• Home
  • Project Gallery
  • About me
    • Disclosure
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog

Her Tool Belt

DIY furniture plans, crafts, and home improvement tutorials to empower you!

  • Free Woodworking Plans
    • Bathroom Furniture
    • Bedroom Furniture
    • Entry
    • Family Room Furniture
    • Garage
    • Kitchen furniture
    • Laundry Room
    • Mudroom Furniture
    • Organization
    • Outdoor Furniture
  • Home Decor
    • Upcycle
  • Crafts
    • Holiday
  • Home Improvement
    • Cleaning
    • Fix IT
    • Paint
    • Tile
  • Tool Reviews
  • Tool Time Videos

Rustic Barnwood Twin Bed Plan

April 30, 2014 by Amy 38 Comments

Late last summer my Dad called me up and told me that they are leveling Remo’s barn.  (Each section of the family farm is named after whomever they acquired it from over the years, Lee Halls, Ray’s, Henry’s, Neeley’s, Remo’s, etc that’s how we roll 🙂 )  Remo’s was a sizable area with a little farm yard on it.  He had built a big hay barn back in his day, but over the years it had deteriorated and became a hazard structurally.  So I talked my Dad into waiting until I could salvage as much wood as possible.  Luckily he was good with that.  I’m such a sucker for wood, and good barn wood is a limited commodity.Remo's old barn

My first project with this reclaimed lumber is this beautiful rustic chevron bed for my son.  I love to build with reclaimed lumber/barn wood.  For me, it has unmatched character and it’s free, which is the best part!  To find free/cheap wood, sometimes on craigslist or local classifieds ads people will give you the wood if you take the building down for them.  Or drive around and see if there are old barns in disarray, ask the owner if they are looking to get rid of it.  It usually can’t hurt to ask 🙂  Remo’s barn was a beast to bring down nicely, but we got ‘er done.  I’ll post the video soon.

Quite often old barns were built using rough cut lumber.  So a 2″ x 4″ rough cut lumber board actually is 2″ x 4″.  A 2″ x 4″ board that you buy at the lumber yard is 1 1/2″ x 3 1/2″, but we still call it a 2 x 4.  So this bed plan is designed using the rough cut lumber dimensions.  Adjust the dimensions to your lumber size as needed.  To build this bed with standard lumber sizes go here.

chevron bed overall dimensions

Once you gather your reclaimed lumber, wash it off with warm water, dish soap, and a bristle brush.  It has probably gathered a lot of dirt and grime over the years.  Let the wood dry completely before cutting it.

A few things to consider when using barn wood:

  • Does it have a strong smell?  If so don’t use it in your house.  The barn wood may have soaked up manure or other things, that may never air out.  Use pieces of wood that were higher up in the barn.
  • Does it have bugs?  If it does google how to get rid of them for your case.  You don’t want to infest your house, yuck!

Alrighty let’s get building.  Twin bed cutlist:

QuantityLengthWidthThicknessMaterialDescription
260"6"6"barnwoodtall post
236"6"6"barnwoodshort post
144"4"2"barnwoodtall divider
120"4"2"barnwoodshort divider
437"6"2"barnwoodrails
277 1/2"6"2"barnwoodbed rails
275 1/2"1 1/2"1 1/2"pine/barnwoodbed rail support
as neededcut to fit6"1"barnwooddiagonal

To make my lumber manageable I used a chain saw to roughly cut the boards to size. (Leave a little extra in case your saw doesn’t cut straight.)  make rough cutWhen making the final cuts use a compound miter saw or table saw to get more precise cuts.  I used a band saw to do the final cuts on the 6″ x 6″ beams.

The design of the head board and foot board use dado slots for the diagonal boards to slide into.  I did this because I thought it would make a cleaner look and be forgiving on the diagonal cuts.

