The room is too cramped and does not have the desired amount of free space, but all the furniture in the room is necessary? If you don't have the option to expand living space your apartment, except to move to a more spacious one, modern housing, don’t be upset, because there are a lot of great ideas do make your small home more comfortable to live in!
Folding bed - required condition for small apartments, when you need to fit everything in without cluttering the space.
Successful camouflage of furniture makes a bulky structure aesthetically pleasing and suitable for any room.
What takes up a lot of space in the room? Most people will answer that it is a sofa or an old sofa. If this is the case in your case, then after reading our article, you will not only learn how to save space by installing in your room reclining bed, but you will also learn how do her with her own hands.
Vertical orientation is the most economical option wall placement sleeping place.
An additional advantage in favor of creating a new sleeping place will be getting rid of old, out-of-fashion sofas. At the same time, a new, modern, comfortable folding bed will very soon become a source of your pride, because you will be happy to show your creation to friends who come to visit!
In this design, furniture can be of any size: single, double, non-standard.
The folding bed when assembled looks like a regular compact one closet for clothes that takes up minimal space in your small apartment, but thanks recline n Thanks to this mechanism, the sleeping place easily unfolds, turning into a real feather bed. Yes Yes exactly! Sleep comfort level at folding bed can be equated precisely to the convenience of relaxing on a luxurious soft feather bed!
A niche for furniture is a pencil case, a cabinet with hinged doors or a wardrobe.
A wardrobe bed can be an independent piece of furniture, but most often it is part of an entire furniture set.
So, now that there is no doubt left about the need for this item to appear in your apartment, you can begin manufacturing and assembly, but first you need to decide on the design, as well as external design folding bed.
When folded, such a bed takes up minimal space and does not harm the spine during sleep.
It can be vertical or horizontal, but it is worth considering that horizontal options usually intended for children and teenagers, representing small single beds that turn into a shelf or chest of drawers, while vertical structures can be of any size.
A chest of drawers can be used in a children's room or placed under the wall in the living room as a “spare spare” in case guests arrive.
Simple operation allows the design to be used in a children's room.
First, you need to create a drawing of the future product, which will help you navigate the assembly process much faster, obtaining the desired result. The skills of a design engineer are not required; it is quite enough to prepare a simple schematic drawing of the future sleeping place, specifying the dimensions and configuration of the structure on it.
Drawing of a wardrobe-bed.
The next important step is the selection and purchase of the necessary materials and tools. The highest quality construction will be made from chipboard panels, so we recommend using them as the main material. Chipboard panels should be purchased from specialized shopping centers, because from the quality source material The durability of your future bed will depend.
It is better to make the base of the bed orthopedic.
You will also need:
- D rel;
- screwdriver;
- E electric jigsaw;
- R Uletka;
- M screws;
- With amorez;
- About the folding mechanism.
Tools can always be purchased in specialized stores or ordered online.
So, you have prudently purchased necessary materials, tools, prepared a drawing, decided on the dimensions of the future piece of furniture. When everything you need has already been prepared, we begin to make furniture with our own hands. We divided the assembly process into 4 steps.
- Step one. It is necessary to assemble the frame closet and, hiding a compact sleeping place. Such a box consists of several parts: plinth, back wall closet and, as well as shelves for support. All parts are attached to each other with self-tapping screws or self-tapping screws located approximately 25 centimeters from each other. Assembled closet should only be installed on a flat floor.
Assembling the cabinet frame.
Attaching the top panel.
- Step two. Install assembled structure, which will serve as a reliable support for the folding part of the furniture and attach it to the wall.
The “skeleton” of the cabinet is ready.
We attach the “skeleton” to main wall apartments.
- Step three. Now let's assemble the base. It is a frame made of boards, the height of which corresponds to the size of the future mattress. In this case, the base should ideally fit the frame we have already assembled closet A.
We attach slats to the frame.
Thus, we get a structure where the mattress will be placed in the future.
- Step four. Now that all the main parts of the structure have been assembled, we connect the base to the box, fixing the parts together using self-tapping screws. Then we fasten reclining oh mechanism in accordance with the attached instructions.
