Many of us who have kids and live in a modest size home or an apartment, often look for different ways to open up valuable floor space in a house. This floor space becomes especially important when the bedrooms are small and the kids need to share a room. Since the beds take up most of the space, one of the solutions is to install a bunk bed. But purchasing a good sturdy bunk bed could be costly, so to solve this problem, I created plans on How to build your own DIY Bunk Bed with stairs. 

There are several benefits of having a Bunk Bed for kids. 

• Bunk beds open up space. Having one bed on top of the other gives you a single or double bed’s worth of extra space. 
• You could fit more kids in fewer rooms. If you have a large family, bunk beds might be a good solution to put kids in fewer rooms.
• Bunk beds often have extra storage space. Many times they have stairs that could be used as drawers or shelves. 
• Bunk beds are fun. Kids love to go up and down the ladder or stairs. They love to play games inside the bunk bed. 

For this bunk bed, I used a twin size 38×75 mattress. Read through all the steps before starting on this project. Some of the panels are optional and you might choose not to build them. This will change the material and cut list.

You also might be interested in a smaller DIY Bed for Kids that I’ve built for my daughter.

Bunk Bed with Stairs PDF

$9.97

This PDF download includes Cut Diagrams, a List of Supplies, and 3D illustrations with detailed steps to build the project. Measurements are in imperial and not metric. Does NOT include SketchUp/CAD files.

The plans are embedded on the webpage for free, but if you would like to support the website, you can pay a small fee to purchase the printable PDFs.

Thank you for your support!

Bunk Bed with Stairs

If you are feeling generous today, you could give a small tip to help me create more projects. Thank you!

Tip

Bunk Bed with Stairs PDF quantity

Purchase PDF

Note: Lumber dimensions are listed as nominal size.  See lumber sizes for actual dimensions vs nominal.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page as well as links in “tools for this project” and “material list” sections are affiliate links.

Dimensions

Step 1 – Cut Four Legs from 4×4 Lumber

This project requires a lot of wood, so to keep the cost down, use pine construction lumber. Pinewood is the cheapest but you’ll need to spend some time picking out the best lumber at your local hardware store. It’s important to work with straight boards, especially the main posts and the mattress supports. You don’t want to build a bunk bed that is twisted or lopsided.

Take 4×4 construction lumber and cut four pieces to 67 ½” in length that would be placed at each corner of the bunk bed. Next cut out 3 ½” wide by 1 ½” deep notches for the mattress support boards. The lower notch needs to be 6” from the bottom of the leg and the upper notch will be 47” from the bottom. Measure and mark these notch locations on each leg so that you could clearly see it when you cut it out using a skill saw.

To cut out the notch, lower your skill saw blade 1 ½” deep. Then cut through the notch area as many times as necessary to get most of the wood out. Make sure to stay within the lines of the notch. You don’t want it too big otherwise you’ll have the mattress support loose. Use a wood chisel to remove any remaining pieces out of the notch. Slide in a 2×4 into the notch to make sure it’s the correct size. Repeat the process to get all notches cut out on the post boards.

Step 2 – Cut Horizontal Upper and Lower Rails

Since the bunk bed is large, it needs to be made in several sections so that you could fit it through the bedroom door. Now that the legs are done, start working on the right side of the bunk bed.

Take 2×3 and cut four pieces to 35″ in length. Then take 1×4 and also cut four pieces to 35” in length. To join the boards together, you need to drill pocket holes. Set your Kreg Jig to ¾” wood thickness, and drill three pocket holes on each on the 1×4 boards as shown in the picture. Then set your Kreg Jig to 1 ½” wood thickness and drill one pocket hole on each end of the 2×3, see picture. Do not attach these boards to the post support yet.

Step 3 – Chamfer Vertical Stile Board Edges 

The horizontal upper and lower rail boards that you cut in step 2 will need to be connected with vertical stile boards. 

I decided to make these vertical stile boards using 1×4 boards. Instead of just staking straight boards side by side, I decided to chamfer the edges at 45 degrees using a table saw. The trimmed edges are just for looks, they are not required, or do they change the structural integrity of the boards.

Take 1×4 board and cut twenty stile pieces to 16″ in length. Then rotate your table saw blade to 45 degrees and chamfer the edges of all twenty boards as shown in the picture. You could make the 45-degree chamfer as deep as you want. Run a test on a scrap board to determine the best outcome. 

