Trundle bed: Buy or Diy?
- Thread starter shagster
- Start date
Sponsored Links
- Joined
- 22 Jul 2016
- Messages
- 5,882
- Reaction score
- 1,085
- Country
Figure the cost of materials, plus time. Probably cheaper to buy it unless you have a decent set of tools to speed cutting.
Buy that one and add vertical 2" x 2" blocks into the corners, (and maybe one each side at the centre for extra stability), and fit your own selection of castor. The ones fitted look like single direction fittings. You could fit swivel ones to help with manoeuvring.
Sponsored Links
Here's a budget version:
Two sides:
38x63x2.4m £3.75 at Wickes: Total: £7.50
www.wickes.co.uk
Head and footer:
38x63x2.4m £3.75 at Wickes: Total: £3.75
www.wickes.co.uk
Twin wheel caster, 40mm plate x4: Total: £2.98
www.toolstation.com
(I've used these on other projects, but don't know about quality as they were fairly recent constructions).
Two possible configurations for slats I've seen on other beds in our house:
90mm x 20mm cross section, 900mm length, 10 off
45mm x 18mm cross section, 900mm length, 18 off
Looking again at Wickes, the 18mm x 44mm x 1.8m
would yield the right lengths for a single bed with 900mm mattress width
www.wickes.co.uk
So this would be the biggest cost: 9 of these two make 18 x 900mm lengths,
Total: £30.60
I tried to find the larger size (90 x 20mm) but that was resulting in more wastage and even needing fewer it worked out at least a tenner more.
Grand total £44.83
That would give something very minimal. But the reason for doing this in the first place is satisfied, namely to get the mattress we keep for visitors off the ground (to air it) and on wheels so it can roll under something else. It might be nice to add a front to cover any made-up bedding when it's put away, could perhaps get away with sanded, painted ply at a pinch.
Interested in opinions about this. Using studs may sound a little crude, but having tested studs on their end over their full span and jumping up and down on them they don't seem to deflect much.
EDIT: Yes, I do have reasonable tools, including a chop-saw, plunge saw just need to wait for good weather as no space inside.
Two sides:
38x63x2.4m £3.75 at Wickes: Total: £7.50
Wickes Studwork CLS Timber - 38 x 63 x 2400mm | Wickes.co.uk
Wickes Studwork CLS Timber - 38 x 63 x 2400mm
www.wickes.co.uk
Head and footer:
38x63x2.4m £3.75 at Wickes: Total: £3.75
Wickes Studwork CLS Timber - 38 x 63 x 2400mm | Wickes.co.uk
Wickes Studwork CLS Timber - 38 x 63 x 2400mm
www.wickes.co.uk
Twin wheel caster, 40mm plate x4: Total: £2.98
Twin Wheel Castor
Suitable for indoor and domestic use. Plastic and steel construction.
www.toolstation.com
Two possible configurations for slats I've seen on other beds in our house:
90mm x 20mm cross section, 900mm length, 10 off
45mm x 18mm cross section, 900mm length, 18 off
Looking again at Wickes, the 18mm x 44mm x 1.8m
would yield the right lengths for a single bed with 900mm mattress width
Wickes Whitewood PSE Timber - 18mm x 44mm x 1.8m | Wickes.co.uk
Wickes Whitewood PSE Timber - 18mm x 44mm x 1.8m
www.wickes.co.uk
Total: £30.60
I tried to find the larger size (90 x 20mm) but that was resulting in more wastage and even needing fewer it worked out at least a tenner more.
Grand total £44.83
That would give something very minimal. But the reason for doing this in the first place is satisfied, namely to get the mattress we keep for visitors off the ground (to air it) and on wheels so it can roll under something else. It might be nice to add a front to cover any made-up bedding when it's put away, could perhaps get away with sanded, painted ply at a pinch.
Interested in opinions about this. Using studs may sound a little crude, but having tested studs on their end over their full span and jumping up and down on them they don't seem to deflect much.