Installation of a bed frame using a bed lifting mechanism and gas springs.
An important component of the bed - this is where the load is heaviest.
It is better not to experiment at this stage and purchase a factory-assembled folding mechanism.
In this way, unnecessary complications will be avoided finishing stage work, saving significant time. At the final stage, we simply connect the body with other elements, after which all that remains is to line the outer part of the box with boards so that it looks more like closet , and also paint the structure to your liking.
Once you have connected the folding mechanism to the mattress frame, you can safely use such a bed.
We install the facade in the form of improvised cabinet doors. Using the handles, the bed will be moved to a horizontal position.
For a more aesthetic appearance finished design the entire product must be varnished to protect the wood from dampness and rotting if the chipboard panels were not initially treated.
The price for high-quality German and Italian lifting mechanisms is quite high, but the safety is worth it.
We install the mattress and the compact sleeping place is ready! Now you can enjoy the new comfortable furniture and, of course, a lot of free space in the room, which, it would seem, had nowhere to come from!
In catalogs furniture fittings it is written down what orientation of the berth, dimensions and weight the lifting mechanism is designed for.
VIDEO: DIY wardrobe bed.
In conditions of shortage of space in modern apartments placing such a large item as a bed can become a truly insoluble problem. Folding beds and sofa beds are often not hers. optimal solution due to the lack of comfort sufficient for relaxation. Save free place and you can get a full-fledged sleeping place if you install it in the apartment lift bed. But the offers of retail outlets in terms of the choice of such furniture are very limited, and it is almost impossible to buy ready-made ones. A lifting or folding bed, assembled with your own hands from available materials, can solve both problems and will cost much less than a purchased analogue.
What is required to make a wardrobe bed?
Before you make a lifting bed with your own hands, you need to determine the place for its installation: you need to have a free wall with a width slightly larger than the required width of the frame on which the bed will be supported.
The baseboard along this area will have to be removed to make it possible reliable fastening box to the wall. The next step is to make a drawing or diagram indicating the dimensions of the product and all its details. After this, you will need to visit a number of specialized stores and buy:
- laminated chipboards at least 18 mm thick;
- edge for laminated chipboard;
- lifting mechanism with gas springs or others;
- legs for folding furniture;
- perforator and drill 10 mm;
- drill, screwdriver and bits;
- fasteners (confirmations, self-tapping screws, anchor bolts 10x80 mm);
- furniture corner 20x20 mm (10 pcs.), reinforced 60x60 mm;
- measuring instrument, building level;
- mattress, decorative fittings.
It is almost impossible to carefully cut laminated chipboard with your own hands, so it is best to order sawing at trade organization. They also perform edging of finished parts.
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Assembly sequence
This process can be divided into 2 main stages: assembling the frame (cabinet) and making the stock.
Stage 1. Drill the prepared chipboard parts under the confirmations so that the sidewalls are the external parts, and the ends and stiffeners are the internal ones. To do this, holes are drilled in the sidewalls in the plane of the parts with an 8 mm drill, at a distance of 9 mm from end cuts(for the upper and lower parts) and at the same distance from the rear long side in the places where the stiffeners are attached.
Immediately install the resulting structure in the designated place. Fastening to the wall is carried out using anchor bolts using reinforced corners 60x60 mm. When installing with a level, check the verticality of the structure. Strengthen parts of the lifting mechanism inside the box. Fastening is done using self-tapping screws.
Stage 2. Collateral successful production This part of the structure will be the precise measurement and adjustment of its parts. The width of the mattress binding must be provided in advance so that its surface is slightly higher than the frame boards.
Assembling the mattress box is carried out according to the same principle as for the cabinet. Holes for confirmations are drilled in the planes of the side boards and at the ends of the head and foot of the bed. The bottom of the box can be made from furniture facade or laminated chipboard. The lower, reverse side of the bottom will serve as the facade of the wardrobe-bed when assembled. Here you can strengthen a small shelf for souvenirs, handles so that the folding bed can be conveniently unfolded, and decorative fittings that will make the panel resemble the front of a cabinet.