Step 4 – Nail the Chamfered Stile Boards to the Rails

First, attach the horizontal upper and lower rails and then nail the chamfered vertical stile pieces.

Take 35” long 2×3 and 1×4 that you’ve cut in step 1 and attach them together with wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws. When attaching these horizontal boards together, make sure that 1×4 board is placed ¾” from the backside of 2×3. This ¾” space will be used for vertical stile boards.

Now place the vertical chamfered stile board between the upper and lower rail support and nail them with 1 ¼” brad nails, see picture. The last stile board will be too wide, so you will need to trim it with a table saw.

Repeat the step to complete both the upper and lower panels of the bed.

Step 5 – Connect the Lower and Upper Panel to the Legs

Now attach the lower and upper panels to 4×4 legs using wood glue and 2 1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws. The panels need to be attached so that the lower rail is just below the 1 ½”x3 ½” notch and the panel is flushed with the inside of the legs and. See picture with dimensions.

You’re done with the right side of the bed.

Step 6 – Build Panel Rails for the Left Side of the Bed

In comparison to the right side of the bed, the left section of the bed has a partial upper panel. This is because of the opening for a person to climb up on the bed. The lower part of this section will have shelves. If you prefer not to have shelves, you could easily build a lower panel just like on the right side of the bed.

To build the partial upper panel, take 2×4 and cut one piece to 35″ in length. Then take 2×3 board and cut one piece to 15 1/2″ in length and one piece to 16″ in length. Now set your Kreg Jig to 1 1/2″ wood thickness and drill pocket holes as shown in the picture.

Step 7 – Assemble the Left Side Upper Panel of the Bunk Bed

Similar to steps 3, take 1×4 board and cut four pieces to 16″ in length for the stile board. Then chamfer the edges at 45-degrees.

Now attach the boards together as shown in the picture. First, attach the 2×4 and 2×3 boards with wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket holes. Then nail the stile boards with 1 1/4″ brad nails.

Step 8 – Build Shelves for Left Side of the Bunk Bed

As I mentioned before the lower section of the left side of the bed will have shelves for storage. These shelves should be replaced with a regular panel similar to the right side.

First, take 1×4 and cut them to the provided dimensions in the picture. Make sure that the width of the shelf, when assembled, is 35″ wide to fit between the legs of the bed. As long as you have a 35″ by 34 1/2″ overall shelf, the center shelf boards could be moved around to any configuration you want.

Once all the boards at cut, attach them together with wood glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails. Mare sure the corners are squared at 90-degrees.

Step 9 – Attach Back Cover for Left Side Shelves

Using a table saw take 1/4″ plywood and cut one piece to 34 1/2″ x 35″. Place it on top of the shelf and attach it using a nail gun.

Step 10 – Assemble Left Side Section of the Bed

Place the legs on a flat surface and attached the upper panel just below the upper notches. See picture. Then attached the shelf to the legs below the 2×4 horizontal rail using a nail gun.

Step 11 – Build Front Upper Rail Panel

Now it’s time to build the front of the bed. The front will have an upper panel, similar to the right side of the bed, and a partial lower panel with a window opening. The lower panel is not required if you choose not to have it.

First, take 2×3 and cut two pieces to 75″ in length. Then using a table saw, rip these two boards so that they are 2″ wide. Next, take 1×4 board and also cut two pieces to 75″ in length. Now similar to step 3, take 1×4 board and cut 22 pieces to 16″ in length for the vertical stile piece. Chamfer all the edges at 45-degrees. Attach the upper and lower rails and then connect them together with stile boards. Do not attach it to the 4×4 legs yet, we will do that later once everything is stained.

Step 12 – Make a Front Lower Panel with Window Frame

Like I mentioned earlier, this front lower panel with a window is optional. If you prefer not to have it, you could skip this step.

First, build the frame for the panel and then fill it in with long stile boards. Take 2×3 board and cut one piece to 28″ in length and two pieces to 39 1/2″ in length. Then take 1×4 and cut two pieces to 28″ in length. Drill pocket holes as shown in a picture. When drilling holes in 2×3, set the Kreg Jig to 1 1/2″ wood thickness, and 1×4 would be set to 3/4″ wood thickness.

Assemble the fame together with wood glue and pocket holes screws. Similar to other panels, the 1×4 boards should be attached 3/4″ lower from the edge of the 2×3 to compensate for the stile boards. Make sure the frame is assembled squared at 90-degrees on all four corners.