EDIT: Yes, I do have reasonable tools, including a chop-saw, plunge saw just need to wait for good weather as no space inside.
You don’t want castors they make use more difficult, bed needs to move straight out and in.
As mentioned a diy unit would be around 1/2 the price.
As mentioned a diy unit would be around 1/2 the price.
I was thinking teflon pads might work for this.
More expensive, but would make less mess of the carpet.
100mm PTFE Coated Stick On Pads Glides For Furniture & Chairs Legs Feet
PTFE Coated Glides Are An Innovative Product Which Helps Move Chairs, Heavy Furniture & Appliances Silently & Easily Across Your Floor With Minimum Frictional Resistance Whilst Also Protecting It From Damage & Scratching.
www.wonderglides.co.uk
Surely you just have fixed castor wheels rather than ones that rotate?
I have a pair. The legs on the upper frame are spaced so a full size lower bed, including mattress, can roll beneath it. This means the upper frame is bigger, though it is not noticeable. The mattresses are both standard size.
The lower frame has spring-loaded pivoting legs that hold it at normal height when lifted.
The lower frame has spring-loaded pivoting legs that hold it at normal height when lifted.
63mm means you will have around 10mm lip above the slats and 10mm below the supporting baton underneath do you not require any sides at all??
also you would need extra castors/support mid length or at least 89cls
also 94mm slats are far stronger than twice as many 44mm
also you would need extra castors/support mid length or at least 89cls
also 94mm slats are far stronger than twice as many 44mm
Last edited:
also the head or the sides off the frame must be at least 76mm longer to form an external but jointed frame or both 76mm longer iff a mitred frame
although if the frame is under the slats you remove the need for batons and the frame can be narrower by perhaps 3 or 4 inches each side
although if the frame is under the slats you remove the need for batons and the frame can be narrower by perhaps 3 or 4 inches each side
That's a good point. Chat GPT says 1900mm C16 63cls with 80Kg UDL will deflect 8mm and with 89 cls, it'll deflect 5mm. That's worst case assuming someone rolls to an edge, mostly they'll sleep in the middle. But all I have to do is move those casters 10cm towards the middle and the 63cls deflection drops to 3mm with the 63cls, so that would mitigate somewhat.
with beds you have to think children and adults trampolines intimate exercise
you also say "Chat GPT says 1900mm C16 63cls with 80Kg UDL will deflect 8mm and with 89 cls, it'll deflect 5mm." is he using charts for timber as joists ??? if so they need support at perhaps 400-450 centres or a timber or 2 mid span from side to side
find out where he get his deflexion from ??
you also say "Chat GPT says 1900mm C16 63cls with 80Kg UDL will deflect 8mm and with 89 cls, it'll deflect 5mm." is he using charts for timber as joists ??? if so they need support at perhaps 400-450 centres or a timber or 2 mid span from side to side
find out where he get his deflexion from ??
Last edited:
No, I didn't ask for a timber floor, I was only interested in single beam deflection. I also tried 100Kg point load. I've worked with 63cls for a long time and know what it can do. If you managed to snap one jumping up and down on it how much do you weigh? I watched a plasterer using a couple flat, almost full length as a platform support and I admit I was a little apprehensive about it but even that didn't break. For this application (temporary bed) they'll be fine.
ok i was just trying to work out what your comments referred to for reference
general comments if you supply support to the floor half side length you can reduce side timbers by perhaps 60-70% as the unsupported span is half
i tend to overengineer by default as it lasts the stuff i make will last at least 25 years un stressed with all materials fully recycable as actual timbers off size used with glued joints removed with blade passes within 0.25 to cut glue and any dowels
general comments if you supply support to the floor half side length you can reduce side timbers by perhaps 60-70% as the unsupported span is half
i tend to overengineer by default as it lasts the stuff i make will last at least 25 years un stressed with all materials fully recycable as actual timbers off size used with glued joints removed with blade passes within 0.25 to cut glue and any dowels
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