On the outer surfaces of the sidewalls, in marked places, the mating parts of the lifting mechanism should be installed on self-tapping screws. Attach the folding legs according to their design. Connect the parts of the lifting mechanism and place the mattress on the bed.
After this, you need to adjust the bed with a lifting mechanism so that in working condition its legs are on the floor. To do this, the bed with the mattress is placed in the sleeping position. If it does not lower enough and the legs hang without support on the floor, then a board or chipboard of suitable size and weight is additionally reinforced under the mattress so that the folding bed can be folded out completely under its own weight.
When installing a home-made bed, the main attention should be paid to securely fastening the box to the wall. You should not skimp on fasteners, since when using a mechanism with gas springs, the force of their compression can tear out a box that is not firmly installed and lead to injury to a person on the stock.
I realized that I no longer have the strength to sleep on a fold-out sofa corner. The sofa is old (8 years!!!), the filling is wrinkled in places, the back feels hard unevenness and hurts in the morning.
To begin with, my wife and I decided to drive around and look at the shops and fairs bed + orthopedic mattress. We decided on the size of the sleeping area - 1400 x 2000. This is also suitable for the subsequent layout of the room.
The bedroom set (bed, wardrobe, bedside tables, etc.) is not suitable for us, because... The bedroom is small – 9m2. What remains is just a bed.
The prices were different - from 6500 rubles. (chipboard + plywood) up to 50,000 and above.
I liked something similar:
just without the headboard. (Soft sides without sharp corners + simplicity... in short, I liked it!)
The price of such a bed (without a lifting mechanism) is about 15,000 rubles. You can put a lift in the bed you like (more + 12000). Total – 27,000 rubles.
A lifting mechanism was needed because... The apartment is small and the presence of additional compartments for different things is a resolved issue.
I decided to make the bed myself (no experience, but I know how to work with tools).
An orthopedic base was found for 4,500 rubles.
Transformation system - elevator: 1200 rub.
I sketched out a sketch and thought about how everything would be arranged. I roughly calculated the lumber and went in search of boards for the sides and legs. ( Important: There are no solid boards of the required size. You need to buy a tongue and groove board (window sill or something similar). Without knowing this, I bought floorboard with veneer for gluing (thickness - 35 mm, width - 150 mm) at the rate of three boards per side. For the legs I took 100 x 100 mm timber. Upon purchase, all boards and beams were cut to size.
At home I picked up and glued (PVA-based carpentry glue) three boards: Long side – 2010 mm, short side – 1420+35+35=1490 mm. (I first estimated the gap with which the gas lift works - about 10 mm from the lifting bar to the wall of the bed to which the gas lift is attached. Hence 1420 mm). 35mm - board thickness.
The disadvantage of the floorboard is that it has a slight curvature - a “propeller” (take the window sill - it is straight). That’s why I spent a long time choosing and adjusting which boards would fit in what way.
As a result, I picked up and glued 4 boards. Board size: L1=L2=2010mm, L3=L4=1490mm.
Because the orthopedic base rests on 4 corners and a longitudinal plane in the middle, I glued another board that will serve as a support for the base. L5=2010mm
Leg size: L1=L2=L3=L4=450mm. The timber was damp and therefore cracked slightly while it was drying. But this did not affect the process and quality. It is important to let the wood dry. I made the bed slowly, so the legs had time to dry.
The sides of the bed needed to be rounded. This was done in two steps: 1 – electric jigsaw at an angle of 45°; 2 – with a belt sander (by eye).
Next, all sides of the bed were assembled using corners and screws. The difficulty was that the three boards turned out to be almost straight, and one of the sides (it was supposed to be placed with this side towards the wall) was a “propeller”. Therefore, the “straight” sides were attached first:
Coming to the 4th corner, we have this curvature:
The board was forced to fit and fastened with a long self-tapping screw into the end of the board:
Things are not going well at the bottom of this corner either:
Due to the fact that the bottom of the board was pulled to the side due to the “propeller”, a wedge was placed. WITH outside I simply cut off the protruding board.