I used my table saw to cut the long dado’s and a router cut out the slots for the rails.barnwood bed router

 

Cut 2 posts that are 6″ x 6″ x 60″.  Pick the best side that you’d like showing in the front.  On the front side route out a pocket for the bed rail 1″ deep, 3″ wide and 6″ tall according to the diagram.barnwood bed tall post

Next route out similar pockets on one side for the head board rails to fit into the post according to the diagram.  I don’t think the pockets are 100% necessary if it will be too difficult to accomplish.  Kreg jig pocket holes/screws could probably hold the rails in place.  If you do the no pocket route, adjust your rails accordingly.  But I suggest doing the long dado down the side for the diagonal panel boards to fit in.

Using a table saw and dado blade, or router make a dado groove down the side of the post as shown in the diagram.  Repeat for the other tall post, but remember to do the mirror image of the first post.barnwood bed tall post dado

Cut 2 posts that are 6″ x 6″ x 36″.  Pick the best side that you’d like showing in the front.  On the back side route out a pocket for the bed rail 1″ deep, 2″ wide and 6″ tall according to the diagram.

barnwood bed short post

Next route out similar pockets on one side for the foot board rails to fit into the post according to the diagram.

Using a table saw and dado blade, or router make a dado groove down the side of the post as shown in the diagram.  Repeat for the
other tall post, but remember to do the mirror image of the first post.barnwood bed short post routing

Cut 4 boards that are 2″ x 6″ x 37″.  Cut a 1″ x 1″ dado along the center of one long end of each board.  These are the head/foot board rails.

barnwood bed footboard rail

Cut a 2″ x 4″ x 20″ and a 2″ x 4″ x 44″ board.  Cut a 1″ x 1″ dado along both long ends.  Now we need to cut tongues that will fit into the rail dado’s that we just cut.

barnwood bed divider

On each end make cuts to match the diagram.  The tongue should fit snuggly into the rail groove, trim as necessary.  These are the head/foot board center dividers.

barnwood bed tall divider close up

Cut 2 bed rails that are 2″ x 6″ x 77 1/2″.  Cut 2 bed rail supports that are 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ x 75 1/2″.

barnwood bed long rail

I didn’t give any dimensions for the diagonal panels, because I think it’s best to cut those to fit.  The plan suggests using 1″ x 6″ wide boards, but you can use whatever width and varying widths will be cool too.  Partially assemble the head and foot boards by putting the bottom rails in the corresponding post holes.  Place the corresponding divider in the center.  Start the diagonal panels with a 45 deg triangle on each lower outside corner.  Then measure the length of the diagonal side of the triangle and that is the length of the shorter side of your next diagonal piece.  Continue to cut the ends at 45 deg.  Once the boards get past the inside corners, the boards will repeat the same length with 45 deg ends, until you reach the top.  When doing the top boards, I left them a little long to dry fit, then took a straight edge and marked where they needed to be cut at the top.  Trim pieces as necessary to fit together.  Disassemble all of the pieces.

barnwood bed tall diagonal panels

Now we’ll add some Kreg Jig® R3* pocket holes to hold the bed together.  Add at least 2 pocket holes to the bottom of each headboard/footboard rails.  Add 3 pocket holes to the inside face of the bed rail ends, and 2 to each bed rail bottom.make pocket holes

To assemble the headboard and foot board, I found it easiest to lay one post on it’s side.  Put in the top and bottom rail, screw into place.  Stack the diagonal panels in order starting on one side, install center divider, stack other side diagonal panels, then the other post.  Screw the rails into the post.  Repeat for the other head/foot board.  Tip the head/foot boards over.

Install the bed rails into the post holes and screw into place.  Screw the rail supports to the inside face of the bed rails near the bottom.  This is for the box spring to sit on.

Rustic barnwood chevron bed plan

Alright your bed is ready to go!

barnwood bed free DIY plans

on Hertoolbelt.com

Pin me for later

on Hertoolbelt.com

Check out these free DIY plans:

Entertainment center

Vanity Sink Cabinet

 

linked up to:  Remodelaholic DIYShowoff Hit me with your best shot, Savvy Southern Style, Get your DIY on , BestofDIY Party

Related

Filed Under: Bedroom Furniture, Free Woodworking Plans, Upcycle Tagged With: barn wood, barnwood, bed plan, chevron, DIY, free plan, rustic, twin bed

Attention: Any do-it-yourself project involves risk of some sort. Your tools, materials, and skills will vary, as will the conditions at your work site. Hertoolbelt LLC will not assume any responsibility or liability for damages or losses sustained or incurred in the course of your project or in the use of the item you create. Always follow the manufacturer's operating instructions in the use of tools, check and follow your local building codes, and observe all commonly accepted safety precautions.

