# Building a bed frame, what joints do I use for the top?



## Arekwolfe (Oct 21, 2015)

The bottom is most likely going to be carriage bolts through shallow M+T, fastened through the back, and French Cleat for the middle support, but the top is being a pain. I have no idea how to do this where the connecting hardware won't be seen, I'm just going to grind off the lettering on the bolts and paint the heads after. Right now I'm thinking of just mortising in a nut+washer into the vertical part and running a bolt through full-length tenons inside. 

The other idea that I just found is to try this, but will I get the same strength out of it? It's basically a half-lap with a mortise in the cross pieces to fit onto the vertical tenon.









The top does need to be load bearing, since I don't have much room here for an actual home gym I bought the TRX system, which is basically some tow straps, but I want to use the frame as an anchor point for that. The middle piece I run into the same issue, maybe half-lap the whole thing and chisel out a vertical tenon again?


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

Going to have to be very beefy to use it for TRX. A lot of load put on it in different directions, personally I wouldn't do it. you are better off putting an eye bolt in the wall or ceiling.

(I do a lot of TRX work...)


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## Parabola (Feb 12, 2015)

Is it a criteria esthetically or functionally to use hardware for the top assembly? I don't understand why you can't tenon the horizontal supports into mortises of the vertical beam.


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## Arekwolfe (Oct 21, 2015)

Parabola said:


> Is it a criteria esthetically or functionally to use hardware for the top assembly? I don't understand why you can't tenon the horizontal supports into mortises of the vertical beam.


Function, M+T is the idea now, but the issue is with keeping them in there


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## Parabola (Feb 12, 2015)

Are you unwilling to use glue?


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## Arekwolfe (Oct 21, 2015)

Parabola said:


> Are you unwilling to use glue?


I want to be able to take it apart to move it, so the least amount of gluing would be best


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

Buy all your bed frame hardware from Lee Valley. They have quite a selection of non-squeaky and very, very tight corners.


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## Arekwolfe (Oct 21, 2015)

shoot summ said:


> Going to have to be very beefy to use it for TRX. A lot of load put on it in different directions, personally I wouldn't do it. you are better off putting an eye bolt in the wall or ceiling.
> 
> (I do a lot of TRX work...)


What if I add angled supports to the sides of all four posts? I can just tenon them in and pin them with dowels I think.


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

Arekwolfe said:


> What if I add angled supports to the sides of all four posts? I can just tenon them in and pin them with dowels I think.


I work at a gym that has a heavy metal A-Frame for TRX work. Certain moves I can easily move it around. Same thing, or worse will happen with your bed in addition to the load you will be placing on the cross pieces, and the transfer of the load to the uprights. It just isn't the right thing to use for TRX IMO.


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

shoot summ said:


> I work at a gym that has a heavy metal A-Frame for TRX work. Certain moves I can easily move it around. Same thing, or worse will happen with your bed in addition to the load you will be placing on the cross pieces, and the transfer of the load to the uprights. It just isn't the right thing to use for TRX IMO.


Meant to say "work out" at a gym...

You should check out TRX exercises, many of them require you to be directly under the sling attachment. Won't be able to do that with your setup. Many others put diagonal pull on the attachment point. Going to take some solid joints to not loosen up under repetitive diagonal pull like that.

Are you sure you are going to use the straps for TRX? :laughing:


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

You said you plan to use lag screws for the bottom. I would use large lag screws for the top also. Lag screws can be removed to take the bed apart. 
A long lag screw will be strong and offer what you need.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I would go with proper bed rail hardware, it is a sure way of locking the rails to the posts. For the top you could go with a tendon on the top of the post and half lap the the two rails:


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