I rounded the corners using the same technology: (the holes for attaching the legs are visible)
Since in the corners inside the base of the bed there are metal corners, there was a need additional processing legs (grooves with a belt sander):
The holes for attaching the legs were measured and drilled. The height of the legs is the same as the width of the sides. Shift of legs downwards by 60mm.
Trial installation of legs:
All screws are in place: (There is room on top for an orthopedic base + a side to stabilize the mattress)
Pieces of linoleum were glued to the ends of the legs (top and bottom). From below so as not to scratch the floor, and from above for an orthopedic base:
After gluing the overlays, I glued and wrapped the legs with upholstery material, and secured the edges with a stapler. Holes for mounting screws are cut:
I set up the bed and figured out how the orthopedic base would fit:
This is approximately how it will open on elevators. There is no support board yet under the middle of the base. It moves down like the legs - by 60 mm.
Let's start tightening the sides of the bed. First, foam rubber S-10mm:
This down side sides of the bed. The foam comes from the edge of the board, because... There will be slats inside the base to support the plywood base of the drawers. The foam rubber is glued to the sides.
This is one of the corners. The foam rubber is turned, cut and nailed with a stapler.
The foam rubber is nailed on top with an overlap of approximately 3-4 mm.
When joining the foam rubber, an insert was used locally and by eye (it will not be noticeable):
This is how the side around the leg was finished. Bottom view:
(This is exactly that leg, in a crooked corner. This thickening is the wooden insert).
The leatherette was lined at the bottom with a slouch, without turning up. The width of the overlap is equal to the width of the slats that will hold the plywood bottom. At the top it was lined with a collar for beauty. I haven’t figured out how to start the corners yet...
The corners were brought in and secured. If there was leather, maybe it would be stretched beautifully with small folds.
This is what it looks like from the outside:
I turned all the corners. It turned out soft and rounded. At this stage I glued a strip of linoleum onto the support board.
I covered the ugly corners of the middle board with the remains of leatherette:
I check the tight fit of all four legs and the support board to the orthopedic base. (Note: The middle board is difficult to fit in one go. Do not rush to screw all the screws into the corners, screw 2-4 at a time and check the fit of the base).
The next stage is slats for the plywood bottom. I screwed slats with a section of 25x40 along the entire internal perimeter. Drill large holes in the rail for self-tapping screws.
Son Andrey helps. He lubricates the screws in soap, places them in the batten and hits them with a hammer so that the screw fits into the board. And I'm just spinning
Almost done…).
Since the resulting roller on top of the side slightly overlaps the orthopedic base, when lowered the base holds and does not fly up.
Gas shock absorbers are selected depending on the weight of the orthopedic base + mattress. My gas shock absorbers designed for 80 kg.
We ordered a mattress and it finally arrived. Moisture-resistant cover on top:
The mattress lies high and the gap between the mattress and the base is visible.
CONCLUSION: It is necessary to move the legs and the middle support board not by 60 mm, but by 90 mm. This will allow the mattress to fit more tightly into the base.
All. The bed is ready. Estimated cost of materials (without mattress): 9 – 10 thousand rubles. We bought an expensive mattress because of back problems.
The bed has been tested. Very stable, nothing creaks. The wood used was dry and should not dry out.
Despite big choice ready-made furniture, many people spend a lot of time and effort searching for a suitable wardrobe or bed. Various models are sifted through the “sieve of doubts”, differing from each other in design, color and size, but nothing fits. This is exactly the problem encountered by a user of our site with the nickname avamonster, And homemade bed became an excellent way out of the “furniture impasse” for him. In this article we are making a bed together with our user!
Review of lifting bed models.
- What tools and materials are needed to make a bed.
- Operating procedure.
DIY bed
avamonster User FORUMHOUSE
I need a transformable bed for my house that can be quickly and easily stored in a closet against the wall. Folded front part such a bed should be completely identical to the “facade” of a regular wardrobe. Therefore, there should be no protruding handles, protruding legs, etc. outside. Such a bed should not take up much space. When unfolded, the “transformer” should turn into a fully functional bed designed for comfortable sleep, and not a guest “crib”.