Step 13 – Nail Trim Boards Around the Window Opening

Now take 1×4 and cut four pieces to 38″, four pieces to 13 1/2″, and four pieces to 10 1/2″ in length. Chamfer all the boards at 45-degrees as you’ve done on previous stile boards. Take the panel frame you built in step 12 and nail these stile boards inside with a nail gun.

Step 14 – Nail Trim Boards Around the Window Opening

To make the trim around the window opening, take 1×4 and cut one piece to 18 1/2″ and one piece to 14″ in length. Then using a table saw rip both pieces in half. Place these boards around the window and attach them with 1 1/4″ brad nails. Set this piece aside, it will be installed later.

Step 15 – Build the Shelves for the Back of the Bunk Bed

The backside of the bunk bed will have shelves for the upper bed and the lower. These shelves could also be replaced with panels similar to the front.

Take 1×4 board and cut the shelf board as shown in the picture. You could add as many shelf sections as you like as long as the overall size stays the same. It needs to fit between the left and right sections of the bed. Attach the shelf boards together with wood glue and 1 1/2″ brad nails. Cut and cover the backside of the shelves with 1/4″ plywood.

Step 16 – Build a Frame for the Stairs

For this step, make the stairs from 2x4s. Cut the 2×4 boards as shown in the picture and drill pocket holes with Kreg Jig set at 1 1/2″ wood thickness. Assemble together using 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.

Step 17 – Finish Building the Frame for Stairs

Cut the remaining 2×4 boards as shown in the picture and assemble using pocket holes and wood screws.

Step 18 – Cover Stairs with Plywood

Take 3/4″ plywood, cut pieces as shown in the picture, and attach them to the top of the stairs. Then cut 1/4″ plywood and cover the sides. Use a Nail Gun to attach the plywood. The stair area that is against the bed does not need to be covered with plywood.

Step 19 – Start Assembling the Bunk Bed Together

Now that all of the sections of the bunk bed are complete, it’s time to assemble it. But before assembling the bed, take 2×4 and cut four pieces to 82″ in length. These will be used to connect the right and left sections of the bed.

Before taking everything into your bedroom to assemble, stain or paint all the bed pieces to any color you want. Let the stain/paint completely dry before putting it together.

Take the left and right sections of the bed and slide the 82″ long 2×4 into the upper and lower notches of the 4×4 leg. Drive-in a few screws on the edges of the board so that it does not slide out of the notch. Do not glue these boards, only use screws. In case you want to take this bed apart later on.

Step 20 – Attach Back Shelves to the 4×4 Legs

Take the lower back shelf and attach it to 4×4 legs just below the 82″ long 2×4. Then attach the upper shelf about 3 3/4″ from the top of the legs. The gap between the upper shelf and the 2×4 will be used to slide in the mattress.

Step 21 – Install the Front Rail to the Bunk Bed

For this step, attach the front rail using 2 1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws. Make sure that the front rail matches the elevation of the side rail.

Step 22 – Fasten the Lower Front Panel with Window

Then attached the lower panel with a window using 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and wood screws.

Step 23 – Insert Mattress Supports

Now take 1×4 boards and cut them so that they are 38″ in length. You will need 26 pieces of these pieces for the mattress support. Take 13 of these boards and spread them out on 2×4 on the lower bed, then 13 boards on the upper bed. They need to be about 2 3/4″ apart. Cut a bunch of 2″ x 1 1/2″ blocks and place them between the 1×4 boards. Use a nail gun to secure these blocks to 2×4. This will prevent boards from sliding apart. Do not nail the mattress supports boards so that they could be removed later when needed.

Step 24 – Attach Mattress Cover Board

Take 1×6 and cut one piece to 44″ in length. Then attach it to the 2×4 support board between the leg and the lower front panel.

View PostAdd title

Many of us who have kids and live in a modest size home or an apartment, often look for different ways to open up valuable floor space in a house. This floor space becomes especially important when the bedrooms are small and the kids need to share a room. Since the beds take up most of the space, one of the solutions is to install a bunk bed. But purchasing a good sturdy bunk bed could be costly, so to solve this problem, I created plans on How to build your own DIY Bunk Bed with stairs. 

There are several benefits of having a Bunk Bed for kids. 

