This blog is relatively new, and I finished this project before I started the blog, so some of you may not have seen it yet.
But, the other day I found out that the Army wide Arts and Crafts competition that I entered this bed into was recognized with an Honorable Mention!
Here are a couple pics of the project:
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| Completed bed in place. |
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| Photo of project without mattress but with commercial bed slats. |
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| Bed bolts and covers from Horton Brass. |
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| At the Army woodshop. |
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| Proof that I used hand tools! |
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| Assembled at home. We decided finishing it in place would make for a more even paint job. |
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| Perspective. |
This project was a blast to do. I made the posts out of laminated spruce posts I found at the home center. Not the greatest wood, but I knew this project would be painted, and this was affordable and stable. I ripped the tapers at yet another Army woodshop that had a table saw with a sliding table. That took only about five minutes for all the posts.
The rails are made of scots pine. I fell in love with this wood when I made my tool chest. Easy to work, plentiful and cheap.
All the joinery is traditional with 1/2" mortice and tennons that I cut by hand. The only thing that isn't quite traditional is I used kitchen counter fasteners to attach the headboard.
The Frau and I intended to paint the bed black, but for some reason when we went to buy paint, we really liked the anthracite gray. After a coat of primer, it went on really nice with a small roller, followed by paste wax.
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Nice looking bed. Whats up with the slats? They appeared to be arched? Does the mattress lie directly on them without a box spring?
ReplyDeleteHi Ralph,
DeleteThis is typical for a German bed. I had to size the bed for a German mattress, so we also went for a German boxspring. The boxspring came in it's own little case, and when we first put the mattress on, it was above the level of the side rails. The mattress could slide off.
So, I took the slats out of it's own case and installed them directly into the frame of the bed.
The arched shape of those slats is to give more support to the middle of the mattress. It works great if you are alone in the bed, but with two people it tends to sag a bit in the middle. I have another idea, but am not sure I want to go there.