Easy Twin Headboard and Platform Bed

6 Materials
$65
4 Hours
Easy

Looking for an easy modern farmhouse headboard? You can build this platform bed and headboard for $65 and no special tools. You can also customize the colors to match your home.

When our twin boys started crawling out of their cribs, we knew it was time to move them into big boy beds. We wanted them to be relatively low to the ground for safety.


After searching a multitude of stores and not finding what we wanted, we decided to build our own.


Materials Needed for the Platform Beds:


  • (3) 2x6x8 boards (two cut to 76″ and one cut to 43″)
  • (4) 2x4x8 boards (two 40″ and three 73″)
  • 3/4″ plywood (40″ x 76″)

To get started, I cut and painted my 2x6 boards. I then assembled them in a U shape to form a 43" wide frame.

I then attached the 2x4s on the inside of the 2x6 frame. I also added a center support for the plywood to lay on.

I cut the 3/4" plywood to fit the inside of the 2x6s so that it would rest on the 2x4s. You could always use 1x4 furring strips instead of plywood, however, out mattresses are foam so we opted for plywood.


It was that simple to build a sturdy platform bed. Down the road, we may add feet to raise the beds up.


Products need to build the Headboard:


  • (1) 2x4x10 (cut to 36″ and two 42″ boards)
  • 1/2″ plywood (41″W x 36″ T)
  • (5) 1×4″ Furring Strips

I created a U shape out of my 2x4s making sure my shortest board was in the center creating a 43" wide frame. I used a Kreg jig to attach them together, but it could be down with corner braces or screwing the 2x4s directly to the plywood.

I laid the 1/2" plywood on top of the U shaped frame and screwed it together. I made sure my plywood was about an inch inset from the edge of the frame so that you wouldn't see it when it was finished.

I flipped the headboard frame over and sprayed it black. I also stained the furring strips 3 different colors.

I then attached the furring strips to the plywood with brad nails.

We then screwed the headboards to the platform beds.


We love how the beds turned out!

Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Becky | Boxwood Design Co
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 8 questions
  • Sheri Sheri on Jun 11, 2020

    you said you attached the 2x4 to the 2x6. Did you nail the two pieces together?

  • Debi Debi on Aug 30, 2020

    Did you do the wood in the cubes (1,2,3,4)? How are they attached

  • Is the material list for one bed or for both? Wondering if I need to double the list.

Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 46 comments
  • Susan Susan on Aug 31, 2020

    Great job. Thanks too for showing the finished result up front.

  • Robby Treichel Robby Treichel on Oct 21, 2020

    Smart way to assure the kids don't get hurt when they fall out of bed. My second son started climbing out of his crib at 8 months. He didn't even walk unassisted until 9 months! He would climb over and then fall on his head. We had to get rid of the crib long before we were ready. I just put him in a twin bed and lined the floor next to it with pillows every night. I like your solution so much better.

Next