Having scoured the Internet, reviewed dozens of diagrams and sketches of beds and visited several furniture stores, the forum member was never able to find a model that would fully satisfy his needs. Namely:
- Need a transformer for standard size mattress 1600x2000x150 mm, like a normal sofa; The height of the unfolded bed should not exceed 45-55 cm;
- The width of the transforming bed is equal to: the width of the mattress (1600 mm) plus the thickness of the side walls of the cabinet made of chipboard. That is, approximately 1632 mm. The depth of the bed is equal to the depth of the cabinet - 450 mm. When unfolded, the length of the bed should not exceed 2100-2200 mm;
- In the open position, the folding bed should fit well into the interior of the apartment, and not look like the simplest analogue of a “folding bed”. Should be easy and quick to clean;
- An unfolded bed should not take up much space in the house and interfere with free movement around the room, opening adjacent cabinets, cabinets, drawers etc;
- Safety: the bed should not have sharp corners that you can hit with your foot, hidden cavities and crevices where pets or small children can crawl into. The gas lift or opening mechanism springs should not be located near the sleeper's head;
- “Humane” price tag.
We present a selection of photographs of those folding beds, which were viewed by a forum member, and we also present his comments on why this or that model did not suit him.
A quick glance at this picture is enough to understand that this is not a simple wardrobe, but a wardrobe into which they managed to build a “folding bed”. It would be better not to build it in - there are visible gaps at the bottom and top, and the handles are located very inconveniently.
This lifting model, when folded, is no different from a regular wardrobe, but once it is unfolded, the bed blocks access to cabinets and drawers. This means that it must constantly be retracted and lowered, which is very inconvenient.
Wardrobe bed option with sliding doors. This model does not take up much space, and when folded it is indistinguishable from a standard cabinet. The main inconvenience is the large depth of the “transformer” - 80 cm. You will have to sleep, practically lying with your head and shoulders in the closet. Not everyone will like this. So this “guest” option was also dropped.
A typical model that can often be seen in stores. Avamonster was not happy with the fact that, instead of springs or gas lift, the bed is removed using a counterweight. When it reclines, you can see that the bottoms look like the legs of a “folding bed.” And the price exceeds 40 thousand rubles.
Another common option. Avamonster's main complaints about this folding bed: the legs stick out from above like “tendrils”, and when opened, the mattress lies inside the bed frame. Walking next to such a bed, you can accidentally hit your foot on its sharp corner. A block with springs hangs next to the head, and by the “tram” handles you can immediately determine that this is not an ordinary cabinet, but a “transformer”.
avamonster User FORUMHOUSE
All the models that I saw in the store had a design: “a box made of chipboard or plywood, into which a mattress is simply placed.” This didn't suit me. I have been to the USA, where I saw a different design: the frame is “inside” the base for the mattress, and the mattress itself is slightly wider than the base. The springs or gas lift are located under the mattress, and do not stick out in front of the face. It seems to me that this option is safer and easier to use.
There is also an option with a double caterpillar bed, but such “transformers” are expensive and do not often come to light.
The search for a ready-made folding bed was unsuccessful, but a negative result is also a result. As a result of his ordeals, avamonster finally decided on the list of requirements for the product and therefore decided to assemble the bed himself.
This “two-in-one” option is also interesting, but this “make your own double bed” project is much more difficult to implement at home.
Material required to assemble a transformable bed
Looking ahead, let's say that a forum member managed to assemble a double bed that was no different and even superior to industrial or custom-made samples. The width of the “transformer” is 1640 mm, the length when unfolded is 2130 mm, and the height is 500 mm.
According to avamonster, sketchup helped him achieve the success of the project and do everything right the first time, without numerous rework and changes. Having spent three months studying the program from “0”, having sat over the drawings and dimensions, the forum member sketched out virtual models of the crib and diagrams of its components, which can be rotated on the monitor screen (see pictures).
