DIY Pallet Bed – Attached Night Stands!
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While we were visiting in Westport we slept in this very cozy DIY pallet bed made by my sister Susie. This frame made a stable, solid base for the mattress. Who says bedroom furniture has to be expensive? Susie made a bed with lights, storage and tables and didn’t spend a dime. She actually found free pallets and had them delivered for free by a pallet truck!
You may not get that lucky; but if you look around you can find free pallets in good shape in a lot of locations. Many businesses have them stacked outside and don’t mind giving a few away. Ask around and see what you can find! Try lumber yards, big box stores, or any industrial area.
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How did Susie make this awesome DIY pallet bed frame?
We have used pallet boards for decades around our little farm for impromptu animal stall and other projects. But I never thought about actually sleeping on them.
Well Dave and I spent two nights sleeping in this cozy pallet bed. It looks a bit tortuous, but it is NOT! We were seriously impressed with how comfortable this bed is. And it has it’s own sidearm night stands! How cool is that?!
I just had to share this with you!
This is how Susie made this DIY pallet bed
Susie used four-foot pallets and stacked them two deep. NO NAILING! She arranged them so they provided their own bedside tables as well. This is such a great idea! We were surprised how stable this bed is. We slept wonderfully!
Think Creatively !
Susie threw some mini white Christmas lights under the bed for a great night-light effect. She is planning on sanding the rough parts down and putting a bit of padding on the pallet corners to protect little toes! Think how fun it would be to paint this in a distressed look and have some glass cut for the ‘table tops’. Susie is not done with this bed. I’ll keep you posted on her creative brainstorms. There is so much potential here. And it’s free!!
We loved sleeping in this bed. Personally I love the rustic repurposing of pallets. They are so often discarded when their cargo is sold. If you’re looking for an idea for a bed frame, give this some thought. I’d love to know what you come up with for a pallet bed frame!
Where to source and how to prepare your pallet boards for upcycling:
A reader got me started on this idea train. Pallets are incredibly useful for diy projects. BUT when we bring them into our home we need to scrutinize the source and the condition of the pallets closely. Here are some things to consider.
Avoid pallets that are saturated in chemicals for home use. These may leach unwelcome things onto your carpets, bedding and yourself!
If you are getting pallets that are dirty or buggy how to make them fit for use in your DIY project? Especially if you plan to sleep on them? Here are my ideas. Feel free to add your own in the comment section below. All suggestions for properly cleaning and sourcing home friendly pallets are welcome!
- If your pallets are dirty a pressure washer will clean all the surfaces and crevices.
- Or a bleach wash with a sturdy scrub brush will remove or kill bugs, moss and dirt.
- Leave the pallets out to dry until they are completely clean and dry before bringing them into your home.
I found this great article and infographic on Sourcing and prepping pallet boards for any upcycle project by FIX. Check it out!
Source: Fix.com Blog
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This bed is published at MMN.com How to make cool stuff out of wooden pallets
99 Pallet Bed Frame Designs has many great ideas for you to get inspired by. Including using those cubby holes!
What size mattress did you have when you made this?
Hi Cassie, This is a queen size mattress.
Hey!! Love this idea! I have box springs and a mattress. Would I just lay the mattress on top of the pallets?? TIA
Hi Sabrina, Yes! Just lay the mattress right on the pallets if they are clean and dry. It works great. Let me know how you like it. Thanks for the question and have a great day!
Do pallets have bugs and if so how do we get rid of them?
Hi Paula, Thank you so much for your question! I decided to update this post and bring in information and links to help people learn how to source and prepare pallets for in the home projects like this one. I really appreciate your bringing this up. I hope this information is useful to you. Have a great day!
I love this post, Diane, and the little artwork thing you made. I actually raised the bed up another level. When Mike & Lia come down, I’m gonna sucker them into white-washing it. This means you’ll have to come visit again to take more photos.
Your blog is great. You’ve brought long-lost people together from around the world. I get quick and easy-to-make recipes and I always have access to them on my phone! Thank you for your enormous effort here!
I can’t wait to see the updated version!
I think the part that I like most about this pallet bed are the lights underneath. I also like that you could store stuff under it, and it would probably be less expensive than a bed frame and side tables. I’ll definitely have to look into doing something like this so that I raise my bed and have more storage space.
I agree Ember. A whole bedroom set, except a dresser, on the cheap! It is very cool at night when the lights are on. Great night light! I love your idea to raise the bed. That would make storage underneath a real possibility!Then who needs a dresser?
That was a wonderful Idea from Susie. I must say that it has inspired me and I am thinking of putting some old pallets to use now. I am just hoping that it works out well. Thanks for sharing this Diane.
Ginny
This is a good bed. Just need a decent mattress and it’s quite cozy too!. We loved the built in side tables. So handy!
Oh, my gosh, I think you just saved my back! My old bed was destroyed (dog-sitting) and now I have to sleep on a weak-framed futon. This has got to be more stable, and it looks better, too. And what a bonus with the side tables! Thank you!
Your so welcome Jenny. Let me know how it turns out for you! We have slept in this bed. It is so fun with the lights underneath. Like a really cool night light! This bed could easily be themed for the holidays!
It looks great. I’m gonna raise it another level – the neighbor farmer offered me some of his pallets!
We loved sleeping in your pallet bed Susie. Can’t wait to see it next visit. We’ll sleep like royalty!
What size mattress ?
We are building this for my son.
Hi Danette. I found this link for you. It has all the mattress sizes in a table. Just click the mattress size and it has a drop down with the dimensions for each mattress size in inches. If you know the measurement of the pallets you are using you can check how they will fit the different mattresses down to the inch. We would love a picture of the finished bed when you make it! So excited for your son! Let us know if we can help with anything else! Diane