I followed the plans pretty closely. I added dividers to make 3 drawer units but I didn't find it necessary to have the top shelf go all the way to the back since it would never function as a shelf. I used scrap pieces for that and they weren't big enough to be full shelves.
I used 1/2" MDF for the bottom, sides, and backs of the drawers to cut down on weight, cost, and general bulkiness. I used this free app called Cut List to figure out the easiest way to have the guys at Home Depot cut all the drawer panels after I learned I'm not that good with a circular saw. I used a hack saw to cut aluminum bars for hanging files and used scrap wood to make the little brackets to hold the bars upright in the drawer. The full extension drawer slides are functionally and asthetically better but it would have been so much easier to put in basic bottom mount slides.
I wanted a wood grain top and ended up with common pine boards over more expensive poplar or oak and I would use pine again without hesitation. I used Google SketchUp to figure out the widths of boards I needed to make the top with minimal cuts. Then joined them with glue and mending plates and sanded the hell out of them. I altered the dimensions slightly to make it the same size desktop as the Bedford desk. My two wing sections are 23" x 23" but I should have made them 23" deep by more like 24" or 25" long. I had to hack the bottom bracing to make a spot for the drawer units to slide into. If you alter the dimensions make sure you can secure a brace between the main body and the wing of the desktop and still have room for the brace at the edge of the wing.
My cost includes things like a Kreg jig, saw blade, clamps, paint brushes etc. so you may be able to do this for less. I could have gone with a middle of the line paint I think. This project was a beast for me because a) I'm not a furniture maker b) I don't own a table saw which would have been amazing c) I picked the hardest way to make the desktop and d) I modified some of the dimensions from the basic plans. I worked on this thing for weeks (granted sometimes I didn't touch it for several days or a week). But it was a fun and rewarding project.
Comments
Ana White Admin
Wed, 01/14/2015 - 17:14
Whoa!
Just Gorgeous!
In reply to Whoa! by Ana White Admin
jhavinga
Wed, 01/14/2015 - 18:49
Thank you very much!
Thank you very much!
Ana White
Wed, 01/14/2015 - 21:37
Awesome!!! This is so cool!!
Awesome!!! This is so cool!! Thanks for posting!
In reply to Awesome!!! This is so cool!! by Ana White
jhavinga
Thu, 01/15/2015 - 05:03
Thanks Ana!
Thanks Ana!
thewoodbuilder
Thu, 01/15/2015 - 03:34
Very nice, would love the
Very nice, would love the plans for it as it is awesome! :0) I need a new bed as well upgrading from queen to a king. :0)
jhavinga
Thu, 01/15/2015 - 05:06
Thanks thewoodbuilder, its
Thanks thewoodbuilder, its super easy and you could probably figure it out just by looking at it. =)
I extended the legs 2" past top of footboard, and 4" past top of headboard with caps on top. And layed 1x4 vertically over top of the 1x6 planks, and horizontally across the top of both foot and head board.
Cheers!
Justin
tbednarick
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 07:18
Stain technique
Is your staining technique a trade secret? :)
In reply to Stain technique by tbednarick
jhavinga
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 13:50
Lol, actually its one that
Lol, actually its one that Ana wrote a small tutorial on! im not sure where her Finish tutorials are on this new site but im sure you can find it somewhere.
tbednarick
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 15:05
Thanks!
I found the tutorial at http://ana-white.com/2013/05/vintage-graybrown-stain-pine. Thanks for mentioning it.
In reply to Thanks! by tbednarick
jhavinga
Sat, 01/24/2015 - 13:06
great! be sure to mix that
great! be sure to mix that weathered oak well!
tracygator
Wed, 01/21/2015 - 20:47
Awesome!
This bed is gorgeous!!!! If you don't mind I have a couple of questions... For your stain combo of Weathered Oak and Special Walnut do you layer the weathered oak, wipe it off then apply special walnut? Or do you mix the two stains? Your footboard looks taller than the plan calls for , did you make it higher , if so by how much? And what dimensions are your footboard posts? This seriously is an amazing build. Great job!
In reply to Awesome! by tracygator
jhavinga
Fri, 01/23/2015 - 14:04
Thank you! I don't mind at
Thank you! I don't mind at all. =)
The stains I do seperataely. I start with weathered oak and let sit for 15min, wipe off. Than do special walnut right after for 15min than wipe off. I repeat this until I like my color. From the farmhouse plans I really only took the planking idea and how to attach planking section to legs. The foot board is higher by 11" while the headboard posts are higher by 10".
The posts are reclaimed fir 6x6's. Thank again very much tracygator! Its a super easy design! if you have any other questions just let me know. =)
Cheers,
Justin
spiceylg
Wed, 02/04/2015 - 10:39
Stunning
What a beautiful bed! Don't sell it! LOL
In reply to Stunning by spiceylg
jhavinga
Fri, 02/06/2015 - 09:11
lol I wont! thanks spiceylg!
lol I wont! thanks spiceylg!
One shy of a bunch
Sun, 03/01/2015 - 08:13
Okay.......how much do ya
Okay.......how much do ya want for the bed? ........
Ha! Seriously, it's beautiful and a source of inspiration,
awheat1
Sat, 05/23/2015 - 20:13
Side Rails
Do you have any other pictures of the side rails? I'm curious how you did them? Specifically, how did you mount them to the head and footboard?