Comments

  1. Kim says

    April 30, 2014 at 3:30 pm

    Wow Amy, You are Amazing!!! Beautiful Job 🙂

    Reply
  2. Kristyn says

    May 1, 2014 at 9:07 am

    This is AMAZING!!!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 1, 2014 at 1:17 pm

      Thanks Kristyn! And a huge thanks for pinning!!!

      Reply
  3. Yvonne @ Sunnyside Up-Stairs says

    May 3, 2014 at 3:57 am

    Beautiful bed design! I didn’t realize how much character barn wood has; although I am not sure I could ever get some on O’ahu. Looking forward to seeing more of your work! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Shelly says

    May 3, 2014 at 11:43 pm

    Love how this turned out! There is nothing like reclaimed wood! This is one of my “knockouts” from last week’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot! Thanks SO much for linking up!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 6, 2014 at 8:53 am

      Thanks Shelly!

      Reply
  5. Brittany aka Pretty Handy Girl says

    May 8, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Beautiful! Love that you reclaimed the barn wood.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 8, 2014 at 7:11 pm

      Thank you! And thanks for visiting.

      Reply
  6. tinysidekick says

    May 10, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    This turned out so good! Thanks for sharing at The Makers!

    Reply
  7. Emily says

    May 12, 2014 at 5:57 am

    This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing with us!
    You are being featured today at Your Designs This Time!

    Emily & Erin @ Elizabeth Joan Designs

    Reply
  8. Elisha @ Pneumatic Addict Furniture says

    May 12, 2014 at 9:10 am

    I saw this featured on Ana White! Yay for you! Its fabulous and I’m super impressed by your Sketch-up skills!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 12, 2014 at 1:40 pm

      Thanks Elisha! I wasn’t actually featured on Ana White, anyone can submit a plan on her site once you make an account.

      Reply
  9. chiccalifornia says

    May 12, 2014 at 11:20 am

    This bed is really cool. I would like to give my boys who share a room matching beds but everything I find is kind of girlie. This would be perfect. Featuring you this week on the Be. YOU. tiful link party. Thanks for linking up!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 12, 2014 at 1:28 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  10. courtney says

    May 12, 2014 at 10:05 pm

    I love people like you who are so brave to use power tools and do all of that math to figure out what cuts to make! Thank you so much for linking up to the Be.You.Tiful Link Party. I look forward to seeing more of your links each week!

    Reply
  11. Crystelle Boutique says

    May 15, 2014 at 8:34 am

    I totally l.o.v.e. this bed! I am thinking about coming over and stealing it from you! Do you think it will fit in my car? No seriously, I really like it and am super impressed! You really outdid yourself…. 🙂
    hugs x, Crystelle
    Crystelle Boutique

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 15, 2014 at 11:56 am

      I’m pretty sure you’ll need a truck & some extra muscles!!!

      Reply
  12. Sky says

    May 16, 2014 at 11:45 pm

    Amy, your work is just flat incredible- all the measuring and washing and cutting and even gathering- and, wow, you break it all down so it’s possible for anyone! What an awesome bed this is, and just an awesome personality you have! 🙂

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 17, 2014 at 7:46 am

      Thanks Sky, it was great meeting you at Snap.

      Reply
  13. Kim says

    June 16, 2014 at 6:21 pm

    I love it and will be featuring it at Wow this week!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      June 16, 2014 at 10:42 pm

      Awesome, thank you!

      Reply
  14. Shirley says

    July 9, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  15. Christy@Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer says

    July 26, 2014 at 5:48 am

    WOW! This bed is amazing! Do you ever think about how this bed might be passed down now since it’s something you built? You created a beautiful family heirloom! 🙂

    Reply
    • Amy says

      July 26, 2014 at 7:32 am

      Thank you, I haven’t thought that far down the road…but hopefully it gets passed down!

