The well-being of every person depends on the right choice of bed, because sound sleep is possible only in a comfortable bed. To make the time spent in bed enjoyable, you need to know a few rules for choosing a bed.

Features of the bed structure

All beds have two important parameters: length and width along the frame, as well as the size of the bed. By width, beds are divided into double (160-180 cm), one-and-a-half (110-150 cm) and single (80-90 cm). The standard bed length is 2 m. The size should fit harmoniously into the room and also match your size. A narrow or short bed will only cause inconvenience during sleep and also hinder movement.

The base of the mattress is its immediate support, onto which it is attached. The base can be plastic, metal, orthopedic or wooden. Wooden or slatted bases are inexpensive, but due to the space between the slats, the mattress can sag over time and eventually fail.

Plastic bases are made from spring plastic elements. This type of mechanism allows you to adjust the position of the bed. Plastic bases provide a good orthopedic effect; in addition, they are very strong and durable. However, beds with such a mattress base are very expensive. The downside is also poor ventilation.

The metal base is a metal mesh. This base will last a long time, and it also has an orthopedic effect. The disadvantage is their excessive rigidity, which can cause discomfort during sleep.

Orthopedic bases are curved wooden slats (lamellas) on which the mattress is attached. The slats are made from birch, beech and oak. Depending on the distance between the slats, the weight of the orthopedic base, as well as the entire bed, is determined.

Mattress

The mattress must match the size and frame of the bed in all respects. Mattresses are made from both synthetic and natural materials. It is worth remembering that mattresses made from natural materials are contraindicated for people with allergies. Synthetic mattresses are made from latex and foam rubber. According to their elasticity, mattresses are divided into spring and springless. Spring models consist of a certain number of springs, which provide the required level of elasticity. A firmer mattress will contain more springs.

The elasticity of springless models depends solely on the quality of the filler. The filler is mainly latex foam, which lasts a long time, is breathable, and is also hypoallergenic. Natural mattresses are filled with coconut fiber, which is durable and elastic, and it is also environmentally friendly.

Regardless of which mattress you choose, spring or springless, it should not be too hard or soft. A hard mattress can cause pain in the spine, while a mattress that is too soft can cause spinal curvature. You need to be especially careful when choosing a mattress for. The best option is a medium-hard mattress, also called orthopedic.

• When choosing a bed, you need to carefully examine all the elements, including the mattress. Fasteners must be firmly connected. The surface must be smooth without visible scratches, chips or cracks. The coating in the form of paint or varnish should be uniform and without sagging.

• It is very important that it is made from environmentally friendly materials. To confirm this fact, it is necessary to request a certificate of conformity from the seller, as well as a guarantee for the quality and assembly of the bed. It is very easy to check the strength of the bed and mattress; just lie down on the bed. In this case, the product should not make unpleasant sounds or squeaks. You should feel comfortable on the bed and fit comfortably on it. The mattress is suitable for you when your hand has difficulty getting between your back and the mattress itself. You should not choose a product that is too springy or soft, because the weight on such a product will not be distributed evenly.

• For a mattress to last for a long time, it must be properly cared for. An innerspring mattress must be turned over several times a month to prevent it from becoming deformed. Turn the mattress over only with the help of special handles that will not cause the fabric to be pulled.

• It is better not to turn foam products over. To ensure cleanliness, it is better to use covers that can be washed. Dust and accumulated lint are removed with a vacuum cleaner.

• Spring mattresses should not be twisted or compressed. It is also not recommended to sit in the same place, otherwise dents may form. Sudden movements, as well as jumping, also render the mattress unusable.

A broken bed is not a reason to run to the store, especially if you have beams and screws at home. With the help of simple materials, anyone can make a double bed with their own hands, and personal preferences and wishes will serve as a guide.

The original bed will exactly match the required size, height and weight of the owner, and will also fit perfectly into the overall interior design.

The base is wood

The bed frame can be made of iron or wood. And if the first option requires special skills in working with iron and hard-to-find materials in the form of profile pipes, then every business person will have beams along with the ability to operate a screwdriver and tighten self-tapping screws.

The assembly of such furniture will take no more than 10 days, and only safe and high-quality materials are used: self-tapping screws, sheet plywood, MDF panel, metal corners, PVA glue, beams and dowels.

Some recommendations will help you competently and quickly assemble a strong and stable bed:

• It is better to give preference to a smooth beam on laminated pine about 200 cm long;
• It is recommended to compare the dimensions of the future frame with a pre-purchased mattress;
• To complement the design of the drawers, you should purchase chipboard sheets;
• Self-tapping screws and other fasteners are purchased with a reserve;
• There should be no roughness at the base of the bends of metal corners, indicating poor quality.

Let's start assembling

Once everything you need is ready, you can start assembling the bed. The algorithm below will serve as the diagram for making the components of a bed with your own hands.

Frame and stiffeners

The first step is to make a rectangular frame, each side of which consists of three beams fastened in height. Next, the following manipulations are necessary:

• A beam measuring 4x5 cm is sawn into 4 parts: two 16 cm and two 21 cm, which are laid out on the floor along with the frame and secured with PVA furniture glue.
• The second layer is laid out parallel to the beams, firmly fixed with self-tapping screws on both sides. Periodically it is necessary to check the evenness of the structure with a tape measure or rope. Excess glue that appears should be immediately wiped off with a cloth, not allowing it to dry.
• For the base of the bed, slats with a thickness of at least 3 cm are taken. To enhance the load-carrying capacity, a “stiffening rib” is made in the center, running along the bed and having two supports.

Legs and supports

Four supports are needed in each corner. Each leg is made from two pieces of 4x5 cm timber, gluing their seams with PVA, connecting them together with self-tapping screws and attaching them to the main frame. After which the product is turned over and installed on its legs.

Mattress base

The support bars are provided in the bed drawing and, depending on the appropriate option, come in different thicknesses, heights and locations. Most often they are equal to the internal length of the frame and are attached at the level of the second row.

To create an optimal orthopedic base, the slats are fixed at a distance of about 20 mm, fixing them at the edges and in the center with two self-tapping screws in each place. Afterwards, the future bed is left to allow the glue to dry.

Sanding and painting

The final treatment consists of sanding the entire surface and thoroughly washing the product. Before painting, a protective wood primer is applied to the perimeter of the structure, and the bed is painted with high-quality wear-resistant varnish in 3-4 layers.

