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I was wondering if there were any experienced carpenters or builders, handymen, etc that could give me a few tips or comment on my future design plans. I don't want to land on my computer desk underneath
I built one for my daughter. Took measurements from the actual location then did the design and prefab out in the yard.
Easy to overlook during the design process under those circumstances (for me anyway, I don't have background in such things) was access to the fasteners (bolts and screws) during the final installation in place. (plenty of room out in the yard, not so inside the room)
I had no space to maneuver the bed after construction, it had to be bolted together in the exact spot it was to be used in. I couldn't get to alot of the fasteners and had to haul everything back outside and redesign.
Use normal , steel screws for the construction. Not Stainless Steel.
Stainless steel screws aren't nearly as strong as normal screws and a loftbed will be experiencing some wicked forces.(climbing in and out of bed , "marital" activities , etc...)
Wherever possible , use bolts with big washers , combined with spring-washers.
For the bottom : Each single plank used should be able to bear your weight in the middle of its span , without creaking.(You'll know , if you ever landed on one knee on a factory-produced bed....)
Good practise : Choose your planks oversized , rather than "just right"(Which is ALWAYS too "light"...)
Choose planks , with as little knots as you can find ; everyone is a weak spot in the structure.
Unless you plan to move it around often , I'd also advice to use a good construction glue on the main joints.(In addition to the srews/bolts)
Last edited by Megamieuwsel; 05-31-2004 at 01:11 PM.
umm, maybe don't use pine? (pine i was told in woodshop class (then they closed the class, damn new principles with new visions that last less then a year and ruin the students life's!!!!!!) that pine was a weaker wood ...) seems to make sense as most things i see that use pine my figure nails will just cut them up...
and if you want to tighten up the wooden joints (to push them into place as the glue drys) , use bamboo rope or leather ,, as both when wet will expand a bit (at least i know leather can be stretched a bit when wet... i have half a cows hide in my closest ) when they dry they contract that can make some joints stronger (i heard of it being done when making certain things from wood... )
I plan to build it in my backyard, test it, then unfasten and unbolt and put into room (it won't fit through the door..) I will keep the access to all the screws, etc.. in mind (thanks).
Steel screws shouldn't be a problem.. not much moisture..
I'm unsure whether I'll screw in the planks.. or just let them "sit tightly" (with a flat "rope" material joining them equidistantly)
I was planning to use pine, but I am reconsidering now.
I will do some more research on wood joints, etc.. I want to keep it strong but simply..
Treating the wood beforehand, varnishing, etc.. too
So you don't get too scared of pine, I built my daughters completely out of pine and it was very sturdy. I climbed up on it and bounced around to test it for sturdiness and I weigh 250 pounds.
Of course just about the only reason to choose pine is to save on funds, although I have made several smaller items (cabinets) out of pine and with the right stain they looked quite good. The loftbed I painted pink for my daughter, she loved it.
Good luck
Last edited by toastermaker; 05-31-2004 at 10:15 PM.
If you use 4" x 4" for the legs and 2" x 6" for the rails, then pine will work just fine. It will also keep the weight down. If you want to make it fanciers, then a hard wood (oak) would look really good. It will be up to your tastes and budget. For more stability and a stronger joint, I would use lag screws along with washers. Pre-drill the holes so as not to split the wood. Either leave the screw heads exposed, or use a forstner bit to counter sink the screw head and washer, and then make a wood plug to cover it up. It does look good either way(my own opinion)
Did a google search and here are some ideas:
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