Replies

1. 
   K1500 | Nov 29, 2006 12:40am | #1

   On a double bed I made, I screwed the support cleat on the rails like you suggested (biggest screws I could use but make sure they don't poke through).  I simply used pine 1x4's laid across the cleats.  I didn't screw them to the cleats as the rails had so little flex I didn't worry about them spreading. 

   I can see the need for something more for a king bed.  The place where I bought my mattress had a metal foldable center support with a leg (kind of like a piece of a Hollywood frame).  This looked like it would span the 'crack' and provide support with minimal bulk.

1. 
   gcg | Nov 29, 2006 01:47am | #2

   Thanks.  The actual Stickley uses metal brakets w/ feet that span b/w the rails but since I can't but those I decided to stay with wood.  I will need the extra support though.

1. 
   gcg | Nov 29, 2006 06:09am | #3

   Anyone else??? In particular about the type of wood and dimensions of the slats

1. 
   YesMaam27577 | Nov 29, 2006 08:29pm | #4

   I have a king size bed which was hand made (though I can't take the credit), and it is amazingly strong and stable.

   It has a centerline "slat" that goes from the headboard to the footboard. This centerline slat is half-dovetailed at each end, and fits loosely into sockets. (Half-dovetail meaning straight on one side, and reverse-angled on the other.)

   That centerline slat supports the side-to-side slats, which are also half dovetailed.

   It took me some time to understand all of the advantages of this system, but I'll take a stab at it. Slats in both directions have the obvious advantage of providing the support, with out needing the middle leg.

   And the half dovetails prevent the head, foot, and side pieces from bowing in either direction. Since there is much less chance of bow, ther is therfore less chance of sag.

    

    Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.

2. 
   MonteB | Nov 30, 2006 06:05pm | #6

   I used Jeff Miller's book on Beds when I built a twin bed for our daughter. I cut 15 (yes, fifteen) 3/4" x 4" slats out of the same wood from which I built the bed - soft maple.

   I did have to make 3 of the slats out of poplar when I used up my stock of maple, but with that many slats, I wasn't worried about sag.

   I also followed Jeff's advice and inserted short dowels into the ledger strip along the side rails. After cutting a tight notch centered in each end of the slats, the slats don't move...no matter how hard our young daughter plays on her bed. :)

   If I were to make a larger sized bed, I think that I would use more than 5 slats.

   Monte

    

1. 
   gcg | Nov 30, 2006 06:54pm | #7

   Hey that sounds like a good idea.  I think I will go with poplar too.  Perhaps I will double the number of slats as well.

   I'd like to clear up what you were saying on attaching the slats. Are you saying that a short dowel goes into the ledger/cleat and then the dowel inserts into a hole in the end of the slat.  I was thinking of using screws but the dowl sounds like a good idea too. 

   Also, one way I was thinking of making the slats stronger was to glue a 2"X3/4" strip in the bottoms to make a structural "T".  What do you think?

2. 
   MonteB | Nov 30, 2006 08:04pm | #8

   Yes, the short dowel is glued/inserted into a properly sized hole one-half inch deep into the top side of the one inch thick ledger/cleat. It is best to bore these holes before attaching the ledger/cleat to the side rail.

   A hand-held drill and a spacer block to keep the holes evenly spaced will make quick work of the boring process. Keep the depth of your holes fairly consistent and center them in the width of the ledger/cleat. The result that you are looking for is a series of dowels that protrude from the ledger/cleat by slightly less than the thickness of your slats, 3/4" in my case. The exact length and the consistency of the protrusions is not critical.

   The notch that is centered at the end of the slats is actually a rectangularly shaped notch rather than a dowel-sized hole. Trapping the dowel pins in a hole would mean that everything has to be dead-on...too accurate for this purpose. I cut my notches on the bandsaw using a fence...cut one side of the notch, flip the board to cut the other side of the notch, then turn the board end for end and cut both sides of the other notch. I whacked the end of the notch with a chisel to remove the waste. Make the length of the notch only as long as needed.

   I suppose that fastening the slats to the ledger/cleats with screws would be faster and would accomplish the same purpose of keeping the slats from shifting under duress, but I kind of like the idea of using wood solutions instead of screws in furniture. The upside to using dowels is that the slats can quickly be lifted out of place and quickly be laid in place whenever it is necessary to move the bed.

   I think that you will be glad that you at least doubled the number of slats.

   I don't think that I'm qualified to speak to the sufficiency of the strength of a structural "T" in slats for a wide (king size) bed. I would imagine that you would also want to include some kind of center post(s) as well.

   I had a lot of fun making the bed for our daughter. I'm sure that you have had fun with your project, too.

   Monte

2. 
   Jimmbo | Nov 30, 2006 07:20am | #5

   As for attachment of the latteral cleats, glue glue glue.  Screws to serve as clamps until the glue dries.  Glue on that much side grain will be very strong.  As for the wood for the slats, I used pine in a single bed and it bows more than I like.  I would go with anything more rigid than white pine.