Modernizing standards

One bed is good, but a children’s bed and a bunk bed are even better, especially since making it with your own hands is as easy as a standard model.

When choosing a suitable scheme, you can experiment with the dimensions and design: make two beds, place a desk, sofa or cabinets on the ground floor.

Experienced and motivated craftsmen will also be interested in another modern and functional model – the podium bed. In this case, you will have to accurately measure all the dimensions of the room and prepare lumber in strict accordance with the required area.

Retractable drawers at the bottom of the bed and side panels hidden by panels are required.

If your soul and body require a new bed, then don’t rush to the store. Making this piece of furniture with your own hands is simple and quick, and the final result will directly depend on individual wishes, taste and space.

DIY bed photo

Note!

Have you decided to replace your old sagging ottoman? Or maybe you are moving to a new apartment and want to furnish your bedroom from scratch? In any case, buying a bed is a useful thing. A good bed is the basis for a good sleep!

Well, we will help you decide and choose a bed so that you not only like it, but also meet modern ideas about bedroom hygiene, that is, ideal for good rest. What types of beds are there?

To begin with: what do we mean by the definition of “bed”

First, let's agree: a sofa and a bed are completely different things. Absolutely! There are different types of beds, but the “sofa” type is absolutely not among them, this is a different type of furniture. Although some people synonymize these concepts and do not see much difference between them...

Unlike beds, sofas are not recommended for sleeping. How and why is explained in detail in

After we have come to an understanding on this issue, we will study the types of beds and decide how to choose a good bed.

In this article we will talk about classic adult “single-story” (i.e., not bunk) beds. Let's hope you're traditional in your bedroom decor and that's exactly what you want.

Bed shape

Single beds and single beds, that is, most types of beds, usually have a rectangular shape. Doubles – square or almost square. But the variety of forms does not end there. Sometimes you can find oval or round beds. And if the oval one is at least somehow close to the usual shape, then the round one is completely unusual.

Typically, round beds have a diameter of 2 meters and are considered double beds. However, in fact, sleeping on them together is not very comfortable. You have to lie very close. A round bed will suit you very well whether you sleep alone or cuddle with your spouse. Then you won't feel any tightness. This is also an acceptable option for those who are used to sleeping in a curl: two people can lie down in different parts of the bed, curl up like a cat and not worry about not being able to stretch out to their full height.

So, a round bed is suitable for those who:

Prefers “ergonomic” sleeping positions

Has a large bedroom and does not save space

Loves the unusual

Ready to order a custom round mattress and bed linen.

For the rest, it’s better to give up thinking about such a piece of furniture.

Headboard

It may or may not be present. What do you think, which bed is better to choose: with or without a headboard?

Beds with a headboard are best for a good night's sleep. You need some kind of “limiter”, otherwise at night the pillow will always slip out from under your head and fall to the floor.

If you think about it, you can put the bed with your head against the wall, and then the pillow won’t go anywhere. Well, what if you like to read before bed? If you often sit with your back against the wall, the wallpaper will suffer. In many houses where renovations are rarely done, the wallpaper near the beds is worn off - pay attention if the opportunity arises! Based on this, we will continue: the headboard should not only be present, it should preferably be high enough.

As for the types of headboards, they are very different, to suit every taste. There are almost as many of them as there are types of beds. Most often, the headboard is directly connected to the bed, and sometimes it is separate. Look at the photo: a cabinet moves up to the wall, and it also serves as a headboard. Headboards are also produced, which are separately screwed to the wall, like a frame, and the bed is pushed towards them.

Bedheads can be low, high, solid or with gaps, hard or soft, plain or embellished, rectangular, square, semicircular and irregularly shaped. There are beds whose headboard shape is generally difficult to characterize. (see photo below)

Types of beds by type of design

A couple more types of beds: they are hard and soft (covered with filling and upholstery, wrapped). The presence of upholstery and filling does not apply to the sleeping area; in any case, it remains hard. Hard or padded bed – the choice is yours. They are completely equivalent in their properties and equally hygienic (the upholstery is made of waterproof materials).

Choosing a bed

Based on materials

When thinking about how to choose a good bed, remember: it should not only be beautiful to look at, but also made from suitable “raw materials”. At this point you need to pay the closest attention. What types of beds are there based on materials? Wooden, iron, with elements of plastic and glass, they are also often made of chipboard, laminated chipboard or MDF.

If you are buying a metal bed, make sure that it is of high quality, coated with an anti-corrosion alloy, and washable. If you choose a tree, it is better to take an array. In general, wooden beds, as practice shows, are the highest quality beds and the safest.

Avoid inexpensive beds made from chipboard and similar materials. During their manufacture, adhesive mixtures are used that evaporate harmful volatile components (formaldehyde, etc.) into the air. Inhaling them is hazardous to health! If you choose “glued” materials, study the brand and make sure that the material is of high quality and harmless. The seller must have safety certificates, which he will provide to you for study upon request.

Whatever material the bed is made of, before purchasing, you need to make sure that the assembly is of good quality, see if it sways and if it stands stable on the surface. Carefully inspect the joints and joints: there are no glue drips, and whether the screws are installed evenly.

Based on

What are the advantages of a non-solid foundation? They consist in the fact that beds with bars or slats are lighter in weight. In addition, it is believed that this way the lower part of the mattress can “breathe” on them, and therefore evaporate liquid. It does not accumulate in the mattress, it remains dry, and mold fungi and dust mites that love moisture do not multiply as actively.

All this, of course, is good, but it is not really necessary.

First of all: why do you care how much your bed weighs? You don’t have to carry it every day - it’s designed for sleeping, and even if it’s very heavy, it won’t cause you any damage.

Secondly, the “breathing” of a mattress is also not an essential thing. During sleep, about 700-1000 ml of liquid comes out of the body, from the surface of the human skin. Some of it evaporates into the air, some is absorbed into the pillow and blanket, and some actually ends up on and in the mattress. However, for it to become soaked through, and for the liquid to begin to evaporate on the other side... This is hardly possible. Moisture remains mainly in the upper layers of the sleeping surface of the product. And in order for it to evaporate, it is enough to leave the bed unmade for 20-30 minutes after waking up.

Thirdly, the vaunted orthopedic properties of spring slats are completely useless if you already have.

