Super-Spacious Storage Bed

Painted Project? Use MDO

Medium-density overlay (MDO) is just like regular plywood, but has a smooth layer of resin on the faces that’s perfect for painting. Also called “sign board,” it’s available at home centers for about $60 for a 3/4-in., 4 x 8-ft. sheet.

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Paint the Inside

• Apply a coat of primer and one or two coats of latex paint.
• Use a brush on the corners and roll the flat areas.
• When the paint has dried, fasten the tops to the drawer boxes with glue and brad nails.

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Fasten the Hinge, Install the Lid

• Stack the lift lid (part B) and the fixed top (part C).
• Flush up one of the long edges and shim the edges apart about 1/8-in.
• Center the piano hinge between the two parts, then pre-drill and screw it to both edges.

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Install the Lid Stay

The soft-close lid stays hold the lid up while you grab pillows and blankets from inside and keep it from slamming when you close it.

• Attach the pivot bracket to the side, then open the lid and extend the arm.
• Fasten the arm bracket where the arm lands on the lid.
• Repeat this on the opposite side.

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Build Toe-Kicks

• The toe-kicks raise the boxes off the floor and keep you from stubbing your toes as you get into bed. Simply glue and screw the ends to the sides.
• Attach three blocks flush to the top of the toe-kicks, one at each end and a third centered 17 inches from the front.

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Build the Drawers

• Cut the bottoms of the drawers to size from 1/2-in. plywood
• Fasten the drawer backs through the bottoms with glue and brad nails.
• Then fasten the sides the same way.

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Cut Drawer Pulls

Instead of using knobs, I cut out a handle for each drawer.

• Find the center of each drawer and measure a six-inch opening.
• I traced the shape and cut it out with a jigsaw.
• Then I attached the face to the drawer.

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Fill the Edges

• To prep the plywood edges for paint, apply a sand-able filler with a putty knife.
• Let it dry, sand it down, then prime and paint all the parts.

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Attach the runners

• Drill pilot holes in the aluminum angle every 12 inches.
• At each hole, bore a countersink so the screw heads won’t protrude.
• Screw the angle to the inside of the toe-kick.

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Attach the Toe-Kicks

• Flip the drawer boxes upside down and center the toe-kicks, which should overhang the front by 17 inches.
• Screw the toe-kicks to the bottoms of the boxes with 2-in. screws through the blocks.

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Assemble the Bed

• Flip the boxes upright and space them apart.
• Place the storage bench on top of the overhanging toe-kicks, then line up the sides of the bench with the drawer boxes.
• Screw them together from the inside with 1-in. screws and into the blocks in the toe-kicks with 2-in. screws.
• Then connect the back of the toe-kicks with the stretcher (part M).

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Fasten Slats

• Position the cleats on the inside of the bed assembly 3/4-in. below the top of the boxes and use 1-1/4-in. screws to fasten them.
• Cut slats from standard 1×4 boards to fit between the side boxes and fasten them to the cleats with two screws on each side.

Pro tip: Use one of the slats as a spacer to position them evenly.

You could use a sheet of plywood instead of slats, but I found the standard pine boards or furring strips to be much cheaper. Once the slats are on, the bed is ready for your mattress!

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You could end the project here with just the platform bed. If you would like to add a matching headboard and nightstands, continue to the following steps.

Sleek & Simple Headboard

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I designed this headboard and nightstand combination to match my storage bed, but it would work well with other beds too. All you need is one sheet of plywood and a few hours to put it together.

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Screw Planks to the wall

• Fill the edges and paint three 8-ft. lengths of plywood cut at 8-1/2-in. wide.
• Center the first strip three inches above the bed and attach it to studs with trim screws.
• Use a few one-inch spacer blocks to evenly space the next two strips above the bed.

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Hang the Nightstands

• Screw the nightstands to a plank. I positioned mine flush with the top of the lowest plank, but you could mount them at any height.
• Then fill the screw holes, touch up the paint and you’re done!

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