How do I hang a bed from the ceiling?

Question

I want to suspend a bed from the ceiling. Wondering what I should use (wire or chain) and what kind of bed?

Answer 1

http://www.floatingbed.com/

This place sells information and products for exactly what you are talking about.

I think you should reinforce the ceiling joists first though, just to be safe.

Answer 2

Bed Hanging From Ceiling

Answer 3

second answer holds the most rational clue.

Added support to the ceiling joists,,BUT,,, also no promise that the connection won't degrade or cause stresses on ceiling drywall, joist structure in general, and the situation needs to all be attached not only at joists, but with no less than 4 x 4's that span over load bearing supports above that specific ceiling.

Chain would be advisable, perhaps with no less than 3/8 thick eye bolts, long enough to go all the way through all the support. Certainly you can decorate the chain after the fact to hide it.

The support will certainly help,,, and any structure is made to flex some, but a suspended bed may eventually do damage to that supporting structure,,,even if you don't experience wild times in the bed.

Rev. Steven

Bed type is up to you, but with each larger size bed you add stress, and it's not shear weight. You dont state, or perhaps know the construction yet, but cheack that offered link.

Answer 4

I have seen it done but you need to be sure the rafters above can supprt the load, You would probably want to span the 2 adjacent walls with structural beams designed to take the load based on the span.

You would use welded chain and grade 5 or 7 bolts ensuring that the bolts pass through steel plates on either side of the beam at the four points that the chain will hang through the ceiling.

The base should be welded 1 inch square tubing fashioned in such a manner as to support the perimeter of the bed frame with additional tubing spanning the frame 1/3 from each end to support the middle of the bed frame.

Again use welded 1/2 inch eye bolts to secure the chain to the frame and use bolts and washers to fasten the chain to the eye bolts.

Doing it with less than described will most likely cause ceiling damage and serious injury.

A structural engineer should be consulted before proceeding with any project that you would hang on for 8 hours at night.

Answer 5

Wow! Kinky!
First, get up into your attic (if you have access to one - if you live in an apartment, I wouldn't recommend hanging the bed from the ceiling) and inspect the ceiling structure. Is your roof made of trusses (big web shaped things with metal plates at each junction of boards) or rafters (big boards that form the roof slant with horizontal boards running across)? If it is trusses, you could probably just drill a pilot hole into the bottom piece (through your ceiling), attach a heavy duty hook, get some chain and make a sturdy platform out of wood with steel reinforcing bars all around. Hook the chains to the platform (without the bed on it!) and then hook the platform to the ceiling with a helper. Sit on the platform to test the weight and if you don't hear any creaking or cracking you can put the bed on there. You should only use a mattress and not a box spring, and you might want to get some double sided tape to put on the platform under the mattress.
If the ceiling framing is rafters and/or joists, you'll need to beef up the framing a bit, and for that you should hire a qualified carpenter.

Answer 6

First you have to reinforce the entire ceiling so it can take the weight. While you are doing that, you can create four strong mount poits for attaching the bed.
Of course you need to determine what attachment method you will use before creating the mount points.
You can use strong cables, but threaded steel rods run through the center of the bed post is more stable.
There are several sites on the web that describe all the alternatives. Just do a google search for ceiling mounted beds.

Answer 7

You'll have to go above the ceiling and add additional support or it will collapse. Chains work better than wire. You'll basically want to build a bedframe of wood with a thick plywood bottom. You won't need a box spring. Just a matress. (waterbeds are too heavy) There will be a lot of movement when you get in and out of the bed. So you may need to secure a chain or two to the floor ar wall also.

Answer 8

Don't know the bed, but you need to make sure you are hitting jousts when you hang it. Even Molly Bolts in drywall ain't going to hack it.

You might also consider what kind of jousts those are. I am not sure I would try that stunt with 2x4's. Chain rather than wire (kinky).

Oh, and keep in mind, when you are calculating the weight load, you may be talking about MOVING weight.

Um, and for God's sake whatever you do, don't hang a waterbed from it.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

I would reconsider the hanging thing...maybe use 2x 4's as "legs" and make it tall and put a desk underneath or something.