No matter what they tell you, the base of the bed should be solid. This is much better for the mattress than a grate that will press dents into it. On a solid base, the mattress will remain undeformed and will retain its original appearance for a long time. In addition, you will never have to deal with the problem of replacing bars and slats, because it is extremely difficult to break a solid bed base. The highest quality beds are often made with a solid base. And if you are thinking about how to choose a good bed, you can safely lean in favor of this variety.

Along the foot

The footboard, that is, the “side” of the bed in its foot part, is the most minor detail. You can do without it. Most modern beds are made without a footboard by default, and this is even good: a sleeping person can toss and turn, slide off the pillow, take his feet out from under the blanket - and nothing will interfere with this.

By design

The design of the bed may be different. If you love the sophistication of shapes and have a large bedroom, a simple but elegant four-legged bed will look great in it. If you are a practical person, then you will probably buy a bed with a linen drawer, and if, in addition, you like convenience, then buy furniture with a lifting mechanism. Finally, residents of small apartments will probably prefer a transformable bed with an abundance of shelves, niches and drawers.

Any option is good. As they say, there is no arguing about tastes.

To size

The size range of beds is wide, but most people know only three options - single, semi-size and double beds. When choosing the width and length of the future bed, many people become hostage to circumstances. Naturally, a two-meter bed will not look or fit in a small bedroom, where you can barely turn around.

However, no matter what conditions you live in, try to keep the size of your bed as large as possible. If you sleep on a single bed, just think about these numbers: its width is almost comparable to the width of a crib. Ideally, everyone should sleep in double beds, even those who sleep alone. Large space means a free posture in sleep, no feeling of tightness, the ability to toss and turn as much as your heart desires. This is convenience! You shouldn't deprive yourself of it.

The maximum width of beds that can be purchased is 200 cm, however, if you really want to order, you can make a larger bed. Don't forget to choose the right mattress for it.

When choosing a bed, do not forget to evaluate its length (for some reason many people forget about this). The minimum length of the bed is the height of a person plus 20-30 cm.

And the last thing: such a dimensional parameter as height. Now you can buy both very low beds and very high ones. Buy the furniture you like, but keep the following in mind:

1. It is better not to choose low options for an elderly person. Sitting down and getting up from a low bed is quite uncomfortable.
2. It is also not recommended to place low beds in rooms where there is a draft. It is most drafty near the floor and at a height of up to 30-40 cm; you need to sleep higher.
3. A very high bed visually clutters up the space, so if you are the owner of a small bedroom, you should not choose this option.

According to the availability of accessories

It is quite difficult to surprise the modern buyer, in the conditions of current abundance. The most extraordinary pieces of furniture appear to the discerning gaze of people. What other beds are there?

For example, recently, canopy beds have regained popularity. Are they any good? In some ways, yes. They are very beautiful, in addition, when you lie on such a bed, you can create the effect of complete privacy by closing the canopy and fencing off your little sleepy world.

However, there is no great practical benefit from the canopy, and even vice versa. The main complaint about such beds is that the canopy fabric becomes a concentrated source of dust that accumulates in the material. In addition, even if the canopy is loose, it disrupts the air circulation around the sleeper and does not impair oxygen access. A person actually breathes dusty, stale air, and this is harmful to health.

Another common “device” of beds is numerous upholstery decorations. Folds, frills, other decorative elements... Objectively, they are also not needed. Firstly, dust and dirt collect in numerous folds, making the bed more difficult to care for. Secondly, all these decorations often become victims of attacks on the part of small children and animals, and ultimately come off, leaving a seam or an unsightly glue stain in their place.

We really hope that this excursion into the world of furniture was not in vain for you, you have drawn conclusions for yourself and now understand which bed is better to choose. We wish you good luck in finding the bed of your dreams!

The bed for adults determines the appearance of the bedroom interior. And if it is in full view of everyone in a studio or budget apartment, then together with the wardrobe and table it forms a triumvirate, from which the entire design of the home dances. This circumstance influences production and trade markups: for family double beds, they are not exactly ugly, but they could be cheaper. Hence the understandable interest of home craftsmen in homemade beds: it’s not a TV, and it’s not a car. And not even a closet or a chandelier.

Craftsmen make beds of various types and designs. Examples in Fig. cover only the core of amateur bed construction, which still has many bends, side jets and twists. We will stay more in the mainstream.

Making a bed with your own hands is both simple and difficult. Simply because there is nothing technologically complicated about it; A very good bed can be made with your own hands outside of a carpentry workshop at home, right in your apartment. It’s difficult because the bed is one of the most loaded pieces of furniture and perhaps the only one designed for regular (or irregular, depending on who you care) significant alternating loads. The ratios of their values ​​to the load-bearing capacity of parts of acceptable sizes are close to those in industrial equipment or military equipment, but it is not suitable to construct an everyday thing like the bed of a metal-cutting machine or a gun carriage. In order to meet the specified requirements with a minimum of available material, labor and money, it is necessary to make full use of the mechanics of wooden structures and related disciplines. This article is intended to give an initial understanding of the structure of the bed, its main parts and their work in the structure. Illustrative materials can be used both directly and as a basis for your own developments.

From the anecdotal history of beds

The famous Soviet submarine captain Alexander Marinesko once started an affair with a very temperamental Swede from... mmm... a public house in the city where the flotilla was based. The fame of the hero, who in the Kriegsmarine from cabin boys to grand admirals was seriously considered to be the sea devil himself with a team of werewolves, did not particularly impress the lady. But an enthusiastic adoration for Captain Marinesko flared up in her when, during the next rendezvous, the bed collapsed under them.

The fact is that the craft of that person was hereditary. So to speak, a family tradition along the female line. And she inherited the bed from her grandmother. We will try to build a crib worthy of such a couple.

Entry level bed

Beds of a simplified design, in which the backs are included in the power circuit, and the legs are made integral with them, are made only for adults in economy class. And then, the legs are separated from the backs and placed on the side close to them so that an angle is formed that gives the product at least minimal rigidity. But all the same, somewhere you have to install additional supports that rest directly on the floor, which is not optimal, see below. Drawings of a bed of this type, designed for moderately intensive use for 10-12 years, are shown in Fig. The front back/wall differs from the back only in the absence of a decorative extension. The material of the backrests is laminated chipboard, the lounger is plywood; the rest is wood. Assembly using self-tapping screws for wood and steel angles. And we will go further, to beds that can withstand a grandmother with many lovers and her offspring.

