My Crafty Side: The Barn-Craft Room: Trundle Bed

After completing our Barn: Craft Room, we wanted some type of couch/seating area in the room. We had an extra set of twin mattresses and box springs. The original "couch" had a daybed type of feel. This provided the wanted seating and the sometimes-needed sleeping space. I placed some of my Mom's old quilting hoops on the wall, along with a heart-shaped wreath and a few accessories. It was comfortable, and fit with the decor:

After several months of barn fun...it became apparent that we were going to need more sleeping space for weekend guests. I started trying to figure out how to make our twin-size space into a pull-out king sized bed. The answer was a trundle unit.

I shopped for different daybeds with trundle pull-outs. But, nothing fit the decor of the room. Well, I say that...but what I mean is that nothing affordable, fit the decor of the room. So, of course the logical answer to the problem: make something!

I wanted a Victorian/Rustic/Front Porch type of bed. I know, I'm just a little crazy when I start getting ideas... Here are the pictures of how I built the bed:

For the back posts of the bed, I used 2" x 4"s attached to the wall. For the Front Posts, I wanted something more decorative. I went to Home Depot and looked at 4"x4" posts. I looked at landscaping timbers, and I looked at Porch Posts. The landscape timbers were "treated wood". I didn't want those in close proximity to sleeping guests. The Porch posts were tempting. But, they were wood core, with a white painted/laminated exterior. I didn't think the white would be a good match for the room. So...I found these Newel Posts. They were natural wood, not treated or painted, and they had a nice "turned" section.

The only problem with the newel posts was the heighth. They were 54" tall. So, I used 2- 2"x4" boards screwed together to match the dimension of the newel post, and achieve the heighth that I wanted.

I stripped the padding and fabric from the one of the box springs to reveal a wooden frame. Who knew that there are actually no springs, in a "box spring" foundation? I needed something to finish out the desired porch-look at the top of the newel posts. The exposed box spring frame was perfect. And, it provided a base for extra storage on top of the bed, as well as, a support for the roof of the actual bed.


I attached the bed rails to each post.


Because I was going for a "porch" look bed, I used turned spindles on three sides of the bed. I then placed a "hand-rail" along the top of the spindles.


For the ceiling of the bed, I used 2 pieces of left-over corrugated tin, framed in with 1"x4"s.


I cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to fit for the top mattress.

I had to purchase the "trundle" unit. That was the most expensive part of the whole project. This unit was $75.00. The unit raises up to the same heighth as the stationary twin mattress. This makes a full King-sized bed, when needed.

I added some small details to the front posts: iron scroll brackets, and wood-burned Texas stars.



I think the bed turned out perfect! All-in-all, I spent less than $200 for the whole project. But, I had access to the mattresses, and lots of scrap material. I have plenty of storage on top of the bed. And, it could have been easily finished out for a bunk, on top. I think I achieved my desired goal of the "Front Porch" feel. The bed is king-sized, when needed; and, twin-size seating area most of the time...No wasted space. I am using one of my Great-Grandmother's quilts for the bedding. I Love It!

Till next time...