DIY Bunk bed Loft bed - 1 of 3 - The Bed Frames

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Here in This DIY Bunkbed/Loft bed video, this is part 1 of 3 videos. Video 1 is all about making the bunkbeds. Video 2 is making the bridge that connects both beds. And video 3 is the swing. Please check out our other 2 videos here:
Here are the Links to videos 2. and 3.
Video 2. DIY Bridge
• DIY Bunk Bed Loft Bed ...
Video 3. DIY Swivel Swing
• DIY Bunk Bed Loft Bed ...
Instructions on the bed are all listed down Here:
Step 1. Get some 2x4’s, cut to size, we cut ours to fit a twin XL mattress, and screw them into the studs in the walls. It helps first nail the studs, get them level and then screw them in.
Step 2. This part I didn’t get on camera unfortunately. But after you get the 2x4’s secured to the walls, your going to build the rest of the frame by attaching with screws two more 2x4’s to the inside of the frame (parallel to the long side) and then one more 2x4 to the outside to complete the box frame. You could also build the frame on the ground and then have a couple people lift it up while some one secures it to the walls, but since my husband was acting alone, he built it one board at a time.
Step 3 - Use 4x4 post on any corners not fully supported by a adjacent wall. Both our beds needed a 4x4 post on each corner, which also serves as a support for the steps. We cut the 4x4 to fit from floor to ceiling and secured it with some nails and screws, then secure the bedframe to the post.
Step 4 - Use 1” thick bed slats to cover the frame. While it’s not required to completely fill the top with slats, we wanted to make it look more authentic from underneath so we put the slats as close together as possible, with about an 1/8th of a inch gap between each one.
Step 5 - Attach some vertical boards for the steps. We used some rough cut rustic boards we got from a local mill. The rough cut saw marks were a nice touch and the look we were going for - plus the boards were super tough. We attached the vertical boards and added another 4x4 on the opposite side to balance it out and give it more structure.
Step 6 - attach steps. The boards we bought happened to have some triangular-shaped pieces attached to them. We just used a wedge to remove them from the board and then attached them using screws from behind the vertical boards. It helps to first nail them into place and then screw once you have them in place. You can use whatever kind of wood shape for this step. Our kids did find it a little hard to climb the steps at first, but got really good at it over time. It feels a bit more like rock climbing since you foot can’t go through the rung, like on a ladder. You use your toes more. This makes for strong climbers as well as keeps the littles off the bed that can’t be unsupervised without an adult. Which is fantastic!
Step 7 - Next we added horizontal boards across the face of the bed to contain the mattress. We used decorative rough-cut boards again for this step. Something more decorative to hide the 2x4s.
Step 8 - We next added a skinnier boards to the ceiling horizontally and some vertical boards to make the bed more secure and prevent our children from falling off. We had to space the short vertical boards just right to make way for the bridge, which we will install once we get the second bed up.
Step 9 - We installed the second bed the same way directly across from the first-making sure the short vertical safety boards lined up so we could puta bridge connecting the two later. We also added a second 4x4 post to the second bed to help frame it better against the wall (more for visual effect).
Step 10 - Add Varathane or Rustoleum wood accelerator on any boards that have not been naturally weathered. For us that was all the bed slats, some of the rough cut lumber and the 2x4s. The accelerator will give the wood some natural aged look. Some boards react a little differently to the accelerator than others, giving it some variation and uniqueness.
Step 11 - Use any kind of clear finish or seal coat to finish it off. We used a water based polyacrylic - matte finish, to try and retain as much of the original rough look as we could.
Step 12 - We next added some decorative 4’x8’ wall-board to the walls on both sides of the room - within the bed frame. It was a little tricky getting the wall-board into the top section where the bed is. I would suggest installing this before you put up the vertical safety boards.
Step 13 - We added a some skinny rough-cut boards around the corners of the ceiling directly above the bed to give it a bit more definition. Made the bed pop a little more.
Step 14 - For the mattress, we used a couple gel roll-up mattresses and could squeeze into the bedspace and be rolled out.
Thanks for watching. We hope you enjoyed the video.