Material

It is better to make a bed in the “do-it-yourself” category from wood; it will cost less than laminated chipboard with the same complexity of work, but the bed will last for many decades. Solid furniture will be more expensive than laminated chipboard, but you can get by with timber without defects if you take it from a closed heated warehouse. Lumber stored under a shed or in the open air is suitable for furniture only after a long period of drying at home, and due to warping, a lot of waste is generated. You can still make a baby crib, bedside table, chest of drawers or coffee table from such wood, but it definitely won’t fit on an adult bed with its heavily loaded parts.

A bed for several years, until you have enough money for quality furniture, can be made from simple sanded chipboard, not laminated. Along with painting/varnishing or wood-look self-adhesive covering, it will cost no more than wood. The problems of shrinkage and warping naturally disappear, but the service life of the bed will not exceed 20 years due to the natural deterioration of the binder. The designs of beds made of chipboard have a number of features, which are discussed below.

But what if it’s an array?

Solid wood furniture is expensive, but just like chipboard, it is guaranteed against warping and shrinkage. And it will go on the bed much less than on the closet. If you can afford such a prestigious pleasure, then for the sample in Fig. a product of German craftsmen: an original double bed made of structural solid wood. Timber and other lumber are not used. The original version with a headboard-blinds is intended to be installed in the middle of the room. Such a headboard against the wall will gather dust, but you don’t have to make it, or make something else, see below. The array frame alone will take a little more than 2 square meters. m; in terms of money for pine it will be about 10 thousand rubles. The cheapest ready-made solid bed costs at least three times more.

About connections

A wooden bed will be most durable if assembled using carpentry joints. The most commonly used are tongue-and-groove, closed and open, and half-tree or quarter-length mortise. Dowels and dowels are used less frequently due to their lower strength. All wood-to-wood joints must be glued.

Carpentry joints gain design strength for some time, up to 2 weeks, and require fairly high production skills, special tools and a separate workshop, because give a lot of sawdust and shavings. Therefore, a homemade bed is assembled using metal connectors. The fasteners will have to be tightened as the wood dries out, but the bed “on steel” will take the full load immediately after production.

In “temporary” and, in some cases, durable beds (see below), it is advisable to use universal thin-walled perforated steel plates. You can use them to bend corners, pockets, or both together, pos. 1 in Fig. In this case, it is better to take the corners with a stamped stiffener, pos. 2.

It is better to assemble a bed “on steel for a long time” using bolts and nuts; the bolt heads in the front surfaces are sealed in the same way as confirmations: with decorative plugs or putty made of PVA or liquid nails on sawdust. But the locking of the nuts in pairs is a steel washer - a spring washer, as in pos. 2, on the tree is a thing of the past. It is better to take shaped nuts with a grooved bottom surface (press nuts) complete with Teflon washers. Elastic, durable Teflon lasts forever, it will keep the nut from coming loose no worse than a screwdriver or flap washer, and most likely you won’t have to tighten the connection at all.

Note: the use of metal in the main structure of the bed is limited. Why and when it is necessary, see below.

About nails

It’s not customary to talk about connections with nails now. Like, it’s antiquated, but a screwdriver with confirmations is cool. But it’s too early to discount nails. In addition to the low cost of fasteners, nails do not require preparatory operations (drilling), special tools, wear-out replacement working parts for them, and do not produce waste. As for the noise, an experienced carpenter “bales” 100 mm nails with a 200 gram hammer so that it can be heard in the next room only if you listen closely.

There are corrugated nails on sale, see Fig., which hold the wood no worse than confirmed nails and also self-tighten as the wood dries. In nodes where the operational load does not tend to pull out the nail, the connections on them are quite reliable, and if the load falls along the nail from the head to the tip, they are absolutely reliable. There are enough such units in the bed, at least attaching spacers to the drawers, see below.

Bed arrangement

The adult-style bed frame is a rectangular frame made of boards placed on the edge - a drawer. The frame can be equipped with additional stiffening ribs; it is placed on legs and the front (footboard) and back (headboard) backrests are attached to it. A bed (lounger, lodgement) is placed in the frame, on which the mattress is placed. To ensure that less lint gets onto the floor and less dust from the floor gets into the mattress, the bed is often covered or covered with a mattress pad made of tarpaulin, canvas, etc. technical fabrics A bed made from a solid slab is also sometimes called a mattress pad.

Note: in mattresses on a rigid base (spring and quite expensive orthopedic), the bed and the mattress pad are included in the mattress. But a bed tray under them is still needed for the reasons described below.

Tsargi

The drawers are made of planks or chipboard. Plywood ones are not suitable, because... plywood is very flexible and is prone to delamination over long lengths under dynamic loads. Tsar thickness from 30 mm; width for a bed up to 2.2x1.6 m from 170, but better from 200 mm.

In high-quality beds, the frames are connected with dowels or, if an open connection is acceptable due to aesthetics, with a half-timber mortise, a through tenon with wedging, or a dovetail. Keyed connections are not applicable in this case, because do not exclude displacement of the frames along the key, and in this direction the greatest loads occur on the connection. To lay the bed from the inside, support bars are attached to the drawers. They crash into each other at the corners halfway up the tree, on the left in Fig.

In simpler and cheaper beds, the drawers are assembled into a frame using metal fasteners (corners + hardware), and the support bars at the corners do not meet, on the right in Fig. Under the bed on the lamellas (see below), spacers can be attached to them, but not necessarily, separating the nests of the lamellas. They may or may not be on the frames of beds of any class, depending on the design of the slats and the bed as a whole.

Note: if the support bar under the lamellas is placed on the frame assembly, the spacers are nailed to it in advance. If the spacers are placed on the drawer assembly, then they need to be nailed to the board.

About prefabricated sidewalls

A bed in the bedroom on the sides with textile inserts is much more hygienic, because... dynamic loads effectively ventilate the under-bed space. One of the designs of the prefabricated sidewall is shown in Fig. on right. The side drawers cut into the front with a hidden (blind) spike. The fabric insert can be solid, depending on aesthetics, then a spacer is not needed. It is also not necessary to fasten the fabric with dowels in the grooves, as in industrial production; it can be secured with slats nailed from the inside. Then the loops for nails are cut in the fabric in advance, the slats are nailed down so that the material can be grabbed, the fabric is stretched and the slats are nailed tightly. The fabric must be decated, i.e. Soaked and dried 2-3 times.

