Joining two timbers end to end

[twoleftfeet]

Hi,
My slatted bed base (see picture) won't get up my stairs!
One idea I had was to saw it in half crossways i.e. saw in half the 3 supporting rails. Rails are 3x2 inch softwood.
Question: What's the best way of rejoining the rails? Note I may want to move it again in future, so want to be able to disassemble.

I can't easily take apart the slats which are screwed to the rails because the screw heads are sealed up.

Please advise me as I'm sleeping on the mattress!

View media item 81831[/img]

 

[foxhole]

Is it a King size?
You could cut the rails [stagger the cuts] then sister the timber to repair.

 

[Safety First]

If you unscrewed the slats from the rails, it would presumably all fit up the stairs. Then reassemble?
Strong coffee and charged drill/driver?

This must have been excluded as an option because..??

Edit_ oops should have read your post properly- sorry.
I'd have a *very* good go at getting the screws out in preference to cutting the rails apart...IMO it would be very hard to make good the repair without large surfaces of glued sister pieces.

 

[twoleftfeet]

Thank you for quick responses. I've now looked up 'sistering' so have now learnt a new word. Yes it is a double.

Another option I was thinking about was using joining plates such as http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Galvanised-Jointing-Flat-Plate-63x300mm/p/152829

i.e. sandwich a pair of plates around each join and bolt through to fasten.

Is this likely to work?

 

[AronSearle]

You could drill out the existing screws, then just use slightly bigger ones to resemble.

 

[foxhole]

Thank you for quick responses. I've now looked up 'sistering' so have now learnt a new word. Yes it is a double.

Another option I was thinking about was using joining plates such as http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Galvanised-Jointing-Flat-Plate-63x300mm/p/152829

i.e. sandwich a pair of plates around each join and bolt through to fasten.

Is this likely to work?

You would need them on all four sides of timber.
A sister timber would be cheaper and stronger.
Hard to believe it does not go up a stairs, most beds do.

 

[ladylola]

Does it have to go up via the stairs? Do you have a window you could use perhaps?
Depending on your ability you could always cut and reassemble with a loose tenon dowelled in place. Either way perhaps fit an intermediate leg to support the joint .

 

[endecotp]

What exactly do you mean when you say the screws are "sealed up"?

 

[EightyTwo]

These are pretty good - if you can see the screw head!

http://www.screwfix.com/p/trend-pro-grabit-screw-and-bolt-remover-2-pieces/21391

If you have only one screw at each slat position, could you slacken them off and make the whole thing a parallelogram?

If the frame has legs supporting the central "joist", you could run a circular saw down the middle of the middle joist (missing the existing screws), cutting all the slats in half. You could then re-screw them to the middle joist. Alternatively, you could cut down the side of the joist (with a hand saw?) and then screw a new batten (2"x2"?) along it and refix the slats.

Cutting through the joists will seriously affect the strength of the bed whereas cutting the slats will be much less serious - think about a floor. It would look better, too!

 

[big-all]

if you cant get to the screws my suggestion is to cut all the slats to one side off the center rail flush
attach a new timber full length to the center rail but clear off any brackets at each end [use no8 or 10 screws 4.5 or5mm screws]
pilot holes in the open cut ends off the slats at a say 20% angle 20mm from the edge use no6 7or 8screws [3.5 4 or4.5mm screws

in my suggestion i am assuming 1 or more "legs" from the center rail to the floor

 

[endecotp]

Ikea will sell you a new set of slats for £24......

 

[twoleftfeet]

Thanks for the great responses. It's going on to a loft room via some very tight stairs. The slat screws have been filled with some kind of wood filler. I'll check whether that comes out easily.

I'll abandon my initial idea of cutting the rails then and go for either removing the slats or saw through slats along central rail and fix a new batten alongside.

How best to remove wood filler that is concealing the screw heads?
What's the best method of fixing new batten to the rail?

 

[big-all]

use a 2/3 or 4" wood nail and the screwdriver you are removing the screws with
bang into the filler at an angle with the nail then try and prise out some will come out easily
then finish by tapping the screwdriver with the hammer rotating it a few degrees with each hit until it located in the star or slot

 

[cajar]

very easy to remove the filler, just take a flat blade screwdriver and scrape across the head until you can see the outline of the grooves, then rake it out with a smaller screwdriver. time consuming but much better than cutting the rails, since if filler on a screw head seems an almost impossible obstacle to your DIY skills, the chances are you'd never get the bed frame level and sound again after cutting the main rails.

 

[matz]

I would never in a million years cut the slats and expect them to last. You HAVE to get the screws out Is there a defined circle of filler or wood plug showing? Drill in the centre with a 6mm drill bit until you nudge the screw then chip away at whats filling the hole either with a 3mm approx chisel or thin screwdriver.