• Bunk beds open up space. Having one bed on top of the other gives you a single or double bed’s worth of extra space. 
• You could fit more kids in fewer rooms. If you have a large family, bunk beds might be a good solution to put kids in fewer rooms.
• Bunk beds often have extra storage space. Many times they have stairs that could be used as drawers or shelves. 
• Bunk beds are fun. Kids love to go up and down the ladder or stairs. They love to play games inside the bunk bed. 

For this bunk bed, I used a twin size 38×75 mattress. Read through all the steps before starting on this project. Some of the panels are optional and you might choose not to build them. This will change the material and cut list.

You also might be interested in a smaller DIY Bed for Kids that I’ve built for my daughter.

Bunk Bed with Stairs PDF

$9.97

This PDF download includes Cut Diagrams, a List of Supplies, and 3D illustrations with detailed steps to build the project. Measurements are in imperial and not metric. Does NOT include SketchUp/CAD files.

The plans are embedded on the webpage for free, but if you would like to support the website, you can pay a small fee to purchase the printable PDFs.

Thank you for your support!

Bunk Bed with Stairs

If you are feeling generous today, you could give a small tip to help me create more projects. Thank you!

Tip

Bunk Bed with Stairs PDF quantity

Purchase PDF

Tools for this project

• Drill
• Kreg Jig
• Miter Saw
• Table Saw
• Nail Gun
• Tape Measure
• Pipe Clamps

Material List

• 4x4x8′ (x4)
• 2x4x8′ (x10)
• 2x3x8′ (x5)
• 1x4x8′ (x24)
• 1x6x8′ (x1)
• 1x4x6′ (x12)
• 4’x8′ Plywood 1/4″ thick (x1)
• 4’x5′ Plywood 1/4″ thick (x1)
• 4’x5′ Plywood 3/4″ thick (x1)
• Brad Nails
• 2 1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws
• 1 1/4″ Pocket hole screws
• 2 1/2″ Wood Screws
• 1 5/8″ Wood Screws
• Wood Glue

Note: Lumber dimensions are listed as nominal size.  See lumber sizes for actual dimensions vs nominal.

Disclosure: Some of the links on this page as well as links in “tools for this project” and “material list” sections are affiliate links.

Dimensions

Step 1 – Cut Four Legs from 4×4 Lumber

This project requires a lot of wood, so to keep the cost down, use pine construction lumber. Pinewood is the cheapest but you’ll need to spend some time picking out the best lumber at your local hardware store. It’s important to work with straight boards, especially the main posts and the mattress supports. You don’t want to build a bunk bed that is twisted or lopsided.

Take 4×4 construction lumber and cut four pieces to 67 ½” in length that would be placed at each corner of the bunk bed. Next cut out 3 ½” wide by 1 ½” deep notches for the mattress support boards. The lower notch needs to be 6” from the bottom of the leg and the upper notch will be 47” from the bottom. Measure and mark these notch locations on each leg so that you could clearly see it when you cut it out using a skill saw.

To cut out the notch, lower your skill saw blade 1 ½” deep. Then cut through the notch area as many times as necessary to get most of the wood out. Make sure to stay within the lines of the notch. You don’t want it too big otherwise you’ll have the mattress support loose. Use a wood chisel to remove any remaining pieces out of the notch. Slide in a 2×4 into the notch to make sure it’s the correct size. Repeat the process to get all notches cut out on the post boards.

Step 2 – Cut Horizontal Upper and Lower Rails

Since the bunk bed is large, it needs to be made in several sections so that you could fit it through the bedroom door. Now that the legs are done, start working on the right side of the bunk bed.

Take 2×3 and cut four pieces to 35″ in length. Then take 1×4 and also cut four pieces to 35” in length. To join the boards together, you need to drill pocket holes. Set your Kreg Jig to ¾” wood thickness, and drill three pocket holes on each on the 1×4 boards as shown in the picture. Then set your Kreg Jig to 1 ½” wood thickness and drill one pocket hole on each end of the 2×3, see picture. Do not attach these boards to the post support yet.

Step 3 – Chamfer Vertical Stile Board Edges 

The horizontal upper and lower rail boards that you cut in step 2 will need to be connected with vertical stile boards. 

I decided to make these vertical stile boards using 1×4 boards. Instead of just staking straight boards side by side, I decided to chamfer the edges at 45 degrees using a table saw. The trimmed edges are just for looks, they are not required, or do they change the structural integrity of the boards.