Bed

If the bed frame has partitions, say, for drawer niches that can act as stiffening ribs, and the mattress is on a rigid frame, then sometimes they don’t make a bed at all, pos. 1 in Fig. below. In this case, a sheet of 8-16 mm plywood with ventilation holes is laid under the soft mattress, pos. 2. But this is far from the optimal option, and not only due to the high consumption of material and the amount of waste.

The bedside not only holds the mattress, but at the same time provides ventilation for it and the space under the bed. It must have a certain elasticity in order to take on those same dynamic loads, and transfer to the frame only what it can withstand from grandmother to granddaughter without creaking. Therefore, the bed of a “real adult” bed is made from loosely laid boards - slats. A plywood mattress pad under a very soft mattress is placed on them, and without slats it will turn out to be something like a pressing punch for the bed.

Lamels

The slats can be laid across or along the bed. Mechanically, transverse ones are better; they dampen dynamic loads more smoothly and more evenly. They also provide the sweetest sleep and everything else on the bed, because... play up and down in accordance with body movements. If the width of the bed is more than 1.1 m, the slats are most often made double, laid in 2 rows. Then in the middle of the frame along its length a support beam of lamellas is installed - a spar, pos. 3. In factory models, the spar is made of steel pipe with sockets and/or a support platform for the lamellas.

Note: don't be surprised by aviation terminology; further on there will also be stringers with ribs. The designers of the first airplanes adopted a lot, among others, from furniture makers, incl. and terms.

The wooden axial support of the lamellas requires additional reinforcement from below, because it accounts for the maximum (antinode, in technical terms) of dynamic loads. For the reasons stated below, any support posts should be avoided. We’ll see in a little while what a home-made man should do.

The slats can be flat or curved upward. The latter are bent in advance; it is impossible to install flat boards in the spacer instead of slats: they will quickly shake the bed, even if they are only sleeping on it. The bent slats of expensive beds are equipped with plastic tips that provide the required gap between the slats (see below) without spacers on the support bars and effectively dampen alternating forces.

Bent slats are designed for fairly expensive mattresses; as a rule, complete or recommended for the bed. Anyone lying on this feels like a boyar on a swan's feather bed, but the mattress is in the middle and lower price segment, incl. orthopedic, on bent slats sometimes it gets confused, and bed neighbors in their sleep roll down to the edge or fall on top of each other.

It is better for a home craftsman to make do with flat slats. Firstly, any mattress will lie on them; those for the royal-boyar down jackets are also designed for a flat bed. Secondly, the lamellas can then be made solid, and the spar can be replaced with 2 stringers, pos. 4. The antinode of the dynamics will be in the free space, and the stringers will use timber from 75x50, placed on the edge. True, l’amour le trois on such a bed will not be very pleasant, but we will hope that readers do not suffer from a tendency to deviations in the intimate sphere.

Finally, the bed of a bed with drawers also needs to be spring-loaded for sleep comfort and durability of the product. A spar embedded in the partitions of the drawers will not only limit their capacity, but can have an unpleasant side effect, see below. In this case, there is nothing to do - you will have to lay longitudinal slats, pos. 5.

What not to do with lamellas

First, there is no need to nail the lamellas to the frame and/or “reinforce” them with stringers if there is a spar, pos. 6. The power structure of the bed is designed so that the slats take on the dynamic loads, and the frame takes on the static load. With the lamellas tightly fastened, they will exchange one and the other, which for the person lying down will clearly be expressed as a bad dream. As for the stringers, they simply won’t feel anything in this scheme and will only wonder why they were installed? For the sake of extra labor and material costs? If you are going to make a stock on stringers, then without a spar, see above.

The second mistake is too frequent and/or wide lamellas with small gaps, pos. 7. Ventilation deteriorates and a too-hard spring bed turns into the same punch. The norm for installing lamellas is 6.5+0.5 pcs. per meter of bed size perpendicular to their long axes. Material – board (100-120)x(20-25) or plywood (100-120)x(10-12).

And a completely unforgivable mistake - a dull hard bed, pos. 8. There can be only one justification for the presence of such beds in production and sale: they look “cool” without a mattress on the sales floor. And for the home craftsman there is another minus: why put expensive decorative material where it won’t be visible?

Slats and racks

There are beds with a flaw in the design, sometimes necessary for budget models, but still annoying: the presence of support posts that transfer loads directly to the floor, see fig. on right. Let us remind you that in a proper bed, only the frame should interact with the floor through the legs. And in this product, 2 fatal defects are not necessary, but possible:

• The floor is very hard, for example, laminate on a backing without lag on a self-leveling leveler. Depending on the location of the bed in the room (it is impossible to read or accurately simulate on a home computer), even the involuntary movements of the sleeper through the posts will be reflected back, and the Princess and the Pea effect will arise in the dream.
• The floor is on joists. Due to the different mechanical characteristics of the flooring and the bed frame, although it is absolutely sound and not at all loose, it will turn out to be creaky. Especially at the most inappropriate moments for the perception of such sounds.

Legs, floor and frame

The legs of the bed, like the slats, work in two ways. Even threefold, if you take into account the possibility of its movement. But in a bed that stands in its place inviolably, they not only hold the frame. It is in the legs that both the remnants of bed dynamics and its impact from the floor are extinguished. The interaction of loads opposite in the direction of propagation promotes resonance; This is one of the possible reasons why the bed squeaks and creaks, no matter how you move it or tighten it.

To avoid resonance, the bed legs must, in addition to general strength, have a low mechanical quality factor. Therefore, legs made of boards or L-shaped chipboard are bad, they ring well. They are also known to break easily when moving the bed. So its legs need to be made of timber; preferably coniferous species. A section of 50x50 will be sufficient for both strength and vibration damping. Thicker, of course, won’t hurt, especially if the tree of the legs is dense deciduous, then it is advisable to take from 100x100.

