed, affecting the strength of the lifting mechanism;
- width of the created object;
- mechanism fixation: horizontal or vertical;
- height, which affects the capacity of the niche;
- legs – furniture products will be with or without legs.
Having familiarized yourself with the features of the product, you can begin making a lifting mechanism for a spacious bed with your own hands.
To increase the strength of a bed with a lifting mechanism, it is necessary to make a steel frame
Materials and tools for work
To assemble a bed with a lifting mechanism, you will need the following tools:
- A circular saw if you need to cut parts along the length. It is difficult, sometimes simply impossible, to make an accurate straight cut with a jigsaw or a hand hacksaw.
- Drill or screwdriver with a set of drills and bits.
- Furniture stapler.
- Fasteners and hardware: angles, self-tapping screws, couplers, confirmats and furniture bolts with nuts and washers.
- Screwdrivers, hexagons.
- Tape measure, long ruler, rule or other object for drawing straight lines.
- Pencil or marker.
Depending on the design of the bed, purchase:
- Wooden blocks for the mattress frame.
- Laminated chipboard or planed boards for the base.
- Chipboard or furniture panels for backs.
- Plywood for the bottom.
- Lifting mechanism.
- Thick fabric for upholstery.
- Furniture edge for chipboard ends.
- Legs, if provided by the design.
Other elements provided by the design may also be needed.
Cutting chipboard into pieces of the required size can be ordered at large building materials stores, and the edges are glued there as well. The same services are provided by furniture workshops that exist in every city. Sometimes finished parts of suitable sizes are sold individually.
The benefits of making it yourself
Making a raised bed with your own hands is advantageous for the following reasons.
- Homemade furniture products are reliable and durable.
- The material for furniture is chosen at the discretion of the master, in accordance with the interior of the bedroom.
- The ability to manufacture an item of the desired size to fit into the interior of the room.
- A piece of furniture is made according to the wishes and preferences of the owner.
Before you start creating a lift-up bed, you need to decide on the appearance, configuration and frame of the desired product.
Double bed made of furniture panels with a lifting mechanism
Manufacturing stages
Assemble the base frame to which the lifting mechanism, supports for the base of the mattress, headboard and lower back will be attached. Next, a folding base is made and the lifting mechanism is attached. After adjustment, the structural parts are finished.
Andrey Peregubsky
Furniture handyman
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If you have doubts about the correctness of the calculations, then you should start assembling with the lifting base of the mattress and, based on the resulting result, mark and assemble the bed frame.
Frame
The base is made of wood or chipboard. For installation, provide legs or support on side parts.
Manufacturing procedure:
- Prepare the sides of the base, attach legs or gaskets to them.
- On the inside, stops are installed for the movable base of the mattress. The stops are made in the form of jumpers or longitudinal linings on the sidewall.
- The side panels are connected to the headboard and lower backrest. For fastening, furniture corners, self-tapping screws or confirmats (Euroscrews) are used.
- Turn the resulting frame over and screw on the plywood bottom. It is not advisable to use fiberboard; over time, the edges will collapse and the bottom will be squeezed out.
The final finishing of the sidewalls is best done after adjusting the lifting mechanism.
Lifting base
The lifting base can be purchased assembled or made independently from wood; planed timber with a section of 50x50 mm and a board 25x100 mm, plywood are used.
It is important to take into account that the lifting part of the structure must be 1 cm narrower and shorter than the base box, so that it falls into place when lowered without friction on the sidewalls.
Operating procedure:
- The beam is sawed off to the required length: two longitudinal and two transverse.
- The parts are connected into a single structure using furniture corners and self-tapping screws.
- The top is fastened with plywood or cross boards.
Check the correctness of manufacture by attaching the lifting base to the lower frame.
Installation of the mechanism
The lifting mechanism takes on heavy loads when lifting the mattress, so it is important to choose the right installation location and fastening method.
Single and one-and-a-half-size mattresses can be raised to the headboard. Wide, double models are better along the sidewall, this reduces the load.
Due to the heavy load, the mechanism cannot be installed on self-tapping screws. Be sure to drill a through hole in the longitudinal bar and mount the lift with a bolt, washer and nut. The base of the mattress is secured in the same way.
To hide the head of the bolt, you can use an additional strip mounted parallel to the end one.
Another option is to hide the bolt with sheathing so that it does not turn when the nut is unscrewed; they use furniture bolts with a boss on the rod that fits into the through hole.
The installation diagram of the mechanism is necessarily indicated in the instructions, and the dimensions of the indents for drilling holes are also given there.
Before screwing the lifting mechanism, it is advisable to experiment with unfolding the part, making sure that the mattress will be raised to the desired height. At the same time, make sure that there is enough space left for the slight rise of the mattress, which is necessary to unlock the locking mechanism.