Take 1×4 board and cut twenty stile pieces to 16″ in length. Then rotate your table saw blade to 45 degrees and chamfer the edges of all twenty boards as shown in the picture. You could make the 45-degree chamfer as deep as you want. Run a test on a scrap board to determine the best outcome. 

Step 4 – Nail the Chamfered Stile Boards to the Rails

First, attach the horizontal upper and lower rails and then nail the chamfered vertical stile pieces.

Take 35” long 2×3 and 1×4 that you’ve cut in step 1 and attach them together with wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws. When attaching these horizontal boards together, make sure that 1×4 board is placed ¾” from the backside of 2×3. This ¾” space will be used for vertical stile boards.

Now place the vertical chamfered stile board between the upper and lower rail support and nail them with 1 ¼” brad nails, see picture. The last stile board will be too wide, so you will need to trim it with a table saw.

Repeat the step to complete both the upper and lower panels of the bed.

Step 5 – Connect the Lower and Upper Panel to the Legs

Now attach the lower and upper panels to 4×4 legs using wood glue and 2 1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws. The panels need to be attached so that the lower rail is just below the 1 ½”x3 ½” notch and the panel is flushed with the inside of the legs and. See picture with dimensions.

You’re done with the right side of the bed.

Step 6 – Build Panel Rails for the Left Side of the Bed

In comparison to the right side of the bed, the left section of the bed has a partial upper panel. This is because of the opening for a person to climb up on the bed. The lower part of this section will have shelves. If you prefer not to have shelves, you could easily build a lower panel just like on the right side of the bed.

To build the partial upper panel, take 2×4 and cut one piece to 35″ in length. Then take 2×3 board and cut one piece to 15 1/2″ in length and one piece to 16″ in length. Now set your Kreg Jig to 1 1/2″ wood thickness and drill pocket holes as shown in the picture.

Step 7 – Assemble the Left Side Upper Panel of the Bunk Bed

Similar to steps 3, take 1×4 board and cut four pieces to 16″ in length for the stile board. Then chamfer the edges at 45-degrees.

Now attach the boards together as shown in the picture. First, attach the 2×4 and 2×3 boards with wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket holes. Then nail the stile boards with 1 1/4″ brad nails.

Step 8 – Build Shelves for Left Side of the Bunk Bed

As I mentioned before the lower section of the left side of the bed will have shelves for storage. These shelves should be replaced with a regular panel similar to the right side.

First, take 1×4 and cut them to the provided dimensions in the picture. Make sure that the width of the shelf, when assembled, is 35″ wide to fit between the legs of the bed. As long as you have a 35″ by 34 1/2″ overall shelf, the center shelf boards could be moved around to any configuration you want.

Once all the boards at cut, attach them together with wood glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails. Mare sure the corners are squared at 90-degrees.

Step 9 – Attach Back Cover for Left Side Shelves

Using a table saw take 1/4″ plywood and cut one piece to 34 1/2″ x 35″. Place it on top of the shelf and attach it using a nail gun.

Step 10 – Assemble Left Side Section of the Bed

Place the legs on a flat surface and attached the upper panel just below the upper notches. See picture. Then attached the shelf to the legs below the 2×4 horizontal rail using a nail gun.

Step 11 – Build Front Upper Rail Panel

Now it’s time to build the front of the bed. The front will have an upper panel, similar to the right side of the bed, and a partial lower panel with a window opening. The lower panel is not required if you choose not to have it.

First, take 2×3 and cut two pieces to 75″ in length. Then using a table saw, rip these two boards so that they are 2″ wide. Next, take 1×4 board and also cut two pieces to 75″ in length. Now similar to step 3, take 1×4 board and cut 22 pieces to 16″ in length for the vertical stile piece. Chamfer all the edges at 45-degrees. Attach the upper and lower rails and then connect them together with stile boards. Do not attach it to the 4×4 legs yet, we will do that later once everything is stained.

Step 12 – Make a Front Lower Panel with Window Frame

Like I mentioned earlier, this front lower panel with a window is optional. If you prefer not to have it, you could skip this step.

First, build the frame for the panel and then fill it in with long stile boards. Take 2×3 board and cut one piece to 28″ in length and two pieces to 39 1/2″ in length. Then take 1×4 and cut two pieces to 28″ in length. Drill pocket holes as shown in a picture. When drilling holes in 2×3, set the Kreg Jig to 1 1/2″ wood thickness, and 1×4 would be set to 3/4″ wood thickness.