Thickening the timber legs also provides design advantages: in an expensive bed, or a homemade one for a long time, the frame drawers cut into the legs without any problems in any way, as on the left in Fig. This will not only strengthen the bed, but will also reduce the likelihood of squeaking to nothing, and will also allow you to make a strong headboard, incl. oblique, see below. And in a simple bed “on steel” the same legs ensure high strength of the corners of the frame; therefore - the entire bed, in the center in Fig.

Finally, the side drawers, unloaded by powerful legs, will make it possible to make a bed such that a Swedish grandmother could not even dream of. Namely: strengthen the frame with transverse stiffeners - ribs, on the right in the figure, from boards placed on edge that are half as wide and thick as the frames. They put ribs under the bed, they don’t replace it! They are attached to the drawers either by cutting them with a through tenon (not halfway through or into the middle!), or using metal pockets. This is one of the cases when metal in a bed is better than woodwork; for another, see below.

Bed and podium

The bed and the podium have been friends for a long time: for respect in a luxury bedroom, pos. 1 in Fig., for zoning space in a studio apartment, pos. 2, or, conversely, in a cramped one-room apartment, pos. 3. However, not a bed with a podium, but the bed-podium itself as one product, exists mainly in three forms. The first is a bed that pulls out from the podium in the same one-room apartment, pos. 4, or children's, pos. 5, which allows you to save useful area equal to that of the sleeping place. If the ratio of the length of the room to its width is no more than 4/3, then the corner podium bed, pos. 6, has little effect on the ergonomics of the room, you just need to think carefully about the layout.

In an ordinary home, a bed, structurally combined with a podium, pos. 7, is used mainly for hygienic purposes: both the floor under it and the mattress from the floor almost do not collect dust. But this solution is used quite rarely, because the podium resonates easily. Much more often, a bed-podium is placed in a niche, which in itself dampens sounds well, and is equipped with drawers, pos. 8, which allows you to turn an uncomfortable nook into a cozy alcove and save space for a linen closet.

Podium

The podium for the boxes is assembled on the corners with box-shaped hardware from timber from 40x40, on the left in Fig. The maximum size of the horizontal mesh is 400x600 mm. There is no point in increasing the thickness of the timber beyond 50x50, because... the maximum permissible mesh size grows much more slowly than the cross-section of the tree, which increases material consumption without significantly adding strength to the podium.

You can’t make a box-shaped podium for a pull-out bed, unless the bed is floating, complicated and not very reliable. In this case, the upper lathing above the bed niche is assembled with a mesh of up to 300x400 mm, and the transverse links are placed offset, on the right in the figure, or in a checkerboard pattern.

Bed for him

The pull-out bed to the podium is the same frame made of drawers of reduced height. In order to absorb excess loads for weak boards, the support belt is made reinforced, and the corners of its beams are necessarily connected by a half-wood cut using glue and reinforced with pairs of diagonally screwed-in screws, see figure; dimensions – in cm. Glue – PVA or “Express” (liquid nails); fastening with hardware is carried out within no more than 5% of the time of complete hardening of the glue.

Note: This bed rolls out across. To roll out lengthwise, it is enough to turn the clip with rollers 90 degrees horizontally.

Design examples

With drawers

From a hygienic point of view, under-bed linen drawers are, generally speaking, not the best option: things are constantly in stagnant air. In addition, over 90% of indoor dust is kept in a layer of about 20 cm above the floor; This, by the way, is also a weighty argument against pull-out beds. But sometimes there is nowhere to go, there is simply no space for a linen closet or a stationary bed.

The design of beds with drawers faces a number of difficulties, mainly due to the direct interaction of the partitions with the floor. There is no way to fully take into account the mechanics of either gender! You can get around them by constructing a bed in a non-traditional way for furniture, namely, by calculating the spar in a similar way to the backbone frame of a truck, in the form of a powerful beam that can take any load and effectively dampen vibrations. The loads will be transferred to it by all the elements “splayed” to the sides. In the Tatras, this approach made it possible to use independent wheel suspension, which ensured excellent smoothness and cross-country ability, and a bed with drawers on a backbone frame would make it possible to vary their sizes, number and design of the bed as you wish, without thinking about the overall strength and creaks - the backbone will demolish everything .

Note: in production, spinal load-bearing structures are labor-intensive, material-intensive, low-tech and unforgiving of design errors. But this is not a hindrance for a persistent and skillful homemaker.

The spine of the bed is, of course, made not from a large-diameter steel pipe, as in a dump truck, but from a pair of 100x50 beams. The remaining parts of the supporting system, including the inserts between the beams (lengths) of the ridge, are made of 100x100 timber. The backs and drawers, which in this case are simply decorative overlays, can be anything, even cardboard. The dimensions can be taken from the figure, knowing that they are multiples of 10 mm and the overall length of the bed (including the thickness of the headboards) is 2550 mm. Too much? The bed on the ridge can be increased to 3x2 m. Tumble around as you wish, there was only enough living space.

The beams of the supporting frame at the corners must be cut into half the tree using glue and dowels - wedged through bosses, see Fig. The wedges of the dowels are placed crosswise, because they should be positioned perpendicular to the grain of the wood of the attached part. If the beams are thin-layer hardwood, the wedges are placed crosswise diagonally, as in Fig. The frame with the ridge is attached to the legs with screws using an envelope. The contact of the partitions with the floor does not matter; the ridge will absorb vibrations. You can not bring the partitions to the floor.

If you don’t trust innovations, then the bed with drawers will have to be assembled on a rather complex frame that requires no less material. Dimensions and diagram are on the next page. rice. This differs from standard designs in that it allows the installation of transverse slats, incl. bent.

About mattress clamps

What is that there in the ridge - “the location of the mattress clamps”? These are round or square bosses so that the mattress does not rub when fidgeting on the bed, see fig. on right. Wooden ones with glue and nails go to the mattress frame on a hard base; felt ones can be sewn to a soft one. The size and location of the mattress clamps are chosen so that they fit into the grooves or holes of the bed and do not allow the mattress to move.

From chipboard

Chipboard is widely used in inexpensive beds, but almost always in combination with wood. The fact is that generally durable chipboard really “does not like” concentrated loads; it is fragile at the ends, edges and edges, and in small parts it often delaminates during sawing; Chipboard bears alternating loads even worse than plywood. Therefore, in beds made of chipboard, at least the legs, the support belt of the bed and the spar are made of wood; drawings of this type of bed in Fig. Please note that the crossbars made of 40x40 timber in this case are not lamellas, but ribs! There is no stock in the drawing!

