2×4 Bunk Bed
We love getting emails from our readers, especially ones like Amanda’s. She’s a relatively new woodworker who reached out to us asking our help to create plans for a simple bunk bed that can be built out of 2×4’s. She was headed to the Dominican Republic on her very first mission trip to make 15 bunk beds for the Emanuel House, which is a school that offers a hot meal, bible study, educational instruction, and love to children in need in Quisqueya. While initially she was worried about tools and supplies, Amanda ended up getting some help from our friends at Kreg and was able to use the design that I came up with and simplify it even more to reduce lumber cost and build time! We are so proud of her!
…Everything ended up working perfectly. The organization we stayed with told us before hand that there was no way we would be able to build and deliver 15 bunk beds in a weeks time… we did it in 2 days! -Amanda
Below are the plans that we originally sent Amanda and while it hasn’t technically been built I could help but share the plans. I would love to see photos of this project completed and possibly use one as a feature image! So comment below with your complete bunk bed pics!
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Time to Complete
1 Day
Skill Level
Beginner
Required Tools
Materials
- Qty 22 – 2 x 4 x 8′
- Qty 4 – 2 x 2 x 8′
- Qty 11 – 1 x 4 x 8′
- 1-1/4″ Brad Nails
- 2″ Brad Nails (Optional)
- 1-1/4″ Wood Screws
- 2-1/2″ Wood Screws
- Wood Glue
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Dimensions
Cut List
How to Build a Simple Bunk Bed from 2x4s
Questions? Comments?
As always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to comment below and especially don’t forget to post pictures of your finished products in the comments! ENJOY!
Love your plans. These look like great bunk beds. Would these work ok as loft beds if we took out the bottom bunk?
Thanks Ron! And I would say yes, that would be a great mod.
Any guess as to the weight capacity on each bed?
it held me fine and im 190 pds. for a bigger load i would throw a 1/4 inch piece of plywood on top of the slats. itl be indestructible then. the mattress spreads the load on the slats too. im guessing a 250pd man could sleep on these safely.
Any chance you could show us a modified plan using 4×4 corner posts that separate to two single twin beds with safety side rails ? I have two boys and I want to build them bunk beds but they are not quite ready for them to be stacked yet. I’m not sure that only 2x4s would withstand them.
What size mattress does this fit?
I havent put these together yet but I am wondering if a twin (75×38) mattress will fit too snug since the inside of the 2×4 posts looks like they will pinch mattress on a 4 corners.
How do you take it apart when the time comes. All screws are covered with the filler wood right?
Years ago (I’m talking about 40) my parents built a 2×4 set of bunk beds for the cabin, it didn’t need to be fancy just functional. They failed to measure a regular twin mattress, they’d made it to short, so they went and purchased some foam mattresses those babies lasted for about 20 years before they decided to buy some twin/full beds for both sides of the room. As a lesson, please measure the mattress and the opening before cutting 🙂
hello, I noticed in step 1, that there was spacing on the top and bottom where the 2x4x37″ board was against the 2x4x67-12″ board. What is the spacing?
Thank you
Stan
It’s just centered on that long 2×4. So 1” from either side.
worked really well, kids love it. The slats should be 40″ in my case, not sure where i went wrong but the slats were half an inch short. still worked. I ended up using more to reduce gap size. i grabbed an extra couple of 1×4 8 footers to complete this.