How To Build A Bed Swing

In this postal service, I'll bear witness you how to build a DIY porch swing bed!

I'm sharing printable edifice plans below for both a TWIN and a CRIB size mattress porch swing in this design. So, permit's get building!

A friend of mine recently asked me to build her a porch swing bed large enough to fit a twin size mattress.  Which…is quite large, merely I must admit, it's a good size for napping ha!

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So if you can brand it fit, I recommend going with the twin size.

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Notwithstanding, if a twin is a little too big for your space, I'm sharing the printable building plans for BOTH a twin size and a smaller crib size mattress swing in this post then you've got a couple sizing options 😊

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I'1000 also sharing a step by step tutorial below to testify you how the pieces come together, plus a YouTube video tutorial here:

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Tools and Materials:

Some Notes About this DIY Porch Swing Bed Project:

NOTE #one:

You'll detect that I used untreated pino/spruce for this project.  This swing is going under a large covered porch.  The way it is positioned, it volition not have any direct sunlight and will not be field of study to much, if any, rain.

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So I just kept it lighter weight and cheaper by using untreated.

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However, if y'all need more protection from the elements in your instance, this would piece of work fine with treated, cedar, redwood, or a more than weather/wet resistant wood.

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Annotation #2:

Earlier beginning, keep in mind the weight this will be holding and make sure yous have enough back up in the ceiling and the hardware you lot apply to hang it to hold both the weight of the swing and the people who will be using it.

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Now that all that info is covered, let'southward get to the fun stuff and start building!

Step 1: Assemble Swing Seat Frame

This project started off with building a frame for the seat. The dimensions will vary depending on the size you are edifice. Refer to the printable plans for your item size for specifics.

The front and back pieces were 2x6s (in yellow above) and the shorter side pieces were 2x4s (in blue to a higher place).  I trimmed these boards downwards to length, then assembled using 2 ⅞" timber screws.

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Regular wood screws would piece of work fine here, but I had a few extra of these in the store and I liked how the bigger black screw heads looked for this, so I used them.

Notice that I kept the 2x4s flush to the bottom side of the 2x6s.  The mattress volition sit down down into the frame a little and rest on these 2x4s.

Footstep 2: Add Corner "Posts" to Seat Frame

I added 2x4s at each corner for what I will telephone call the "corner posts."

Again, wood screws would work fine hither, simply I liked the look of the timber screws.

Step 3: Complete Swing Bed Frame

Next, I attached 2x2s betwixt the 2x4s at the corners using 1 ½″ pocket holes and 2 ½″ outside grade pocket hole screws.

RELATED: How to Use a Pocket Hole Jig

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At present, if you don't have a pocket hole jig, you tin can use iv" wood screws through the 2x4s to secure these, toenail the screws by driving them at an angle, or just simply screw these pieces on the top side of the 2x4s instead of between them.

If yous add these on acme, y'all'll need to cut the vertical slats in the next step about 1 ½″ longer, but it's not a large deal.

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Notice the back two×two is inset about ¾" from the dorsum edge here.

Step 4: Install Slats

I used 1×4 boards for the slats—5 on each side and 10 across the dorsum (for the twin size).  The ones on the back are a lilliputian shorter than the ones on the sides to allow for some seat supports to be added later on. Refer to the plans for specifics.

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Once they were cutting to length, I found the center of each 2×2 and started at that place working my manner out using a flake i×4 piece to evenly space them 3 ½″ apart.

I used ii" exterior forest screws at the acme through the 2×2 supports making certain to predrill every hole to prevent splitting.  And so, I used the same screws to secure them at the bottom.

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I added slats to both sides start, then across the back.  Notice that the slats on the sides are attached on the outside of the bottom frame, but the slats on the dorsum are attached on the inside of the bottom frame.

Stride 5: Add "Arm Rests" to Swing Frame

In one case all the slats were in place, I cut and attached 2x4s along the acme edge to human action as an arm rest.  I used several screws from the underside of the 2x2s to attach these so you wouldn't run across the spiral heads from the top.