However, beds made entirely of chipboard are also found: panel construction on a supporting crosspiece, see fig. on right. There are no small details; the cross with pads dampens the dynamics from both the stock and the floor. The thickness of the slabs is from 30 mm. All edges are edged with T-profile edging for table tops. It is advisable to use a propylene edge, then you can do without plastic legs if the floor is flat. You can put boxes. A disadvantage, in addition to those common for chipboard, is that if the bed is against the wall, half of the under-bed space disappears, because Under no circumstances should the symmetry of the cross be violated.

A pallet made from building materials is good as a bed base not only and not so much because it is cheap. Firstly, the pallets are made from fairly high-quality wood and, until they are worn out and sold, it will shrink and dry out no worse than selected solid wood. Secondly, the pallet experiences the same loads as the bed, but stronger: they carry bricks over bumps on it! So, as they say, you don’t have to worry about the strength of a bed made of pallets, just sand them, assemble them with long screws as much and as needed, and finish them.

The dimensions of a standard pallet are 100x80 cm, so 4 of them make just a double bed, pos. 1 in Fig. The extra half of the boards is enough for fastening, a headboard, or even a bedside table; the rest will play out the dynamics just in moderation. Under a soft mattress, it is better to cut bars inside to create a bed with a recess, pos. 2; the trimmings will be used for legs or other crafts, the wood is good. And from pallets you can, without further ado, assemble any podium, position. 3.

Finally, the dimensions and shape of the pallet roughly correspond to one of the structural modules of the furniture. Whether amateurs know it or not, there is no shortage of homemade furniture made from pallets. Unfortunately, even a cursory review of it requires a separate publication.

Headboard to bed

A homemade headboard has its own meaning: there are much cheaper mattress beds without headboards on sale; their frame is designed to withstand additional loads. Hobbyists make a variety of headboards on their own. Traditional hard wooden, pos. 1 in the figure is not bad and hygienic, but feeling it on the back of your head or the top of your head is not always pleasant. You can give the back some elasticity by making it on a woven veneer frame, pos. 2, or, in the rustic version, made of wicker, but the wicker back does not fit into every interior and is still not soft. Patchwork back, pos. 3, is quite soft, its aesthetics are determined by the fabric used and therefore can be adapted to any room design. The pads of the patchwork back are made on plywood panels approximately 300x300x(4-6) mm using the soft headboard technology, see below, but simpler: because the fabric is stretched evenly, double padding of the edges is not necessary.

However, the best results are achieved with a classic upholstered headboard. For an amateur who does not know all the intricacies of working with upholstery fabrics, so that the upholstery does not wrinkle, does not stretch, and the filling does not get confused, it should be done with double quilting along the contour, as in pos. 4. Compare pos. 5 and 6. The latter not only wrinkles unsightly, but will soon rub through the scars. The soft headboard of the bed is made in stages as follows, see next. rice:

1. Foam rubber with a density of 35 or more is glued to the base, covered with batting (preferably padding polyester) and pinned along the edge with a furniture stapler. A strip of pure wood (plywood) with a width of 150 mm or more is left at the bottom for attaching to the bed frame;
2. Decorative fabric is also attached to the bottom with a stapler;
3. It is also used to outline the curves, attaching them to the underside of the back with a stapler with an indentation from the edge of approx. 10 cm;
4. The corners are cut with notches. For beginners, it is better to do this together: one in front monitors the tension, and the other in the back forms scars, cuts them and attaches flaps (festoons);
5. Decorative trim along the edges is covered with furniture nails;
6. A much better technically and aesthetically pleasing effect is achieved by a special decorative chain – furniture tape;
7. Using a homemade thicknesser from a square and a piece of chalk (option - soap) the contour of the second row of upholstery is outlined;
8. Along the inner contour, the upholstery is roughly fastened with a stapler, because it is the inner row that keeps the entire skin level;
9. A decorative stitch is applied using the same furniture tape or nails.

Homemade exclusive

An inclined, and even more so a curved headboard is not only more comfortable, but also an indispensable attribute of luxury beds. Meanwhile, it is not difficult to make it yourself: from a board 150 mm wide (thickness from 30 mm; for plywood from 10 mm) comes a headboard with an inclination from the vertical of more than 10 degrees, pos. 1 in Fig., and even more than 20 degrees, pos. 2. From the same blanks, a very beautiful bed with a curved headboard is obtained, only its lathing needs to be done more often, but from thinner, 25-30 mm, slats, pos. 3.

The backrest is attached to the frame and/or legs of the bed with corners. Its back side is sewn with a 4-6 mm fiberboard sheet to hide the fasteners and for rigidity, the blue dotted line in Fig. If the entire bed is in sight, decorations are being made on it. On the front side, you can put the same shield with soft covering or decor on it, a red dotted line on pos. 4. Or you can, having widened the sidewalls for strength and abandoned the front sheathing, sew up the back fiberboard from the face and place a completely soft headboard in the form of a pillow (pillows) in the resulting pocket.

Note: For a curved headboard to maintain the style, it is better to cover the face and back with fiberboard, paint it and complement it in an oriental style with a mattress/mattresses with tassels.

What about single?

A single bed is approximately 1.5 times narrower than a double bed. This seriously changes its mechanics with acoustics, so the design of a single bed is simpler and allows more amateur liberties. A wide variety of design options are possible here, just like for a children's bed. For example, how to make a single bed over the weekend, the materials for which will cost about 1000 rubles, see.

Video: do-it-yourself single bed (under a 190×90 mattress)

From timber

A bed made entirely of timber will cost more than one made from planks or laminated chipboard; its manufacture will require special tools and a carpentry workshop. If you can do all this, you will end up with a lot of benefits:

• Square and round timber, when dried along the length, almost does not warp, which facilitates the selection of material.
• You can, without fear of loss of strength of the product, use hidden dowel connections, see fig. on right.
• The bed will give a solid, prestigious look to even a very simple interior, pos. 1 in Fig. below.
• Possibility to make a bed with floating bedside tables, pos. 2. In amateur conditions, only a massive timber frame will give them reliable support.
• The opportunity to fully express yourself creatively in any variety of rustic or country design, poses. 3-5.
• And not only in rustic styles: a bed made from scraps of small timber, pos. 6 is labor-intensive, but fits into any interior, and a connoisseur will appreciate it on a par with antiques.

