$30 Twin Platform Bed

Do you have an hour and about $30 bucks to burn? Because that’s all it took for my latest project. This build was actually never on the list – it was a last-minute-fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants project because I wanted to get my son’s new mattress off of the floor. Amazing what a little Mom Guilt will do to a girl, right?

We recently transitioned our son from his toddler bed to his big-boy bed and I’m in the process of building him The Most Epic Bed Ever – but it’s not done yet, so until it is, this DIY twin platform bed will have to do for the time-being.

I followed Ana White’s plan for this twin platform bed. This build was super easy, super quick, and super inexpensive – three of my favorite things!

First step was to build a simple box with 2x4s. Easy breezy cover girl. I didn’t even break out my Kreg Jig for this – I just drove some Spax screws in. I love these construction screws because you don’t have to bother with pre-drilling pilot holes.

Then I attached the 2×2 cleats and 1×3 frame around the box.

Next, I flipped the whole thing over, screwed these metal corner brackets on, then screwed the feet on.

This bed cost about $30 to build, but that’s not including the furniture feet and brackets. I had those on-hand from a past project that never came to be, but I think I paid about five or six bucks for the feet and I can’t remember the cost of the brackets… probably a couple bucks or so. You could just as easily use some scrap wood for the feet if you wanted to. I just happened to have these laying around in my shop because I was too lazy to return them. If you were to include the cost of the feet and brackets, I’d guesstimate your cost to be closer to $60.00.

And because I am a giant nerd, I timed myself. It took me 54 minutes and 6 seconds to build this bed from start to finish – except I didn’t actually finish it – I just left the wood unfinished because this is only a temporary fix until I’m done building his real big boy bed.

Then I lugged the thing in, set the mattress slats in place, then dropped the mattress on it.

Stupid simple, right? Yeah. I wasn’t about to spend a whole lot of time and money on something that would end up in the scrap pile in a month or so.

So tell me, do you suffer from Mom Guilt as much as I do? My husband thinks a mattress on the floor is perfectly acceptable. What do you think?

Thanks for reading, friends. I hope your weekend is full of sawdust!

If you’re interested, here’s a source list (with affiliate links):

• 5×7 Area Rug
• Wild & Free Banner
• Moose Flannel Sheets
• Plaid Duvet Cover and Sham
• Moose Throw Pillow

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