Assemble the fame together with wood glue and pocket holes screws. Similar to other panels, the 1×4 boards should be attached 3/4″ lower from the edge of the 2×3 to compensate for the stile boards. Make sure the frame is assembled squared at 90-degrees on all four corners.

Step 13 – Nail Trim Boards Around the Window Opening

Now take 1×4 and cut four pieces to 38″, four pieces to 13 1/2″, and four pieces to 10 1/2″ in length. Chamfer all the boards at 45-degrees as you’ve done on previous stile boards. Take the panel frame you built in step 12 and nail these stile boards inside with a nail gun.

Step 14 – Nail Trim Boards Around the Window Opening

To make the trim around the window opening, take 1×4 and cut one piece to 18 1/2″ and one piece to 14″ in length. Then using a table saw rip both pieces in half. Place these boards around the window and attach them with 1 1/4″ brad nails. Set this piece aside, it will be installed later.

Step 15 – Build the Shelves for the Back of the Bunk Bed

The backside of the bunk bed will have shelves for the upper bed and the lower. These shelves could also be replaced with panels similar to the front.

Take 1×4 board and cut the shelf board as shown in the picture. You could add as many shelf sections as you like as long as the overall size stays the same. It needs to fit between the left and right sections of the bed. Attach the shelf boards together with wood glue and 1 1/2″ brad nails. Cut and cover the backside of the shelves with 1/4″ plywood.

Step 16 – Build a Frame for the Stairs

For this step, make the stairs from 2x4s. Cut the 2×4 boards as shown in the picture and drill pocket holes with Kreg Jig set at 1 1/2″ wood thickness. Assemble together using 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.

Step 17 – Finish Building the Frame for Stairs

Cut the remaining 2×4 boards as shown in the picture and assemble using pocket holes and wood screws.

Step 18 – Cover Stairs with Plywood

Take 3/4″ plywood, cut pieces as shown in the picture, and attach them to the top of the stairs. Then cut 1/4″ plywood and cover the sides. Use a Nail Gun to attach the plywood. The stair area that is against the bed does not need to be covered with plywood.

Step 19 – Start Assembling the Bunk Bed Together

Now that all of the sections of the bunk bed are complete, it’s time to assemble it. But before assembling the bed, take 2×4 and cut four pieces to 82″ in length. These will be used to connect the right and left sections of the bed.

Before taking everything into your bedroom to assemble, stain or paint all the bed pieces to any color you want. Let the stain/paint completely dry before putting it together.

Take the left and right sections of the bed and slide the 82″ long 2×4 into the upper and lower notches of the 4×4 leg. Drive-in a few screws on the edges of the board so that it does not slide out of the notch. Do not glue these boards, only use screws. In case you want to take this bed apart later on.

Step 20 – Attach Back Shelves to the 4×4 Legs

Take the lower back shelf and attach it to 4×4 legs just below the 82″ long 2×4. Then attach the upper shelf about 3 3/4″ from the top of the legs. The gap between the upper shelf and the 2×4 will be used to slide in the mattress.

Step 21 – Install the Front Rail to the Bunk Bed

For this step, attach the front rail using 2 1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws. Make sure that the front rail matches the elevation of the side rail.

Step 22 – Fasten the Lower Front Panel with Window

Then attached the lower panel with a window using 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and wood screws.

Step 23 – Insert Mattress Supports

Now take 1×4 boards and cut them so that they are 38″ in length. You will need 26 pieces of these pieces for the mattress support. Take 13 of these boards and spread them out on 2×4 on the lower bed, then 13 boards on the upper bed. They need to be about 2 3/4″ apart. Cut a bunch of 2″ x 1 1/2″ blocks and place them between the 1×4 boards. Use a nail gun to secure these blocks to 2×4. This will prevent boards from sliding apart. Do not nail the mattress supports boards so that they could be removed later when needed.

Step 24 – Attach Mattress Cover Board

Take 1×6 and cut one piece to 44″ in length. Then attach it to the 2×4 support board between the leg and the lower front panel.

Step 25 – Place Steps

Finally, install the stairs on the left side of the bed, put the mattress in, and you’re done with this DIY Bunk Bed with Stairs.