Characteristics of beds with drawers, manufacturing and assembly features

When your closets are overflowing and you're running out of space in your garage, it's time to look under the bed. More specifically, make a bed with storage drawers ! The idea of ​​under-bed storage is not only smart but also economical. It’s reasonable because so much free space shouldn’t be wasted, and it’s economical because you can make a bed with storage or just separate storage boxes under the bed with your own hands.

The article presents 20 excellent examples. These beds with storage DIY. If you like the ideas, you can choose the appropriate option for your bedroom. Also check out 8 examples of how to make under bed storage boxes . All examples with a brief description, step-by-step photos and a link to the site where you can read detailed instructions.

Installation of bed drawers

Drawing of a children's bed-podium.

You must first install a wooden beam around the perimeter of the podium. For fastening from above, boards are used, their thickness is 22 mm. Such boards act as outer panels and crossbars for the bed. For internal parts, it is better to use chipboard sheets rather than boards.

The assembly of the frame, which will be used to install the mattress, is carried out first by installing 47 * 27 mm bars. They are mounted in a horizontal position. Special support bars are already placed on top of them. When installing, it must be taken into account that the load must be distributed evenly. 2 bars must be placed at the edges and 1 in the center; they must be secured with self-tapping screws.

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For the walls under the drawers, you need to use boards, their thickness is 16 mm. For the bottom, plywood is used, the thickness of which is 10 mm. The boxes must be made in such a way that they completely occupy the entire space under the podium and leave no gaps or voids.

Assembling the drawers for drawers is done as follows:

1. First you need to assemble the side and rear walls, for which glue, wooden dowels and screws are used. At the lower inner edge it is necessary to make special grooves with a thickness equal to the thickness of the bottom plywood. The cuts are not made completely, but so that the bottom does not fall out during use. If it is not possible to choose such grooves, then the bottom can simply be nailed to the walls and back using furniture nails, and further strengthened with screws.
2. After this, the facades are attached, to which handles are screwed on the outside for opening the drawers.
3. If guides for movement are used, then it is necessary to immediately fasten one part of them to the side walls of the boxes, and the second to the inside of the podium frame.
4. After assembly, you need to check the reliability of all fasteners.

Retractable system

Assembly diagram for a double bed with drawers.

Drawers for a future bed require the creation of a special system. To do this, you can use guides and furniture rollers. The guides are attached to the inner sides of the bed podium; they will allow the drawers to move smoothly and not move to the sides. Rollers must be chosen of a type so that they do not scratch the floor covering. There are a number of such structures, most often they are coated with rubber, but you can also find special plastic ones that will be durable and have a high level of strength. It is necessary to provide for the presence of such a system at the planning stage; it will make the use of the bed more convenient.

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When the work on constructing the bed structure is completed, you can decorate its outside with special furniture upholstery fabric. This is done quite simply. The fabric itself is attached to the surface using staples; the cuts must be hidden inside, having previously been treated with an overlocker so that they do not fall off. During stretching, make sure that no folds or bubbles remain on the surface; this work is best done by two people.

A bed that has drawers is not only attractive, but also functional. The drawers are installed below, they are literally built into the podium and are completely invisible from the outside. If necessary, they extend out, you can put bed linen, pillows, etc. in them, and then push them back into place. Making a single bed with your own hands is not so difficult; you just need to draw up a sketch of how it will look and a drawing with an assembly diagram.

Design options

Diagram of a drawer under the bed.

Having decided to use the space under the bed to arrange drawers with bedding, it is necessary to resolve the issue of their design. Drawers can be retractable, with rollers attached to the bottom. This design is simple to implement and does not require major modifications to the bed itself.

But there is one drawback - the need to create free space near the bed for moving drawers, and this is not always possible to do without making revolutionary rearrangements in the entire bedroom.

There is a design option where access to the free space under the bed can be obtained by lifting the very base of the bed on which the mattress lies on special brackets.

