DIY metal bed. 700 photos + step-by-step instructions

how to make a metal bed
Metal beds combine unrivaled durability and exquisite beauty to create a unique style that matches your bedroom decor. Of course, making a metal bed with your own hands is a little more difficult than making a wooden one. But the strength of the metal is undeniable.

A metal bed will not crack or bend. You'll never have to worry about the frame warping or weakening, plus it makes it easier to move the bed if necessary. And in order to do without a welding machine and other expensive equipment, you can make a bed from metal pipes using fittings and adapters. In this article you will find 20 examples with step-by-step photos on how to make a metal bed with your own hands in various ways.

Manufacturing process

Before you start welding a metal bed, you need to cut the existing materials to length with a grinder in order to have all the parts of the future metal furniture available. If you systematize the manufacturing process, that is, first cut all the materials and then weld them, much less time will be spent on creating a metal bed. The table below shows a diagram for cutting steel elements.

After cutting all the parts made of metal, metal profiles or steel, you can start welding them.

Frame and base

After cutting, the frame and frame are welded. How to make a bed:

1. Cut elements for the frame, that is, steel strips, channels, corners and ready-made brackets are laid out on a horizontal surface;
2. The angle of connection of the parts should be 90 degrees. You can achieve this by checking the diagonals - they must be the same. The aligned parts are welded;
3. Brackets made from channel bars are attached to the frame. To do this, holes are drilled in the frame according to the dimensions of the bracket studs. The diameter of the holes is 9 mm, but it can be manually adjusted to the size of the tenon using a file;
4. Then the legs are welded to the base. Particular attention is paid to their evenness in relation to the floor. When the structure can already be put on its legs, the base for the mattress is welded. You cannot use corrugated sheeting for the base of the mattress - it is too “weak” material. Pre-cut steel strips or sheets are used.

Headboards

The headboard is welded separately from a pipe for the stand and cross members. First, the lower cross member is welded to the backrest post, and then the remaining transverse elements. When welding the crossbar and the stand, you should maintain an angle of 90 degrees and ensure that the dimensions of the headboard correspond to the dimensions of the base of the bed. The location of the transverse elements can be varied, but they must ensure reliable fastening of the structure.

The free arrangement of the transverse elements makes it possible not only to strengthen the headboard and add strength to the structure, but also to ensure the aesthetic appearance of the bed. When entering a room, the metal headboard will be the first thing you see, and it is on this part of the bed that it is recommended to add decorative elements or painting. If such a bed is intended for newlyweds, then declarations of love, the names of the couple, or important dates can be written down at the head.

Assembly

When the headboard structure is fully assembled, the metal leg post of the backrest is welded to the base of the bed. When the structure can already be put on its legs, the base for the mattress is welded. After welding is completed, all seams are sanded with a drill with a special attachment or a grinder until the joints are smooth and even. For small parts, you can use coarse sandpaper.

From the remaining materials you can make bearings for the racks. They can be made from steel sheet. The leaf is first cut into strips. The cut edges of the strips are sanded with a file. Then the steel strip is cut to dimensions corresponding to the side cut of the legs and attached to the lower stand. The caps for the upper cross members are made in the same way, but they can be made more beautiful. Instead of steel sheet or strip, you can come up with other ways to make plugs. They can also be used to decorate the bed.

Possible difficulties at work

The process of assembling a bed itself is not difficult for a person who has already worked with metal before. You must have basic skills in cutting and welding metal, drilling holes in it, and fastening bolts. If you do not have such skills, it is better to practice in advance on individual pipes, rehearsing their cutting and welding.

We recommend that you read: Rules for calculating and installing a truss from a profile pipe

The fact is that the bed is a three-dimensional structure, all parts of which are easy to assemble separately, but installing them together can create some difficulties. For example, welding the last corner is considered the most difficult step in assembling a frame. At the same time, three corners are already ready, the structure is quite weighty and voluminous.

Another challenge is painting the bed. All its sides should look aesthetically pleasing. To do this, you either need to paint each part separately, which will take a lot of time, and then dry all the parts and only then assemble them. Or you can paint the finished structure, but then you will have to protect the slats, if any, as well as the floor, walls and surrounding surfaces from paint.