      Reply
  16. Corey Jennings says

    March 16, 2015 at 10:54 pm

    In my search for a headboard, I came across your bed on Remodelaholic, and think it’s great! Even more great is that green leaf pillow! I’ve scoured the internet to find it, with no success. Can you help me identify it? I’d very much appreciate it!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      March 16, 2015 at 10:57 pm

      I bought it from Costco a couple of years ago, sorry I must have removed the tag.

      Reply
    • Amy says

      March 16, 2015 at 11:32 pm

      Oh I found the name of it on Amazon. Brentwood Starburt Petals 16-Inch Pillow

      Reply
  17. Stephanie says

    April 21, 2015 at 5:01 am

    My teen son is wanting a bigger bed. I wonder how difficult it would be to make this a Full size instead if a Twin. I love it! Great work!!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      April 21, 2015 at 7:56 am

      You can definitely make a full size. You need to add 15″ to the head and foot board rails, so instead of 37″ they’d be 52″. Happy Building!

      Reply
  18. Katie says

    August 8, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    LOVE this bed! Do you have dimensions for a queen size?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Hit Me With Your Best Shot #17 - Dolen Diaries says:
    May 6, 2014 at 5:01 pm

    […] cool is this Chevron Barnwood Bed!?! Her Tool Belt shares some in depth plans on how you can DIY this awesome bed for your […]

    Reply
  2. Be. You. Tiful Link Party #20 - Chic California says:
    May 15, 2014 at 1:01 am

    […] and this would be a great project for me to try. Bring on the Power Tools!   Her Tool Belt | Rustic Barn wood Bed    Courtney | Fry Sauce & Grit’s Fav     I LOVE this fun summer trellis, I can’t […]

    Reply
  3. Chevron Twin Bed Plan | Her Tool Belt says:
    May 15, 2014 at 11:48 am

    […] Chevron Twin Bed Plan is based off of the fun Rustic Barnwood bed that I built for my son that used rough cut reclaimed lumber.  This chevron twin bed plan uses […]

    Reply
  4. Be.You.Tiful Link Party #20 | My great WordPress blog says:
    June 20, 2014 at 1:34 pm

    […] summer and this would be a great project for me to try. Bring on the Power Tools! Her Tool Belt | Rustic Barn wood Bed  Courtney | Fry Sauce & Grit’s Fav I LOVE this fun summer trellis, I can’t wait […]

    Reply
  5. Be.You.Tiful Link Party #20 says:
    July 17, 2014 at 10:16 am

    […] summer and this would be a great project for me to try. Bring on the Power Tools! Her Tool Belt | Rustic Barn wood Bed  Courtney | Fry Sauce & Grit’s Fav I LOVE this fun summer trellis, I can’t wait […]

    Reply
  6. Farmhouse Friday #15 - Salvaged Wood Projects - Knick of Time says:
    July 17, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    […] a stunning Barn Wood Bed Tutorial from Her Tool […]

    Reply
  7. How to Build a Scalloped Planter Box Centerpiece says:
    September 28, 2015 at 5:00 am

    […] is the creative artist and builder behind Her Tool Belt! You may remember her amazing rustic chevron twin bed that crashed Pinterest (well, not really, but it should […]

    Reply
  8. 12 DIY Projects to Make Using Reclaimed Wood – Tipjunkie says:
    April 20, 2016 at 7:12 am

    […]  Rustic Barnwood Twin Bed {free template} ~ A rustic headboard, footboard and frame with pictured instructions on how to make a […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Her Tool Belt

Follow Me!

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Top Posts & Pages

Custom Drill Storage and Charge Station - Easy
Cordless Drill Storage - Charging Station
Wood Bunny Easter Basket
Pallet Planter Box For Cascading Flowers
$5 Blanket Ladder
Wood DIY LOVE Marquee Letters
Kid's Step Stool
Convertible Picnic Table and Bench

Check out more projects

Copyright

Thank you for wanting to share my work! No need for my permission to pin my work or to feature 1 or 2 pictures with full watermarks intact that link back to the original project. Please do NOT copy tutorials.

Disclosure & Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT