DIY Network

Little Girl's Storage Bed This platform bed stores treasures in style. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-204

(Continued from page 1)

Some of this bed's best features are tucked out of sight: the dividers and storage areas that help keep clothes and toys off the floor. In this stage of the project, Karl and Jana install a space divider that also supports the mattress, then builds a custom toy drawer that rotates on a lazy susan.

advertisement

Dividing the Under-Bed Space

The "T" shape supports the mattress, strengthens the overall structure and divides the under-bed space.

• Work with your custom bed design to determine where to divide the under-bed space to accommodate one or more drawers plus the lazy susan storage section.

• Measure and cut two pieces of plywood that will fit snugly against the frame's sides in a "T" shape to divide the space. The pieces should extend all the way to the sides of the frame and come up to the same height as the tops of the 1x2 mattress supports.

  Safety Alert: Wear safety glasses and use caution whenever using a power saw, nail gun (below) or other power tools.

• Cut small notches in the top corners of the plywood, as needed, to accommodate the 1x2 supports.

• Use wood glue and nails to attach the plywood pieces to the platform frame. Make sure to keep the supports level and plumb for the best support.

Building the Lazy Susan Drawer

• Lay out a piece of 3/4" plywood that will serve as the bottom of the rotating toy drawer. The rotating drawer for the project bed measured 38 inches in diameter and 7 inches deep.

• Find or cut a piece of scrap wood at least half as long as the diameter of the rotating drawer. This will become a jig for drawing the rounded side of the drawer.

• Measure 6 inches from the edge of the plywood and use a nail to temporarily secure one end of the scrap wood to the plywood. This will be the center of the rotating drawer.

• Measure and mark a point half the diameter of the drawer on the scrap wood. Hold a pencil against the scrap wood at this point, and use it to draw a giant half-circle. This will be the rounded side of the rotating drawer.

• Remove the jig and cut out the arch with the jigsaw. Trim the flat side of the plywood at the jig mark to leave a perfect half-circle of plywood.

• Measure and mark the locations for the compartment dividers in the rotating drawer. Remember, the dividers will come out from the center of the flat side of the drawer like spokes on a wheel, extending out to the curved edge.
  

  	Figure A
  	Figure B
  	Figure C
  	The final drawer will rotate easily for stylish, organized storage.

• Cut pieces of 1" pine to the right size for compartment dividers (figure A). Make sure the boards also are the correct width – the width of the boards will equal the depth/height of the drawer. Don't forget a long, float piece to form the flat side of the drawer; this is the side that will face outward when the drawer rotates closed.

• Glue and nail the 1" pine boards into place (figure B).

• Flip the drawer over and nail the boards from the bottom of the plywood.

• The rounded side of the drawer is made from 1/4" plywood. To form the rounded surface, cut the plywood to the right width (matching the depth/height of the drawer) and wet it with water. The plywood will bend more easily if wet.

• Use glue and a power screwdriver (or drill with a screwdriver bit) to secure one end of the plywood in place. Line the plywood up flush with the bottom and side of the drawer.

• Gently bend the wet plywood around the curve, using glue and nails to secure it in place. Karl nailed the plywood at 1-inch intervals.

  Tip: Don't rush or force this part of the project. Take your time, and ease the plywood into place. You may need to re-wet the plywood to help it bend more easily.

• Once the plywood is bent and in place, secure the end with screws and glue (figure C).

• The lazy susan hardware consists of two metal disks sandwiched together with ball bearings in the middle. To install, position the hardware first on the rotating drawer, then on the bed frame, marking and pre-drilling holes through the wood. Attach with wood screws, attaching the hardware to the drawer first then to the bed frame.

• Wearing safety glasses, use a router with a round-over bit to create a decorative profile on the rotating drawer.

• Using brad nails, attach decorative trim to the drawer and base. Sand, prime and paint the rotating drawer and base as desired.

1 | 2 | 3