How we built our Wall Bed for under $150
yourmodernfamily.com – Becky Mansfield
Disclaimer: This is just how WE did it. We are not saying that this is how YOU need to do it. ☺ We are not
carpenters or contractors.
Materials list Quantity Approximate price (Prices will vary depending on the State and choice)
Door hinges 3 ½ “ – 3 @ $2.38 each = $7.14
½ inch plywood 4X8 1 @ $27.00 ea. = $54.00
Beadboard or paneling 4X8 sheet 2 @ $13.75 ea. = $27.50
Lumber 2X3X8 3 @$2.25 ea. = $6.75
Lumber 2X4X8 5 @ $2.24 ea. (varies based on your design) =$11.20
Lumber 1X6X8 4 @ $4.97 ea. =$19.88
Wood screws 1 1/2” 1 box @$8.00/box
Wood screws 3” 1 box @ $8.00/box
Bolts 3/8”X 6” 4 @ $1.00 ea. = $4.00
Flat washers 3/8” – 6 @ $0.20 ea. = $1.20
Small gate house type door hinges 2 (optional for swing door) @ $2.00/pair
TOTAL (less paint and trim) about
$149.67
Basic information:
a basic twin bed is 54” X 75”
a basic queen bed it 60” X 80”
average bed height to top of mattress is 25”
Illustrations are not to scale.
Total time 2 of us worked on it and it took about ½ a day not counting painting and trim installation.
**Caution There are no springloaded hinges. Depending on mattress and bedding, this bed can
get heavy to operate! Try it with a second person.
How we built it:
Note: For our purposes we used a queen mattress
Bed frame
1. Measure mattress length and width (Using a queen mattress it was 60” X 80”)
2. Add 2” to each measurement. This will allow space for the side boards (1X6’s) later on in the build.
3. Cut the plywood to determined length and width
a. Example” Mattress is 60”X 80” cut plywood to 62” X 82”. (EXAMPLE 1)
b. TIP: have your hardware store cut your dimensions for you. The cuts will be straight and precise.
4. Measure and cut the 2X3’s to form a perimeter around the cut plywood. (EXAMPLE 2)
5. Cut another 2X3’s to span the length of the plywood.
a. NOTE: It should cover the seam of the two pieces of plywood. (EXAMPLE 2)
6. Next, secure the 2X3’s with 1 ½” screws 1 screw approximately every foot screwing through the plywood
into the 2X3. Screw heads are on the plywood side. (This will require the 2X3’s to be on the floor or the
ground 1st, and then lay the sheets of cut plywood on top). For extra strength, you may use wood glue or
Liquid Nails in addition to the screws. Install the 2X3’s to the edge of the cut plywood as seen in Example
2 The 2X3’s will serve as the supports for the mattress later on.
7. Screw the 2X3’s together where they join each other (corners and intersections). Use 3” screws. Again
wood glue or Liquid Nails is optional. (EXAMPLE 3)
8. On the opposite side of the plywood, install 1X6”s (cut to fit) around the perimeter only. The 1X6’s will
keep the mattress from sliding off the plywood once installed and add strength. Use 3” screws about every
1’ but stagger from screws on other side. The screws are first installed through the 1X6, then through the
2X3’s. Glue can be added for strength. (EXAMPLE 4)
9. Attach hinges to end of bed 1 in the center and 2 about 6” in from the end of the frame. Attach so that the
hinged end on the plywood side. (EXAMPLE 5)
10. Cut legs to desired length using 2X3’s keeping in mind that a typical bed from the floor to the top of the
mattress is about 25”. You will first drill a 3/16” hole approximately 2 inches down on one side of the
2X3. Repeat for the second leg. Next, drill one 3/16” hole on each side of the foot side of the bed frame
about 8” in from the side of the bed and centered in the 2X3 (EXAMPLE 6). It’s easiest to mount the legs
on the outside of the 2X3 bed frame. Install a washer on the bolt, slide the bolt through the leg and
mounting frame, then install a washer on the back side (inside) then install a nut. Tighten the nut only
finger tight (This will allow for the leg to swing in and out).. Then install a second nut and tighten it
against the first nut. This serves as a jam nut. The leg should be able to move freely but the 2 nuts jammed
together prevent the leg from coming loose. This will allow the legs to drop when you lower the bed.