Step-by-step instruction
We will make a children's bed from natural boards; the lifting mechanism is attached to the headboard and footboard and ensures the side tilting of the mattress. It is much easier for children to use such a device; we have already talked about its advantages. The dimensions of the parts are not given intentionally; let everyone make according to their own sketch. The main thing is to understand the technology; everyone can use roulette.
Drawing a bed drawing
Preparing the bed parts
Step 1. Prepare the panels for making the backs and sides. The boards must be smooth and passed through a double-sided thicknesser; it will make the surfaces smooth and even out the thickness of the lumber. Spread the boards with glue and press them tightly with clamps. Leave the glue in this position for about a day to dry. The last operation is grinding the surfaces. This is much easier to do with special electric grinders.
The boards are glued together into panels and clamped with clamps until dry.
Step 2. Prepare bars for the legs and supports of the movable element of the mattress, suitable with dimensions of 30x40 mm. The surfaces must also be sanded; before this, the lumber is passed through a surface planer.
Bars for legs and shields must be sanded smooth
Step 3. Draw a sketch of the back, if you don’t like it, consider several options. Transfer the drawing to the furniture board, check all the dimensions again. Cut out the outline with an electric jigsaw
Make sure that the saw is sharp and does not leave burrs on the back of the furniture panel. They then need to be removed, and this will take a lot of time.
In addition, marks may be left on the front surface.
Transfer the sketch to the boards
Sand the edges and go through with a hand router. Choose the cutter profile at your discretion.
The edges of the workpieces are processed with a milling cutter
Prices for a linear series of milling cutters
Fraser
Step 4: Place decorative sticks between the two back pieces. The parts must be cut from a 20x20 mm block, the connection is made with Ø 10 mm dowels. Place the elements precisely; they must be completely symmetrical both with respect to the axis of the backrest and on the backrest and headboard.
Decorative elements are attached using dowels
The dowels must be strong; great forces are exerted on the nodes. Be sure to lubricate dowels and holes with wood glue.
Step 5. Prepare two sides of the bed according to the dimensions. They are easy to make; cut them from previously prepared furniture panels. All corners must also be rounded and surfaces sanded.
Two sides of the bed are made from boards
Step 6. Cover the bed parts on both sides with a special protective and decorative agent. It is odorless, does not cause allergic reactions and at the same time reliably protects the wood from pests, mold and gives a very interesting shade. You need to apply two layers, the first is almost completely absorbed, the surface is matte. The second one already remains on the surface of the parts and gives them shine.
All parts of the future bed are covered with a protective and decorative composition
The bed elements are ready, you can begin installation.
Frame assembly
The work is easier to do with the help of metal corners; they are bought at a furniture store at the same time as the lifting mechanism. You already know the quantity and range of fasteners and the optimal type of lift.
Step 1. Step back 10 cm from the top edge of the sidewalls. Our crate for the mattress will be made from bars 5 cm thick; the mattress is recessed by this amount. The rest of it rises above the frame. Make markings for the metal corners. Take your time, check the correct placement of the fasteners several times.
Perform markings for corners
Step 2. Attach the corners to the two sides.
Screw the corners with self-tapping screws to the sides
Step 3. Place the sides on the stands and screw them to the headboard and footboard.
Connect the corners of the side panels with the headboard and footboard
Step 4: Make the bottom of the bed. You can use 20x30 mm slats; you need three in total: two on the sides and one in the middle. The bottom is covered with thin slats.
The bottom is made of longitudinal bars and thin crossbars
Prices for cordless drill/driver
Cordless drill/driver
Step 5. Make a frame for the mattress. The bars are suitable, the length depends on the size of the bed.
The base for the mattress is made directly into the bed frame
Step 6. Attach the lifting mechanisms to the grille and backrests. Adjust their position and check functionality.
Screw lifting mechanisms to the sidewalls
When choosing a lift, remember that your mattress rises to the side. This means that the effort is reduced by about half. The specific value depends on the ratio of the length of the bed to its width.
Installing a gas lift on a bed
Varieties
A lifting structure is most often used due to the lack of living space. This makes it easy to transform one piece of furniture into another.
Gas shock absorbers
They independently lift the bed and take on the load. The best solution for a teenager or woman.
The shock absorber consists of a cylinder filled with nitrogen under pressure
In addition, the system is equipped with a shock absorber and a piston. For normal operation of the shock absorber, it also includes metal plates, shafts and a lift on the gas system.
However, not everyone can afford it due to the high cost.
The elevator is the most convenient and adapted
Spring mechanism
A spring system is used to lift the bed. Thanks to it, a person will need to spend less effort to set the furniture in motion.
Heavy-duty springs wear out quickly and require replacement
Lifting mechanism on hinges
The bed is operated by conventional hinges. The bed has an acceptable cost, which is combined with a high degree of reliability.
Transformation is produced by the force that a person applies
