Bed Woodworking Plans
In addition, there are numerous plans for larger beds that feature any number of platform and headboard designs. Many designs are not specific in the type of wood that could be used, since many bed woodworking plans will often leave that selection to the builder.
Different Types of Wood Softer woods, such as pine or spruce would be fine for most designs, and the finish could be clear coat, or primed and painted. Staining is not recommended for softer woods since the density of the grain is inconsistent, and this transfers to the finish appearance. Stained Wood Stained hardwood remains consistent when stained, and is considered an excellent finish for any furniture project. Hardwoods such as maple or birch are suitable for childrens' beds, especially if the bed woodworking plans have specifications for drawers. Birch Veneer Plywood Birch veneer plywood is relatively easy to size and fit, and solid birch stock can be laminated to make bedposts, ladder stringers and the ladder treads. Birch or other veneer plywood can be banded with manufactured wood grain strips to give the edges a solid wood appearance. Children's Beds In addition, children’s beds can be fabricated from almost any medium density wood, and finished using plastic laminate. This will give the beds a uniform, almost high-tech appearance, and the laminate finish is extremely durable. More than likely, the bed woodworking plans will have options for the different finishes that could be applied to any of the styles. Queen Size Beds and King Size Bed Plans For a larger bed, such as a queen or king, bed woodworking plans will often include a platform, and some type of convenience, such as a full width footlocker for linens, or drawers. The platform for larger beds could be fabricated from a hardwood veneer, and stained to match existing furnishings. Here again, the bed woodworking plans will most often provide suggestions for the types of wood that are best, as well as the finishes. In most cases, more surface area will call for a select grain in order to give a uniform finish. Where the headboard is taller, a dense grain would be the best, since this finish would tend to be consistent. Finishing Materials & Drawers However, the bed woodworking plans should specify that the builder hand-selects the finish materials. These are the types of recommendations that comprise a good set of bed woodworking plans. Finally, there are a numerous finish hardware options that may, or may not be included in the bed woodworking plans. If the plans do not specify drawer guides, the builder should size the drawers to accommodate a good grade of guide, to add convenience and longevity to the drawers. Drawer pulls would likely be the most common bed frame hardware. However, a builder may decide to inlay brass strips to highlight a headboard, or use chrome handrail hardware to offset the laminate finish on bunk beds. The hardware and trim options are virtually limitless, and for this reason, finish hardware suggestions are exclusive to custom bed woodworking plans. |
