I am making a wooden loft bed with 4x4's still a little wobble.?

Question

I am making a wooden loft bed with 4x4's posts on each corner. I've used 2 x 4 for horizonal bracing and it still has a wobble. It has a solid 3/4 plywood on 2 x4's as platform with bracing under it every 2 feet. Should my bracing be in a X or is horizonal ok? (There is at least 3 - 2 x 4's horizonal on each side, not including actual platform 2x4. The platform has 5 inch hex screws in it and the bracing I used 6" hex bolts. Any help would be great! Thank you in advance.

A loft bed is a tall bed where you can have a desk or so under it. It's for my nephew. (Side note: I appreciate all the answers...I am a very noice builder and have tried to build this by looking at pictures on the net.)

Answer 1

Wow...........

Loft bed is confusing; no offense. It's a BED. Does it matter WHERE it is? OR am I just ignorant by not understanding the definition of a LOFT BED?

First of all; and again with no offense; is there a lot of extra curricular activity that happens in the bed?

Secondly...you have way too much Lumber in the fabrication of the piece.

Certainly to hold a box spring and mattress; bracing is neccesary for those; but it could have been 1 x hardwood planks. YOUR issue is in the way you fabricated the framework.

Indulge me for a moment. I've crafted a few beds in my time.

The 4 x 4's are Ok, though perhaps overkill. Not knowing at all if this is a 4 poster bed, or just a platform bed; it's difficult to envision.

You could have framed the bed with 1 x stock; using 2 x stock to support the mattress and box spring. You should have ROUTED or used a DADO bit on a saw to NOTCH the posts; allowing that the aesthetics of the frame would be flush with the posts,,,also allowing added support.

You could have drilled through the structure and used 3/8 bolts/nuts; with FENDER washers, or even carriage bolts for aesthetics.

You could have BLIND supports using 1 x or 2 x stock UNDER/INSIDE the framework; cut at 45's and attached at all the corners. You could use Plywood triangles cut at a 45 to brace the corners while allowing the Bedding to fit snug.

You might also consider that a platform bed and it's framing and side/end pieces SIT on the floor; adding more support. NO LEGS.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

Are you bracing below the frame where it attaches to the post? Try an L bracket there to give more support. If you have two hex screws through the post into the platform sides, that should stop most wobble. But if you can't get rid of the wobbling with L brackets, you may have to go with angled boards 45 degrees from the post up to the bed rails-may not be as pretty, but then safety is the important thing. Good luck-- I had one growing up, but mine was welded steel, and bolted into the wall on each end (really small bedroom!).
Another idea to get rid of the wobble is to run another 2 x 4 from post to post assuming the posts stick up past the loft frame-- or down at the bottom if not.

Answer 3

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/pUEPI
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 4

You definitely need to put in triangular bracing (the 'x' you were referring to). It will add to the overall strength and stability of your bed.

Answer 5

another idea would be to possibly sheet the side, or ends if possible, kind of make a 3 sided, box.. if three sides wont work do one side and one end with some nice plywood, or grooved (T-111) siding