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Short answer
To build a bed frame, start from the exact mattress size, build four legs and four rails around it with a little clearance, screw ledger strips inside the side rails to carry the slats, and add a center rail with legs for anything wider than a twin. Knock-down bed hardware lets you take it apart to move.
Most of the work is straight cuts in dimensional lumber, which makes a bed frame a very achievable first furniture project.
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Start with the mattress size
| Mattress | Standard size (inches) |
|---|---|
| Twin | 38 x 75 |
| Twin XL | 38 x 80 |
| Full | 54 x 75 |
| Queen | 60 x 80 |
| King | 76 x 80 |
| California king | 72 x 84 |
The parts of a simple frame
- Legs: 4×4 posts, or thicker for a bigger bed.
- Rails: 2×6 or 2×8 side rails, headboard rail and footboard rail.
- Ledger strips: 2×2 cleats glued and screwed along the inside of the side rails to carry the slats.
- Center rail: for full, queen and king beds, a rail down the middle with two or three legs to the floor.
- Slats: 1×4 boards across the frame, screwed down so they cannot shift.
Slat spacing matters
Many mattress makers specify a maximum gap between slats, often around 3 inches, and some warranties depend on it. Check yours before you cut. Closer slats give foam mattresses better support; a sheet of plywood over the slats is another option for a very firm, flat base.
Screw every slat to the ledgers, or fix them to fabric strips, so they stay evenly spaced.
Joints you can take apart
Beds have to fit through doors, so the rails usually connect to the legs with knock-down hardware: hook-and-slot bed rail brackets, or bed bolts with barrel nuts. Both pull the joint tight and come apart with a few turns. Glue the fixed parts, like the ledgers, and leave the rail joints mechanical.
Where parts are glued, the clamping routine in wood glue and clamping basics keeps them tight and square.
Height and headboard
A finished height where the top of the mattress sits around knee height is comfortable for most adults to sit on. Adjust the leg length for a thick or thin mattress and for whether you use a box spring or just slats.
A headboard can be as simple as two tall posts with a few wide boards between them, or a panel of plywood with a solid-wood frame bolted to the legs.
Build steps
- Measure the mattress and write down the inside dimensions of the frame.
- Cut the legs and rails, marking each part so it goes back in the same place.
- Fit the bed rail hardware and test-assemble the frame on the floor.
- Attach the ledger strips and the center rail, then check the frame for square by measuring the diagonals.
- Sand, finish, and lay out and fasten the slats.
Finish it like furniture
A bed frame is handled every day but rarely gets wet, so a wipe-on oil-varnish or a water-based polyurethane is plenty. The choices are compared in wood finishes: oil, varnish and film.
Build from a complete plan
TedsWoodworking lists beds among the plan types in its Furniture category, which holds more than 2,650 plans. Every plan in the 16,000-plan library includes step-by-step instructions, exact cut lists, complete materials lists and multi-angle schematics with exploded views of every joint.
A look inside TedsWoodworking
FAQ
How far apart should bed slats be?
Many mattress makers specify a maximum gap of around 3 inches. Check your mattress warranty before building.
Does a queen bed frame need a center support?
Yes. Full, queen and king frames should have a center rail with legs to the floor so the slats do not sag.
What wood is best for a bed frame?
Pine and fir work well and cost little; oak, maple and walnut make a heavier, longer-lasting frame.
How do you make a bed frame that comes apart?
Use knock-down hardware such as hook-and-slot bed rail brackets or bed bolts at the rail-to-leg joints.
Next step
Measure your mattress tonight and write down the frame’s inside dimensions before choosing a design.
Based on standard US mattress sizes and common furniture-making practice for rail-and-slat bed frames and knock-down hardware. Product details for TedsWoodworking are from the vendor’s published offer page as of September 29, 2026.