A beginner in assembling furniture may encounter problems such as a lack of necessary parts, lack of necessary tools, and incorrectly selected dimensions of each part. For example, there is a danger of cutting off a larger section of pipe than necessary. The part will already be damaged.

It is important! It is recommended to buy parts with a reserve of 1-2 pieces. Trim them also with a margin, since after the trimming process comes sanding, which also reduces the size. Before assembly begins, all parts must be adjusted to each other.

Areas of use and benefits

Beds with iron mesh of different sizes are used in the following places:

• military barracks;
• children's camps;
• medical institutions;
• boarding schools;
• sanatoriums;
• student dormitories.

Modern version

Where does this popularity come from? It turns out that these designs are reliable and durable. In addition, neither adults nor children will experience discomfort during sleep.

You will probably be interested to know what types of Russian bed manufacturers there are.

An armored bed has many advantages:

1. High strength. The design can withstand heavy weight and loads. This feature is useful where the bed is used continuously, for example, in a hospital.
2. Saving. A bed or cot with a metal mesh is much cheaper than other models.
3. Long service life. This piece of furniture will last at least 15 years, which is convenient for medical institutions that do not have the opportunity to frequently update furniture.
4. Hygiene. Metal structures do not harbor insects. In addition, they are easy to care for. There is no need to buy any special detergents - just wipe all parts with a damp cloth.
5. Reliability. The use of metal almost completely eliminates the risk of breakage.

Features of the material

The peculiarity of the metal is its:

• durability;
• resistance to mechanical damage;
• resistance to negative factors;
• aesthetic appearance;
• the ability to give metal any shape and design.

To make a metal bed with your own hands, you need to be able to work with the material , know the intricacies of making furniture items, have patience and have some free time.

Metal furniture pleases users with nobility, luxury and elegance. In addition, these products differ:

• environmental friendliness;
• hygiene;
• light weight;
• fire safety.

Sizing

The dimensions of a bed are influenced by 2 factors: the number of people who will use it and the available space for installation.

The bed model depends on the size of the bedroom. A luxurious backrest will look awkward in a small area, and in large apartments it is inappropriate to install a narrow bed with a low headboard.

Depending on the size of the bed, the bed can be:

• single, intended for use by a child;
• one and a half, on which a teenager can sleep comfortably;
• double – intended for use by two people.

The larger the bed, the more space it will take up in the room. Given the need to install other pieces of furniture, there may not be any room left to move freely. Therefore, sometimes you should refuse to purchase or make a metal bed.

If all the requirements for comfortable accommodation are met, you can begin to create a drawing and make a bed with your own hands.

Making a bed with your own hands

The step-by-step algorithm for making a bed begins with preparation, on which the reliability of the structure entirely depends. The appearance and strength of the bed depend on how correctly the assembly is done. The last stage is finishing, there are quite a lot of options, which one to choose depends on personal preferences.

Preparatory work

Preparation for assembling a bed should begin with its drawing. It is important to depict on it all the details, first of the frame, and then of the decorative elements and fittings. It is necessary to accurately calculate the parameters of the bed and the amount of materials that will be required to assemble the frame.

The following types of elements will be needed: profile pipes, plugs, steel squares, sheets, angles, channels and strips. Their number and size depend on the parameters of the bed.

An important stage in the preparatory work is determining the size of the bed.

There are three standard sizes: single, double and one-and-a-half. The width of the first is 0.91 m, the second is 1.37 m, the third is 0.99 m. The standard bed length is 2 m, but it is not suitable for everyone. You can use the rule: the length of the bed should be 30 cm greater than the height of the person who is going to sleep on it. You can deviate from the standard parameters and choose the sizes at your discretion.

We recommend that you read: How to bend a metal-plastic pipe manually or using tools

It is important! It should be remembered that mattresses are produced for standard bed sizes. If the accepted parameters change, the mattress will have to be made to order.

Single and one-and-a-half beds are intended for one person. The difference between them seems small, but sleeping on the latter is more comfortable. Especially for people with a large build. Double beds take up a lot of space, so it is more advisable to choose them if two people sleep on the bed. It must be remembered that in addition to the bed, the room should have bedside tables, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and other furniture. In addition, it is necessary to leave room for free movement.

