DIY Network

Creating a Bed from an Old Boat DIY to the Rescue set sail on an island adventure project. From "DIY to the Rescue" episode DTTR-706

Don't forget your vest before drifting off to sea!

For T.J.'s island retreat, parents, Tim and Natalie South, and the DIY to the Rescue team float his bed out to sea. Taking a salvaged rowboat, Amy Devers, Karl Champley, and Nathan Haun help the Souths to create a place for T.J. to sleep like he is floating on the water.

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Materials:

old boat
sanding paper/sander
plywood pieces
2 x 4 studs
screws
drill
circular saw
2 x 6 stud braces
brackets
4 x 4 wood legs

Steps:

1. First start by getting an old boat (Figure A), check a local boat yard or salvage yard. NOTE: Be sure that the inside is wide and long enough to accomodate a standard twin matteress.

2. Start by sanding the boat to a smooth finish (Figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

3. Next build the frame that will support the mattress inside the hull of the boat. Using 2 x 4's, create the frame with two shorter pieces on the ends and 2 longer pieces on each side (Figure C & D). Don't forget to add three cross members in the middle for added support. Screw all the pieces together to create the shape of the frame. Make sure that the screws are long enough to go through both pieces of wood.

Figure C

Figure D

4. Next measure out a piece of plywood for the frame to the size of the mattress (Figure E). To make cutting easier, pop a line of chalk to follow with your circular saw (Figure F).

Figure E

Figure F

Then, cut out the plywood to length and secure this to the frame with screws (Figures G & H).

Figure G

Figure H

5. NOTE: During production, we discovered that no one had measured to make sure that the boat would fit through the bedroom door (Figure I)> So, in order to make the boat fit through the bedroom door, we had to remove the interior support pieces, cut out the hull, and then add some 2 x 6's to keep the boat from collapsing inward (Figure J).

Figure I

Figure J

Then to make sure the boat fit through the door (Figure K), we cut the boat in half. Then, once finally in the room, we simply put the two halves back together using heavy duty brackets (Figure L).

Figure K

Figure L

TIP: Be sure to measure the dimensions of your vessel before toating it up the stairs!

6. With the hull removed, it actually gives the boat more stability while resting on the floor. But, to give the bed more even more security and to keep it from rocking, we added four 4 x 4 feet just under the two bench seats for the boat to stand upon (Figure M). First place each of the four feet under the seats and predrill a hole through the seats and into the 4 x 4 (Figure N).

Figure M

Figure N

Next, secure the feet to the bench seats with screws (Figures O & P).

Figure O

Figure P

7. Bring in the mattress frame and secure it to the boat with screws, driving them in at a 45 degree angle (Figures Q & R).

Figure Q

Figure R