How to attach a loft bed to walls

[surbitron]

I am about to start making a loft bed (to fit single mattress) and need some advice about attaching it to the walls. The bed will be in a small extension room. The size of the space allocated (100x190cm) means I could potentially attach it to three walls but wonder if two will be enough. There are two external walls (solid brick 1930's construction) and one stud wall, which is at the head of the bed. I was intending to do the following:

1. Attach 2x6 to the brick wall at the foot of the bed. Attach to wall with these 10x120T frame fixing screws http://www.fischer.co.uk/Home/tabid...tegory-1001049030/usetemplate-productdetails/
2. Attach 2x6 to the stud wall at the head end of the bed. Attach to wall with two coach screws (M8 x 130mm) in each stud (six screws total) http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Coach-Screws-M8x130mm-Pack-6/p/510725
3. Hang four lengths of 2x4 between the head and foot, hung on these hangers http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-38mm-Speedy-Minor-Joist-Hanger/p/240002 nailed in place with 30x3.75 square twist nails.

Alternatively, I could make better use of the long brick wall also attaching 2x6 there with 10x120T frame fixing screws and hang the 2x4 across the bed rather than along its length. However I am concerned that doing so will result in more weight being placed on a single stud rather than being spread over all three if I hang the 2x4 along the length.

I am not en experienced builder. Any advice welcomed. Thanks!

 

[JohnD]

when you jump out of bed, bleary-eyed and half-asleep, how far do you want to fall before hitting the floor?

Or, to put it another way, how about building a floor-like platform and putting your bed on it?

 

[surbitron]

Ha! Thanks for the reply John. The bed is for my eight year old daughter. It will have plywood over the frame, a ladder/stair up at the foot and something to stop her falling five feet to the ground if she riggles in the night. I left the ply out as I'm mostly concerned about strength of the frame at the stud wall end.

 

[endecotp]

According to joist tables, 45x95 C16 joists at 400mm spacing are good enough for ground floors at a span of 1930mm. That's conveniently close to what you're proposing.

If I were you, I'd certainly make use of the long wall. You could simply use it as the first support, with the other 2 or 3 also running lengthways.

You should probably have something to avoid twisting forces half way along, i.e. a few pieces of 2x4 fitted crossways between the long lengths and screwed to them.

Alternatively, just fit a single wooden bed base into the space.

 

[endecotp]

Also, do a google image search for "bed bracket" for various de-mountable brackets that you could use.

 

[big-all]

you are over complicating it
when i make raised beds i use 6x1 par for exposed edges between 2x2" legs or leg at one end and fixed to a wall the other
i run 2x1" batons along all edges off the bed 20mm below the base off the matress
if full against a wall it is secured to the wall every 16-20"
if it protrudes beyond a wall it carries on until it meets a leg with the gap between leg and wall filled by the 6x1" screwed to the leg and end butted up to the wall with the 2x1 holding it all together
on the front edge affix the ladder vertically between 25-50% the way along to give support to the span
extend the ladder legs a few inches [about 20"] so cover the matress and give support to the handrail
make the bed slats from 4x1 at 65-80mm gaps screwed to the baton on the wall and the baton around the 6x1frame
there is no "frame" against the wall at any point in my design and you only loose 20mm headroom because off the structure under so can have a useful space top and bottom
but at 8 year old on a 8ft room height both spaces will be a compromise

 

[surbitron]

Thanks @endecotp and @big-all for the detailed responses - this is all really useful information. I have learned something today!

 

[Debsy Doolittle]

big-all
How

you are over complicating it
when i make raised beds i use 6x1 par for exposed edges between 2x2" legs or leg at one end and fixed to a wall the other
i run 2x1" batons along all edges off the bed 20mm below the base off the matress
if full against a wall it is secured to the wall every 16-20"
if it protrudes beyond a wall it carries on until it meets a leg with the gap between leg and wall filled by the 6x1" screwed to the leg and end butted up to the wall with the 2x1 holding it all together
on the front edge affix the ladder vertically between 25-50% the way along to give support to the span
extend the ladder legs a few inches [about 20"] so cover the matress and give support to the handrail
make the bed slats from 4x1 at 65-80mm gaps screwed to the baton on the wall and the baton around the 6x1frame
there is no "frame" against the wall at any point in my design and you only loose 20mm headroom because off the structure under so can have a useful space top and bottom
but at 8 year old on a 8ft room height both spaces will be a compromise

big-all
How would you attach the 6x1 to a solid wall?

 

[big-all]

you dont
you secure the 2x1" baton to the wall so the wall is now the edge off the bed

 

[Debsy Doolittle]

you dont
you secure the 2x1" baton to the wall so the wall is now the edge off the bed

And how would you attach those to a brick wall?

 

[big-all]

no8/10s [4.5-5mm]2 1/4"[60mm]screws
brown plugs no6 masonery drill bit every 300-350mm

 

[Debsy Doolittle]

no8/10s [4.5-5mm]2 1/4"[60mm]screws
brown plugs no6 masonery drill bit every 300-400mm

Thank you big-all. Have made a free-standing loft bed for my son's room and am now doing another in the small box room for my daughter and was hoping it would not need 4 legs. Your advice has been v helpful.

 

[big-all]

no problem glad to help
if the walls are a bit crumbly you can reduce to 250-300mm then if every other one is a poor fixing it will still hold ok
just make sure the plugs are fully into the wall to allow a good grip