After drawing up the drawings, determining the dimensions, quantity of materials and after purchasing them, you can begin the actual preparation. It consists of cutting profile pipes into sections of the required size (according to the drawing), processing them and creating additional holes. Cutting is done using a grinder, after which all cuts are sanded to remove irregularities.

The pipes are treated with a degreaser, such as acetone. This is necessary for subsequent coating. The last step is necessary if the parts of the bed will not be welded to each other. The holes are needed for fastening with bolts and screws. Typically, welding and bolting are combined, using different types of assembly for different parts of the bed.

Assembly

Assembling the bed consists of four sequential stages:

• Frame assembly;
• Installation of legs;
• Installing the backrest;
• Fastening slats or crossbars.

The frame is the rectangular frame of the bed to which all other elements will be attached.

The frame tubes must be strong. For a single and one-and-a-half beds, you can simply weld four profile pipes, connecting them using corners. Double bed frames, which have metal sheets or pipes instead of slats, are also simply made into a rectangle. If the design includes lamellas, then it is necessary to weld another pipe in the middle of the frame along its length. This will prevent the slats from sagging in the middle.

The legs are attached to the frame along the inner edge of the corners. It is recommended not to weld them, but to screw them into pre-prepared holes. This will allow you to disassemble the bed if necessary and transport it conveniently, since a bed with legs may not fit through every doorway.

We recommend that you read: How to independently build a columnar foundation from PVC pipes - step-by-step instructions

Legs are also sometimes installed on the additional crossbar of a double bed, but this step is not necessary. Rubber or plastic plugs are attached to the bottom edges of the pipes that serve as the legs of the bed to protect the floor from the metal pipe.

There can be one headboard - at the headboard, or there can be two - at the headboard and legs. The design of children's beds sometimes includes a side backrest to protect the child from falls. The back can be welded, which will make the structure more durable, but will create difficulties during transportation. Following the example of installing the legs, the backrest can also be attached using bolts.

Slats are strips of flexible wood or chipboard on which a mattress is placed. The slats are installed parallel to each other and perpendicular to the length of the bed. Their advantage is that they are less rigid than metal bars and are more comfortable to sleep on. However, a design with a metal support under the mattress is more durable and reliable. To install the slats, first make fastenings corresponding to each strip on both sides of the bed. Metal rods are simply welded parallel to each other. At this point the main assembly stage can be completed.

Cladding and finishing options

There are several options for adding an aesthetic look to a metal bed. The simplest of them is to leave everything as is, completing the manufacture of the bed at the stage of painting it. This minimalist style bed is suitable for any interior.

Another simple way is to cover the bed with chipboard or sheets of wood. To do this, the sheets themselves are attached to the bed using screws, and then the screws are covered with adhesive pads. The option is simple to implement, but not everyone will like the aesthetic appearance of this combination of metal and wood.

Options with decorative backs are interesting. In this case, first, the frame and legs are completely assembled and the slats are installed, and then the back is attached. Designs with forged backs are popular. They are easy to attach to the frame and fit seamlessly into any interior. This backrest can be painted in the color of the bed, and the entire structure will take on a more interesting look.

Final processing

The fully finished prefabricated iron bed, welded and sanded, is treated with a rust-resistant primer. You cannot paint the metal immediately after welding, since rust may appear in the joints, especially thin ones after grinding. After the primer has dried, which it is advisable to apply in 2 layers, you can begin painting the bed.

The most beautiful way to paint metal is to spray it with gold varnish using a spray bottle. However, this is long and expensive. If it is not possible to do this, you can paint the bed with metal paint using ordinary brushes. It turns out beautiful in beds decorated with metal roses, paintings or engravings. Homemade decorations are usually more beautiful and creative than store-bought ones. Decorating metal products with your own hands is painstaking and hard work, but it allows you to approach the design of the bed with a creative approach and originality.

As can be seen from the information described in this article, making a metal bed yourself is a completely doable job if you prepare for it and have the necessary materials and tools.

Prime the surface

Installing the bed on posts

It is best to use a spray can. Apply the first layer.

After it dries, apply a second layer

We coat the metal with varnish