How to Make a DIY 4-Post Bed
Making a 4-poster bed is not as difficult as it seems at first glance if you consider that a 4-poster bed is simply a timber frame assembled with basic woodworking techniques and a few power tools.
08/06/2021
Reclaimed pine 4-post bed available at cielo.co.za @ R15,999
There is something so romantic about a 4-Post bed that turns any bedroom into a dream bedroom. Imagine a master suite fitted with luxurious, thick carpeting and high windows that let sunlight stream into the bedroom. Now imagine a 4-Post bed in the centre of the room that provides an eye-catching feature and brings new depth into a bedroom.
While doing online research, I was surprised by the cost of a 4-Post bed on various online furniture sites. Prices ranged from R5,500 for a painted pine bed and up to R18,900 for a double bed in white cedar wood. That's a hefty price tag for a 4-Post bed and one that many cannot afford.
Painted pine and SupaWood 4-post bed available at Mr Price @ R5,500
Most of the 4-post beds I came across were manufacture using a combination of pine or reclaimed pine and SupaWood, a locally produced board product. All these materials are readily available at Builders or hardware stores. Pine is one of the easiest and most affordable materials to work with and you can use various different methods to distress or age pine to make it resemble reclaimed wood.
Rubber and acacia wood 4-post bed available at Coricraft @R16,999
I would say that prices vary according to the material used to manufacture the beds but most of the beds seen are locally available woods that are not expensive in the least. Woods such as pine, meranti and saligna can be purchased at local timber merchants giving you the choice to purchase solid wood to make your own 4-post bed at a fraction of what it would cost to buy a ready-made bed using these materials.
Available at melonwoods.co.za
Here's how simple it is to make a 4-poster bed.
To make a 4-poster bed you can use pine, meranti or any other timber for that matter. Obviously hardwood and exotic timber will be far more costly than pine or meranti, but will also be a treasured piece that can be handed down or passed along.
If you are going to use pine to make a 4-poster bed, choose only the best pieces. 69 x 69mm PAR pine posts should be straight and free of knots or heartwood. Laminated pine sections should be properly kiln dried and not warped, also free of knots or heartwood.
How to make a 4-poster bed:
1. Measure the size of your mattress - or determine the size of the bed you want. With this measurement you can then cut the headboard footboard to the size of the mattress or bed size.
2. Both the headboard and footboard are attached to the upright support posts. Don't work with anything less than 69 x 69mm for the posts. To join the boards to the bed you can use biscuit joints, dowel joints or using a pockethole jig, the latter being the most visible jointing method.
3. The next step would be to attach the side panels. Again, the side panels can be attached with biscuit joints, dowel joints or using a pockethole jig.
4. To finish off the basic frame, attach the top rails in the same way.
5. There are a couple of options for mounting the base, or ,mattress support. You can choose from slats or have a solid base. To fit both slats or solid base, screw side supports onto the inside of both side frames.
It really is as easy as that.
Points to take into consideration:
- Timber should be good quality and without defects
- Measure twice and cut once
- Consider height of ceiling and any ceiling lights or fittings
- Assemble the bed in sections to fit into the room
- Sand, stain and varnish with a quality product to beautify, nourish and protect