Metal in the bed

The “Soviet” dorm and barracks iron beds with armored mesh are of bad memory; thank God, almost all of them have sunk into oblivion. Modern metal beds are either handcrafted, forged, costing thousands of dollars, or their frame is made of a profile pipe coated with plastic, which is not freezing, not ugly, and not traumatic. But the fundamental drawback of metal beds cannot be eliminated: a complete mismatch in mechanical and temperature characteristics with wood and materials based on it. Therefore, in modern metal beds, wood is used only in the form of decorative overlays.

The second serious disadvantage of metal is corrosion, and the third is ductility. That is, the welding seams of steel beds in general consumer segments sometimes crack, and the frame elements bend. Apart from the mounting plates mentioned above, the only case where it is difficult to do without metal in a bed is the frame of the lifting mattress made of metal, see fig. A wooden one, no matter how happy the product of its creator may be at first, soon becomes loose.

All? No, not all.

The world of beds is vast and diverse and, unfortunately, it is not possible to cover it in one publication. For example, you probably know wardrobe beds, sofas and armchairs. But did you know that the folding headboard of a partially extendable bed can also be a coffee table? And that there are accordion beds that regularly serve as bedside tables while waiting for a guest in the family? What about beds without a mattress? In an apartment - not in an apartment, but at the dacha it will be useful, and the savings on a mattress alone are at least 10 thousand rubles. Or, say, a bamboo bed. It looks most luxurious in an exclusive interior, see fig. But, at least technologically, it is quite accessible for self-production.

Well, let's hope that we will have another opportunity to talk about them and various others, and for you to make the bed of your dreams.

It is well known that a person spends a third of his life sleeping. However, despite this, many people prefer folding sofas to comfortable beds. But your mood, performance and well-being directly depend on the quality of your sleep. Therefore, you must approach the choice of bed very responsibly in order to purchase the model that best suits your taste and needs.

What is the bed made of?

First, you should familiarize yourself with the design features of this extremely useful item. As a rule, a bed consists of a frame and frame, which, in turn, is assembled from load-bearing frames, supporting or hanging backs and side panels. In the second case, supports are required, which are usually wooden or metal legs, a base, wheels or side walls, that is, what the bed will stand on.

The frame is made of MDF, solid wood, chipboard or metal (with cladding). Each of these materials has a number of pros and cons. A metal frame is considered the most reliable, since it is resistant to loosening, but it significantly increases the weight of the bed, and during cleaning it has to be moved from its place. However, no matter what materials the product is made from, it should in any case be as durable as possible.

The base (base, bottom, lattice, frame) is fixed to the frame and serves as a support for the mattress. There are several types of bases: metal mesh, bases on movable or fixed slats (lamellas), spring bases. The rack and pinion ones are generally considered to be of the highest quality, which is why these days they are in particular demand.

Such bases vary depending on the material of the slats, as well as their number and size. Particularly convenient is the frame with a mechanism that regulates the rigidity and angle of elevation of the central, foot and head parts. A bed with such a frame is more expensive, but it will allow you to feel much more comfortable on it.

The main decorative element of the bed is its headboard. It can be curved or flat, solid or openwork, inclined or vertical, wicker, lattice, with decorations in the form of paintings, carvings or turrets. There are also headboards that are solid or divided into two parts, upholstered in leather or fabric.

Today, many people buy beds that do not have a footboard, so that even a tall person can sleep peacefully on it. As a rule, the side panels (tsars) are made from the same materials as the headboard and are sometimes upholstered with decorative fabrics.

Selecting a mattress

Now, having familiarized yourself with the design features, you can calmly begin selecting the next important part - the mattress. When purchasing it, be sure to pay attention to the “filling”. All types of mattresses can be divided into spring and springless. The advantages of the first type are obvious - hypoallergenic, easy to use, durable (the service life of such a product exceeds 20 years).

In turn, among spring mattresses there are two types - with dependent (attached to each other) and independent springs. In the first case, the springs guarantee a comfortable sleep, however, due to the “rolling waves” formed, it is not recommended for married couples with a significant difference in weight to purchase this model.

This problem does not arise when using a mattress with independent springs, which literally “adjusts” to every curve of the body. Independent blocks consist of wire springs, which are enclosed in interconnected covers made of non-woven materials. This allows you to distribute the load most accurately without affecting adjacent springs, and ideally follow the shape and contours of the human body.

In addition to springs, mattresses contain many different layers that can provide comfortable sleep even for discerning couch potatoes. One of the popular Moscow manufacturers Consul offers consumers a model of the Elite series, the basis of which is a block of independent springs. Its “filling” also includes strutofiber - a hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly material that can withstand prolonged strong pressure and provide an additional springing effect, a double layer of cotton batting and spunbond. The original Lady mattress from the famous Italian company Lordflex’s can easily take the shape of the body, since its springs are covered with six layers of different materials, which reduces the degree of humidity and promotes ventilation.

Relatively recently, a completely new type of mattress made from foam latex began to appear on the market. This product is characterized by an optimal level of softness, elasticity, and shape stability. However, it should be taken into account that latex mattresses require very careful handling and are afraid of moisture, so they often need to be turned over to ventilate.

However, the naturalness of the materials, the absence of squeaking and electromagnetic radiation will make such a mattress a real find for lovers of comfortable sleep. Before making a purchase, we recommend checking with the seller whether the product is made of natural or artificial latex. Artificial materials are cheaper, but in terms of useful properties they are practically not inferior to their natural “brother”.

The invariable material accompanying latex is horsehair or coir, which gives the mattress the necessary rigidity and protects it from possible moisture ingress. The “filling” of some products consists of latex, alternately layered with layers of horsehair or coir. Lying on such a mattress is much more comfortable, and it can even withstand a lot of weight.

The presence of holes of various sizes and shapes in latex, as well as its porous structure, make it possible to create very elastic and soft mattresses. A good example is the Bios model produced by Lordflex’s, which has seven zones of rigidity for the hips, shoulders, neck and other points of the body.

The most convenient for transportation and at the same time inexpensive model is a vacuum-packed mattress. It makes it possible to transport a rolled product in a regular passenger car. After removing the packaging, the mattress takes in air and expands to its normal size.