Thread: 4 Poster bed need some Idea's

Originally Posted by Davie

Hi All,

I am going to be undertaking a bed building project for my daughter soon and I am ater a few ideas as to timber design and finishes.

My daughter has special needs and is going to out grow her cot soon so am thinking of creating a bed as there doesn't seem to be alot store bought options around.

It needs to prevent her from falling out of bed from climbing over the sides be non toxic and be able to with stand some chewing, allow easy access to make the bed and reposition our daughter. She is a gentle girl so it doesn't have to be overly robust. It also needs to look good and hopefully in a few years be able to be used as a normal bed.

I have given this a fair bit of thought and after thinking about timber and or aluminium gates etc the room needed and the risk of jammed fingers etc rules them out.

I am now thinking perhaps of four tall 100X100mm posts with either timbed or metal bed ends solid or not I am unsure then bottem rails with angle iron on the inside to support the slats then running a top rail between the posts then getting someone to make up canvas sides Pink preferably and having a strong mesh say white in the middle with a strong Zipper between the two fabrics in a U shape so that when getting her in or out of bed the middle part can be flicked up and out of the way. And perhaps hanging a net from the ceiling to make it look a bit more little girlish.

What timber woud be the best to use? Was thinking Cypress but open to suggestions.

What finishes are there that are non toxic.Or paints that are non toxic?

Where can I get bed hardware bits and pieces as it will need to be able to be pulled apart and moved at some stage.

Design flaws or other idea's do you have?

Davie

get your local library to get hold of a copy of Jeff Miller's Beds : outstanding projects from one of America's best craftsmen
Call number 694.6/MIL
Willoughby Library has a copy so if your local library doesn't have a copy it will be available on through an inter library loan
The book has a discussion on how to build beds and contains plans and complete instructions for 9 beds, one of which is a 4 poster and another a shaker inspired design which could readily be modified to suit your needs

Dave,

Been through this with my 2 kids. They didn't like the cot either.

Went around bedding places and looked at every bed they had (take plenty of photos)

Once SWMBO found the design she liked I made the bed. Sorry can't find the photos.

The bed was made so that is was about 25mm off the floor so if they rolled out it was only a mattress thickness drop to the floor into all the fluffy toys. As they grew up the legs were replaced with longer ones so it eventually rose to the height of a normal bed.

Making the bed was relativley easy you just had to be on your kness to do it.

I'll see if i can find the sketches on how the ends were attached to the legs so the legs could be replaced with longer ones. Basically the head and end were like inserts to the legs. Hard to explain but the sketches were easy to follow.

Originally Posted by ian

Davie

get your local library to get hold of a copy of Jeff Miller's Beds : outstanding projects from one of America's best craftsmen

I've got that book - highly recommended.....

Originally Posted by Astrodog

I've got that book - highly recommended.....

Thanks Ian and Astrodog I will find a copy of Jeff Miller's book

Originally Posted by The Bleeder

Dave,

Been through this with my 2 kids. They didn't like the cot either.

Went around bedding places and looked at every bed they had (take plenty of photos)

Once SWMBO found the design she liked I made the bed. Sorry can't find the photos.

The bed was made so that is was about 25mm off the floor so if they rolled out it was only a mattress thickness drop to the floor into all the fluffy toys. As they grew up the legs were replaced with longer ones so it eventually rose to the height of a normal bed.

Making the bed was relativley easy you just had to be on your kness to do it.

I'll see if i can find the sketches on how the ends were attached to the legs so the legs could be replaced with longer ones. Basically the head and end were like inserts to the legs. Hard to explain but the sketches were easy to follow.

Thanks Bleeder,

Yeah we have had a few discussions on mattress's on the floor low beds etc. My wife likes the idea of her being safe and secure so that she doesn't stress about what our daughter is getting up to when she wakes up in the middle of the night.

If you can find the sketch wthout to much hassle it would be interesting to have a look at as I would like to be able to alter the height in the hope That Grace can eventually learn to get in and out and save my wife's back a bit.

Regards

Dave

Dave,

I'll have a look. It's be 3 moves and now the kids are 6 & 10. Other than that I'll draw up another set and post them here.