# Platform Bed with Drawers



## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Hey all,

I didn't want to hijack another poster's platform bed thread so decided to start a new one.

I am going to be building 2 platforms for 2 full size beds. They will both have drawers in them to maximize storage.

I am going to be using 3/4 ply to make the carcasses. My question is about framing. Do I need some sort of a framing structure onto which the 3/4 ply is attached or can I just use the 3/4 ply boxes? My thought it basically to assemble 3 individual boxes which would make up one whole platform (see below). Then I will fasten an appropriately sized sheet of 3/4 on top of everything to tie everything together and to serve as the base for the matress

Will this work?...btw..this is a rough sketch...nont to scale


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

For full size mattress, the size will be 54"x75", which will require more than one sheet of plywood. Looking at your drawing (plan view), figure drawer openings, which require sides (partitions)...like the sides of a cabinet. So, when you lay out the plywood framing, those sides will aid in the overall support of the plywood top. You could draw those support partitions with dotted lines.










 







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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

cabinetman said:


> For full size mattress, the size will be 54"x75", which will require more than one sheet of plywood. Looking at your drawing (plan view), figure drawer openings, which require sides (partitions)...like the sides of a cabinet. So, when you lay out the plywood framing, those sides will aid in the overall support of the plywood top. You could draw those support partitions with dotted lines.
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> ...


got it...yeah i left a few things out...but it sounds like plywood framing (partitions, side and end panels) should be appropriate. I may need to add some type of nailer or stretcher where the seam in the plywood top will be.....


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## jjrbus (Dec 6, 2009)

Hey Tom did you consider a lift and store bed? JIm

http://storagebeds.com/products/storage-beds


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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

jjrbus said:


> Hey Tom did you consider a lift and store bed? JIm
> 
> http://storagebeds.com/products/storage-beds


Hey Jim,

I think we are fairly set on doing drawers but that sure is a great idea. I appreciate you sharing it....:thumbsup:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Tom5151 said:


> got it...yeah i left a few things out...but it sounds like plywood framing (partitions, side and end panels) should be appropriate. I may need to add some type of nailer or stretcher where the seam in the plywood top will be.....


If you installed a longitudinal stretcher partition down the middle, it could be the attachment point for the front to back partitions for the drawers. Then you could cut your top plywood accordingly (2 long pieces).










 







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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

cabinetman said:


> If you installed a longitudinal stretcher partition down the middle, it could be the attachment point for the front to back partitions for the drawers. Then you could cut your top plywood accordingly (2 long pieces).
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> 
> ...


ah great point....I'll play around with that approach a little bit...the bottom line is that it sounds like the plywood will provide the necessarry support if configured properly. For some reason i was thinking I might need some type of 2X framing and that was getting a bit messy.....


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You already know how hard it is to move the mattress through the house and get it into the bedroom. Your platform will be harder so I would make the platform as two units and screw them together when you get it into the bedroom. The framing could easily be just the the 3/4" plywood box. All the dividers which you hang the drawers on will give ample support for the deck and mattress. The deck could be two seperate pieces of plywood or you could use biscuits and laminate them together.


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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Steve Neul said:


> You already know how hard it is to move the mattress through the house and get it into the bedroom. Your platform will be harder so I would make the platform as two units and screw them together when you get it into the bedroom. The framing could easily be just the the 3/4" plywood box. All the dividers which you hang the drawers on will give ample support for the deck and mattress. The deck could be two seperate pieces of plywood or you could use biscuits and laminate them together.


Hi Steve,

Thank you for the tips. You make a great point about the size of the platform. I think you are right on about assembling the two halves on site....:thumbsup:


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## Mozart (Dec 4, 2011)

I agree with Steve and make two separate units and slide a end board to hide the split.


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## Tom5151 (Nov 21, 2008)

Another question comes to mind......

In additiona to the plwood deck on top, would it be adviseable to add plywood to the bottom of both units to keep the bottoms from splaying? Or maybe stretchers along the bottom for the same purpose?


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## Mozart (Dec 4, 2011)

I would add stretchers to the top and bottom of the units to help attach the face frame and add corner braces to keep the unit square.


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

I had an idea some time ago about a spare bedroom thats used for other purposes. The bed could be used in other ways. The matress would be a inflatable for my purposes but you might adapt the modular concept for a platform bed.


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