Wall frame:
NOTE: The wall frame will need to be about 12 inches from the existing wall to allow for
mattress depth along with blankets, bedspread, etc. Check your mattress and allow about
2” plus the mattress thickness. Start by determining what you will want on either side of the
bed. Some ideas include book shelves, closets, or nothing. In the video, we built book
shelves for extra storage.
1. Measure a 2x4 the width of the mattress and add 12”. Again for our bed, it was a queen so we took 60” and
added 12”, for a total of 72”. The extra 12” will account for a 6” clearance on each side of the bed when it
is folded into the wall. You will want to cut two 2X4’s this length. One will be for the top
(headerattached to the ceiling) and the other will be for the base (attached to the floor),
2. When you anchor the 2X4’s to the floor and ceiling, make sure the front (room) edge of the 2X4 about 12”
from the wall (assuming a 10” thick mattress). Attach the 2x4’s using the 3” screws. (EXAMPLE 7)
a. Tip: If you can see nails in the floor the are probably attached to a floor joist, so attach the screws
near them and you should also hit a floor joist. If you have carpet, we suggesting cutting and
removing it so the frame sits directly on the floor. For the ceiling, we hammered finishing nails
into the ceiling to locate the ceiling joists and screwed the 2X4 into the joists. If you don’t hit any
ceiling joists (they may be running the opposite way), we suggest running 3 short lengths (about 8
½ “ long) of 2X4s back and perpendicular to the wall along the ceiling and attach these to the
ceiling joists. Then you can then secure the main 2X4 to these 3 short 2X4’s. (EXAMPLE 8)
3. Secure a 2X4 to either side of the top of what will become the bed opening (EXAMPLE 9) floor to ceiling.
The opening should allow 1 inch for bed frame clearance. In our example, the opening width was about
66”.
4. Build a bottom support (EXAMPLE 9) at a height such that the bed will be level when open (side to side
and front to back). This support will be as high from the floor as the leg length from the bottom of the leg
to the bottom of 2X3 bed frame. In other words, the top of the support will be the same height as the part
of the leg sticking below the bed frame when the legs are down.
5. Build a header (EXAMPLE 9) by running a 2X4 across the bed opening. Locate the header so that the
height is the height of the bed frame length plus 2”. This is to allow for the bed frame plus the legs (1 ½ “)
plus 1/2” clearance.
6. You can now mount the bed.
Mounting the bed
1. This will require 2 people. Sit the bed frame into the opening and support it. The hinge is already screwed
to the bed frame from previous step. Put one screw in each hinge and attach to the Bottom Support for a
trial fit. Make sure that the bed is perpendicular to the frame and centered in the opening.
2. Try closing the bed. It should close squarely and evenly. If not, you may have to adjust the hinges by
moving or shimming them. Once adjusted, install all the hinge screws.
3. Securing the bed closed: With the bed in the closed position so that the bed frame is flush with the wall
frame on the outside, drill a 3/16” hole through the (side wall/frame) 2X4 and into the 1X6 bed rail and
2X3 frame post. You will want to locate the hole about headheight for easy installation and removal but so
children can’t reach it. Measure so that the hole is centered in the width of the (frame) 2X3 (this should be
about 1 ¼ “back from the surface of the 2X4 and 2X3).
4. Place a washer on a bolt or All Thread and slide the bolt into the hole so that it passes through the side of
2X4, the 1X6 bed rail and the 2X3 bed frame post. This should hold the bed frame in an upright (closed)
position.
5. Repeat this for the other side. Use bolts or All Thread on each side for security and to help hold the bed
flush to the wall. As seen below, we used 13” of All Thread.
Finishing
1. Finishing is a matter of choice and design. We chose bead board and nailed it to the frame with small
brads. The lighter the better. Then we trimmed it to hide the edge gaps.
Abovebed swing door.
1. For the swing door above the bed, we used a piece of bead board and hinged it from the top.
2. We used 2 small cabinet door hinges 1 on either side.
3. To hold the swing door open and out of the way while opening and closing the bed, we simply took a scrap
piece (about 6” long) of 2X3 and drilled small ¼” hole in it about 2” from 1 end. We then used a 3” screw
to secure this to the top 2X4 secured to the ceiling so that the swing door can swing out on the bottom (see
video).
EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2
EXAMPLE 3
EXAMPLE 4
EXAMPLE 5
EXAMPLE 6
EXAMPLE 7
EXAMPLE 8
EXAMPLE 9
WALL FRAME
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