DIY Bunk Bed Loft Bed - 2 of 3 - The Bridge

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Here are the Links to videos 1. and 3.
Video 1. DIY Bunkbed/Loft Bed
• DIY Bunk bed Loft bed ...
Video 3. DIY Swivel Swing
• DIY Bunk Bed Loft Bed ...
Instructions for The Bridge!
First we attached a board to each of the bed frames on opposite sides. These will act as supports for the 4x4’s that we will use to construct the bridge. We secured the boards to the frames using some large lag bolts we had lying around-2 on each board. Then we added a few construction screws to each board for good measure. You’ll want to drill a hole for the lag bolts first then secure them using a socket wrench or impact driver.
After we got the boards attached, we cut the 4x4s to the appropriate length and secured them on both sides of the boards for form the base of the bridge. You might need to tap it in place with a mallet. We then secured the beams to the frame, screwing them from the inside of the bed.
Now for the fun part. We took some 1x8 boards and cut them to the right length to span the width of the two 4x4 beams. You’ll need to measure the length and width of the bridge so you know how many to cut. Once cut, we sanded the boards using an orbital sander and low grit sandpaper on the corners to give it a weathered look. We also added some grooves in the board with the same low-grit sandpaper. After we got the shape of the board we wanted, we went back over with a fine grit sandpaper to give it a real smooth finish.
Once we finished the sanding, we attached the boards to the beams using finish nails. You can add small gaps to the boards to help them fill the span of the bridge. . . whatever suits your taste.
Once the boards are nailed on, we went ahead and applied the weathered wood accelerator to the top boards so that they would match the weathered color of the rest of the bed.
After the boards dried, we added a couple layers of polyacrylic finish to the entire bridge.
Next, we found some wood closet rods from HomeDepot and cut them to fit between the bridge and the ceiling. In the same place you find the wood closet rods at HomeDepot, they should have some black metal rod supports that you can use to secure the rod to the bridge and the ceiling. We screwed the supports to the bridge and celling and inserted the rods.
Once we had the rods in place, we took some thin rope (you can get at any hardware or craft store) and wrapped it around the rods starting at the top. We started with some of the rope against the rod and wrapped around it around itself to keep it from unraveling. This part does take some time to ensure its tight and secure. . . so be patient. It helped to turn the rod while wrapping.
Next we purchased some rope nets from an Amazon seller along with some small rope loops to secure the net with:
www.homedepot....
We ended up painting the rope loops copper to match the bet better. We screwed the rope loops onto various places on the frame and the bridge with the rope net encased. We also tied the net to the posts in the middle, leaving a little bit of slack between the beds and the posts, to give it a bit of a rope bridge look.
We ended up purchasing and extra net to go on the open side of one of the beds so that the kids could climb up and down the rope net for fun. We secured it to the bed frame the same way, using the same rope loops.
Yay! The bridge is finished!
After we got the bridge up, we decided the white walls needed a bit more of a rustic look so we purchased some rustic wood panels (8ftx4ft) and attached them to both walls behind the beds. This step might be easier if done while constructing the bed frame since it was a little tight to get in the top panel.
We hope you enjoyed this video. Please check out the next video to learn how to add the authentic rustic wood swivel swing! Please stay tuned for more videos coming your way!