This approach allowed us to avoid many mistakes. After all, many novice craftsmen often forget the main construction proverb: “measure twice, cut once.” An attempt to turn everything into metal at once, without plans, drawings and competent calculation of several options, leads to damage to the material due to constant changes to the design of the product.
The DIY bed is made from simple materials and does not require special tools for its production.
What is needed to make a product
- Chipboard sheets - 1580x995x16 mm. Cutting to size, and edging the ends of the slabs was done “on the side”. It took 12 thousand rubles;
- Custom made springs for lifting mechanism. Those. spring parameters: rod diameter - 4 mm, outer diameter - 36 mm, number of turns - 30. Spring length with hooks - 18 cm. Tension stroke - 21 cm. Applied force -55 kg. The forum member calculated the spring parameters, which depend on the “arm” of the lever and the total weight of the bed, using a special calculator. A set of 5 parts cost Avamonster 3.5 thousand rubles;
- DIY bed frame – profile pipe with dimensions 4x2 cm. Wall thickness frame pipe- 2 mm. A total of 18 meters of such pipe were purchased. The pipe was cut to size into elements on site so that it could be transported home in a regular car. This took another 1.5 thousand rubles;
avamonster
Because I have no welding machine, then I had to drill holes in the pipes for the mounting bolts. This made the task of assembling the bed-wardrobe much more difficult. The best option- I had to weld it all myself or have it done to a metalworking shop to order, otherwise I also had to clean the rust from the pipes. Surfaces of all visible metal parts I covered the pipes with wood-look film.
- Hardware. The DIY bed was assembled using bolts, nuts and screws. For strength and rigidity, the homemade frame was twisted into corners for M6 bolts. All bolted connections were also calculated for the magnitude of the shear load. The forum member spent another 4 thousand rubles on all the necessary fasteners.
How to assemble a transforming bed yourself: main steps
Mattress base ( chipboard sheets) was screwed to homemade frame special drill-tip self-tapping screws. Such self-tapping screws have a “drill” at the end: chipboard should be passed with a larger diameter, steel with a smaller one, and already at the finish a recess is countersunk in the wood for the head of the self-tapping screw. Thus, in one step the chipboard board is attracted to metal frame without pre-drilling it.
The frame design is designed so that the soft mattress is the widest part of the crib. In this case, it is impossible to hit your foot on the hard protruding edge of the frame.
If there is a lot of furniture in the room, but you really want to install a large and comfortable bed, experts recommend choosing furniture with a lifting mechanism. This design has another name - “transformer”, and with the help of a lifting mechanism it is quite possible to save a lot of free space, which is always in short supply, especially in multi-storey buildings.
Buy new furniture- this, as they say, is only half of the planned event, because the structure still needs to be assembled, and in such a design that it does not lose its functionality. Recommendations and 
tips on assembling a bed with a lifting mechanism, which we will further analyze, and the video, available for viewing on the Internet resource both day and night, will further simplify the progress of the work.
Features in the design of transforming beds
To accurately assemble the sleeping bag comfortable spot with a lifting element, first of all you need to familiarize yourself with the design features of the furniture and, of course, prepare both the tools and materials that may be needed in the work.
Let's consider what elements a sleeping bed with a lifting mechanism consists of:
Depending on the chosen manufacturer, an orthopedic sleeping mattress may also be included with the bed.
- A wall box or wardrobe is also considered as an element of a bed equipped with a lifting mechanism. After all, just such a structure, assembled from Laminated chipboard like, assembled furniture will rise. The size of the finished box should be slightly larger than the dimensions of the furniture, but not too large so that the bed does not fall out of the niche.
A transverse rod to which you will later need to fix the lifting 
The device is installed stationary at the head of the bed in the lower part of the closet.
Step-by-step furniture assembly
Having familiarized yourself with the design features of the transformable bed, you can begin step-by-step assembly structures with a lifting mechanism in the following sequence:
As you can understand, the process of installing furniture with a lifting mechanism is not so complicated if home craftsmen follow the instructions and advice during the work. And video instructions on the Internet resource, conducted by real professionals in their field, will help you solve any difficulty.