Build in Child's Bed with Drawers

[Neil Swann]

Hi All,
I have agreed to build a bed for my 4 1/2 year old grand daughter. My son's family have just moved into a house with a small third bedroom. The bedroom is also compromised by a boxed in area above the stairs. To try and make the most of the space I was asked to build a bed to include the boxed area and fit drawers under the bed. My thoughts are to build two basic boxes to fit in the gap probably on a small plinth screwed to each other and battens on the wall and to the already fitted box. Trim out the top for the mattress and fitted two drawers in each box on runners. 19mm MRMDF for the boxes using pocket hole screws and 19mm ply for the drawers. The boxes with be approx 600 x 600 x 915 the current box is 600 x 605 x 915. The room is 2m long and I have only 935mm depth before the radiatator pipe.
This one like jumping on her bed but I think the bed would be strong enough. Finish will be white gloss. Any comments or advice welcome. Thanks
Neil

 

[Beanwood]

What a great project!

Can I state the obvious - make sure that a standard mattress works with your dimensions.

 

[Racers]

I made pullout draws to go under my sons beds, the first ones had external wheels but they can catch on each other, the later ones I put the wheels inside the draw protuding through holes in the bottom and covered inside the draw, I used disks of MDF for the wheels in the later ones and rope handles.
They worked very well just made fron cheap 1/2" ply screws and glue.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

Sounds like a great project, with some time pressure!
If you are in reach of an Ikea, I recommend their sets of slats for home made beds. You can buy them on their own without buying a bed, they have a built in upwards curve of just the right size and they are cheaper than buying the raw materials yourself.

 

[Neil Swann]

Time pressure mmm. Currently recovering from eye surgery for detached retina and advised family that I was not comfortable using spinning sharp blades with a lack of perspective due to only one eye working properly. After posting I get a message that it is now a priority. So the pleasant in your own time project is now a joint venture with my son. We will see what happens. We have the slats from a previous bed I was going to repurpose but will probably suffice. IKEA is half hour away. Drawers will be part two as Sunday is the available day this week and I don't expect to complete more than the basic carcass.
Regards
Neil