Step 6: Trim Out Side Slats

Then I cut ii pieces of one×6 lath to trim out the lesser of both sides of the swing.  This 1×6 will cover the spiral heads from the slats and besides match the 2×half dozen thickness on the front, then information technology's basically only for looks.

I used exterior form wood glue on the slats and brad nails to attach. If you don't have a blast gun, you lot could use screws instead.

Step 7: Install Swing Bed Mattress Supports

To requite the mattress some support, I added some 2x4s on the bottom using pocket holes and screws.

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You lot don't HAVE to employ pocket holes.  If yous don't have a pocket pigsty jig, you could apply regular or timber screws through the front end and back supports instead.

I evenly spaced three supports along the bottom two″ downward from the top of the frame so it's even with the 2x4s on the sides. If you lot're using a leap mattress, this would probably be plenty of support.

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But the cream mattress my friend was using was a little flimsy, so I actually cut a piece of ¾" plywood to sit downwards into this frame on these supports.

You could salvage a little money (and weight) by using ½″ plywood instead of ¾″, but I knew I could use the rest of the ¾″ sheet for another project, so that's why I used it.

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I recommend cutting this slice to fit, but not securing information technology nevertheless. It adds quite a chip of weight, then information technology's nice to exist able to remove it to hang the swing. After information technology'due south hung, yous can place it in the seat and secure information technology in with i ¼″ wood screws.

Step 8: Add Bottom Runner Supports

At present information technology was time to add the last pieces, which were the runners that the ropes volition exist tied to to hold the swing.

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I cut two two×4 boards—one for the front and 1 for the dorsum–so that they overhung each side by virtually 6".

I screwed these in from the bottom side using several screws into the frame of the swing.

Step nine: Finish and Attach Ropes

Then, I used an outdoor stain and sealant (I used Valspar Canyon Brown outdoor semi-transparent sealant) to requite it some colour and help protect the woods.

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In one case that was dry, I could adhere the ropes.

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I purchased this rope kit from Amazon to hang this swing with. It came with 4 ropes–1 for each corner of the swing. This i was for a 10′ ceiling, but they make them for viii′ and nine′ equally well.

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I used a ¾" forstener bit to drill holes through the lesser 2x4s to slip the ropes through and tied a knot.

Since these ropes are fully adjustable, I could but tie them on and once we go it installed, adjust the rope length as needed to get the seat height where we wanted. Check out the video for more details.

Step ten: Hang Swing Bed

*If you are unsure about this, contact a professional to ensure your ceiling and the hardware y'all utilise can handle the weight.

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To hang this swing, we we located the rafters in the attic and plant the ones that nearly closely matched the holes drilled for the ropes in the swing.

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Due to the location of the rafters, you'll notice the ropes do angle out slightly, just that'due south amend than angling in because this fashion, they don't rub the arm rests.

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Once we located the rafters we wanted to attach to, we predrilled pilot holes and installed four ⅜″ x four ½″ center screws through the ceiling hither and into the rafters to a higher place.

So I used carabiner clips to hook betwixt the eye screws and the rings on the ropes.

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We adapted the height of the swing by adjusting the ropes. Check out the video for more than details.

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In one case nosotros got the porch swing bed hung, I slipped the plywood piece from step 7 into the seat frame and secured it to the seat supports with a few ane ¼″ screws.  Then, added the mattress, pillows and blanket ha!

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And now it'southward fix for swinging, napping, or lounging all summer long.

This was such a fun outdoor projection to put together and I really hope yous enjoyed watching the process.

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I hope you learned something new and will grab the plans and build your own DIY porch swing bed!!

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If y'all liked this project, check out more outdoor projects hither:

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  2 Tool Outdoor Grill Cart

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  DIY Outdoor Chair

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  DIY Hammock Stand

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  DIY Privacy Debate

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Don't forget to grab the plans to build your own! And if y'all want to save this project for subsequently, be certain to pin information technology or share information technology to your favorite social channel!

Until next time, friends, happy building!

Source: https://www.woodshopdiaries.com/diy-porch-swing-bed/

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