But a complication arises again - each time to get the bed it is necessary to remove the bedspread, then the mattress, and sometimes one of the family members. Although modern mattresses are not heavy, this is a clear inconvenience.

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In addition, lifting the base every day can cause rapid wear and tear on the bed frame. Beds themselves are static furniture and are not intended to be moved frequently. Attaching the brackets for the lifting mechanism will also require strengthening the entire structure of the sleeping bed.

Most furniture makers give a clear preference to the option when the drawers are pulled out. This design practically does not affect the bed itself and requires minimal alteration of the frame. The manufacture of beds with sliding panels does not cause any difficulties and does not require the use of complex mechanisms, for example, microlifts, to smoothly raise and lower the bed.

Bed models for the bedroom

How to make a bed with drawers, which model to choose? There are many options for single beds, the selection depends on the overall design of the room, its purpose, the availability of free space not only for the bed itself, but also for the drawers that will be pulled out. A free space equal to the length of the drawer is required.

The best option is to use a design with a podium, in which all the drawers will be located at the bottom, i.e. near the floor. But if space allows, then the drawers can be mounted on the side of the bed. This option is more suitable for a children's room.

Sometimes a tabletop is built above the drawers, on which you can place a small lamp and books.

Drawing of a bed with drawers.

To make a bed with drawers, you need to prepare the following materials and tools:

• wooden boards for the bed frame and drawers;
• chipboard slabs for flooring under the mattress;
• plywood for lining the frame, for the bottom of future boxes;
• wooden beam;
• beams and wooden posts for the bed frame;
• drill and screwdriver for assembly;
• jigsaw;
• metal ruler, simple pencil;
• hammer;
• furniture nails, screws, wood screws;
• roulette;
• crosshead screwdriver;
• construction stapler;
• special upholstery fabric;
• handles for drawers;
• guides, rollers for drawers.

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Selection of material and preparation for work

Assembly diagram for a bed with drawers.

The selection and calculation of the required amount of material for a pull-out bed will be based on its functionality and further decorative design. Regardless of the chosen type of retractable bed, the frame is made of wooden beams with a thickness of 27x27 mm for supports for the mattress and transverse side slats.

The width of such a frame directly depends on the size of the room in which the bed will be placed. The height of the frame is 5 cm higher than the mattress. The further set of building materials depends on the type of bed being created: it will be a built-in pull-out bed structure or a simply laid mattress. The proposed design of a retractable bed can be a ready-made model or made independently.

The base of the bed with drawers is made of wooden beams, the cross-section of which is determined by the characteristics (dimensions) of the product itself and the degree of expected load (weight of the user or users). The frame of the product is sheathed with plywood with a thickness of 12 mm and covered with decorative material. The material should be beautiful, practical and fit harmoniously into the overall interior of the room.

The choice of material to be used as a covering depends on your individual preferences and the interior of the room. You need to think carefully before you finally decide on the choice of material: a do-it-yourself podium bed will occupy a prominent place in your room and largely shape the style of the room. This can be laminated chipboard, decorative panels, carpet or some other covering.

Drawer assembly diagram.

Next, we will consider one of the most popular materials - a podium bed with drawers covered with carpet. Prepare the tools and materials needed for work:

• screwdriver/electric drill;
• hammer;
• jigsaw;
• Phillips screwdriver;
• self-tapping screws;
• ruler;
• roulette;
• pencil;
• construction stapler;
• plywood 12 mm thick;
• wooden beam;
• carpet (if you decide to use it to cover the podium);
• brush, paint roller and paint (if you decide to just paint the podium).

Before you begin, you need to make sure that there is enough space in the room to install a pull-out bed. At first glance, podium beds appear smaller than traditional beds with legs, but in reality they take up a little more space. If everything is in order with the free space, then you should make a final calculation of measurements and draw up a simple drawing or a whole design project for the future product. After this, you can start working directly.