DIY Platform Bed With Floating Night Stands

For the past year or so, I have been receiving many requests to make a platform bed. During this time, I actually needed one, but for whatever reason, I had been putting it off. Well, I finally gave in and went to work. So glad I did because I thought it actually enhanced the space and brought a luxury feel to it!

Be sure to check out the video for additional informAtion. I will also have a few lists of materials and things listed at the end of this article.

After sorting through all the lumber at my local HD store. I managed to find enough lumber with which I could work. I started this project with a rough sketch of what I wanted.

Although this project can be made with a circular saw, I would highly suggest a miter saw to speed things up. The key to being successful is attacking all your projects with patience.

Let's get started.

If you would like to build this; I have a detailed set of PLANS for this project. After all the lumber was cut down to size, I set up shop outside to begin the sanding process. Prepare for hours of sanding, and be sure to wear a mask and safety glasses. I sanded the bed down with 80-grit sandpaper first, then120 grit followed by 220 grit to wrap things up.

Next, paint or stain the bed frame whatever color you prefer. I chose black.

Due to the length of the headboard, I had to attach a small section to extend the 8-feet sheet of plywood. I then painted the bottom section of the plywood to match the bed frame.

If you have any assistance available to you, feel free to ask for help. I didn't have that luxury at the time, so I took advantage of the clamps I had on-hand. I started from the top down. It would have been easier to start from the bottom up. The reason I took the route I did was simply because I didn't want to be off by a fraction, which would result in making cuts later on, when approaching the end.

After, clamping the lumber in place, I then screwed a couple screws in place. I then checked that everything was visually OK, and then added two screws every 2 feet. I repeated this process until I reached the end.

I used one coat of dark walnut danish oil. Additional coats could be applied if a darker look is required.

With the headboard being so massive, it covered the existing wall receptacles. It made sense to add outlets in the nightstands. After identifying which piece looked less attractive I selected it to be the back of the nightstand. Then I cut out the opening for the electrical work box .

Building the floating nightstand

I used a dowel jig from Rockler to make accurate holes for the dowel pins. You have to be patient with dowels -- a fraction off could cause your workpiece to shift, which could be very frustrating. The next option is to use screws and fill the heads in with wood filler. Whichever route you take, just be sure to use wood glue and clamps.

Mounting the nightstand

After allowing enough time for the glue to dry, clamps the nightstand at the desired mounting height. I chose to mount them approximately 2 inches below the top of the mattress. Next, drill four pilot holes from the back of the headboard. These will be the mounting holes. To clarify, the pilot hole should not exit out the nightstand (this should only mark the back). While the nightstand is still mounted with the clamps, trace out the hole for the electric box on to the headboard, drill a hole for the small on/off switch, and drill an angled hole at the bottom into the headboard for the puck light. Repeat this process for the other nightstand.

Now, remove the nightstand and drill out a 1/4-inch hole for the bolts to pass through. Then, install threaded inserts into the in the back of the nightstand. Be sure to add a stop to the drill bit to prevent going all the way though.

Applying top coat

Appy whip on polyurethane or a top coat of your choice. I used two coats of this. A third coat would be even better. I sanded between each coat with 400-grit sand paper.

I then attached the strips of lumber to the back of the headboard. This is where I will place the LED strip.

Adding puck lights

After researching online trying to find low profile puck lights. I noticed all the wireless options had mixed reviews. I end up settling on a wired kit; t be honest, I'm not fond of maintenance replacing batteries etc. So, this worked out for me. The set I used can be found here on Amazon.

I cut the connector off the wire and passed the wire through the hole previously drilled. Then I screwed the lights in place. Next, I connected the power switch to some 2 conductors wire. Then, I install the LED strip on the lumber mounted to the back of the headboard.

Be sure to strap all wiring down, so nothing is loose. After wiring the receptacles, double-check your connections by using this receptacle tester.

As shown in the photos, there are two different plugs: one for the LEDS and another for the outlets. The LED and the puck lights are both wired from the same power supply. Be sure you check the rating of both the LED and the puck light current draw.

I used corner brackets in all four corners to assemble the bed frame. Then, I installed the bed slats support. By the time I reached the middle frame, I realized that I had forgotten to pick up enough brackets. So, I used what I had on-hand.

Moving on to adding the slats, install two screws at each intersecting point.

I use brackets on the inside and the outside of the bed. You could add as many as you like; four seems to do the job for me. Each trim had four 1.5-inch corner brackets on the interior and 4-inch brackets on the outside. At the foot of the bed, I used mending plates to attach the two intersecting lumbers. This method worked out very well, keeping the two lumbers even with each other.

Once the frame was done it was time to center it up and attach it to the headboard.

Thanks for checking out this project. I would greatly appreciate a vote on this project for the woodworking content. :)

If you like to check out more of my projects be sure to look us up on youtube and Instagram

-----------------------------Price Breakdown-------------------------------------
King BED and electronics

- Wood $219
- Accessories brackets etc.. $65.00
- Electronics $165 Total investment = $449.00

--------------------------LED, Electrical, and wire------------------------------

Puck Lights
Led Strip
Round switch
(2) Outlet with USB ports

(2 ) outlet cover

(2) workbox
Electrical wire(for the outlet)
Receptacle Tester
22 gauge wire (for the puck light switch)
Extension cord

---------------------------------Wood -------------------------------------

2 by 8 Lumber (headboard, bed frame and bed trim)

(1) 2 by 12 lumber (top and bottom night stand) https://goo.gl/NAmx3O

(1) sheet or 3/4in (19.05mm) plywood a small piece
(2) sheet of 1/4in (6.35mm) plywood

(10) 1 by 4 (25.4mm by 101.6mm) lumber
(4) 2 by 4 (50.8mm by 101.6mm) Lumber