How to Make your Own DIY Sofa Bed

A sofa bed is just what you need if you have guests coming to stay. However, it's also important to have space to relax and enjoy your free time, whether inside or outside your home.

If you’re someone who often has a lot of family or friends staying over at the weekends, and you don’t have a spare bedroom, a sofa bed might be just what you need. Or maybe you like to take a nap on a Sunday afternoon, but don’t want to mess up your bed, or you simply like to curl up on the sofa with a movie or a good book.

If this is you, we have the answer to all your problems. In this article, we’re going to show you how to make your very own sofa bed, which you can use both inside and outside your home.

How to make a basic sofa bed

In this article, we’re going to show you several different ways to make a sofa bed, complete with integrated storage space where you can keep all the pillows and bed sheets you need. That way, when nobody’s using it, you can simply fold it up, and you’ll have a normal sofa again.

Firstly, it’s essential to take all the necessary measurements before you buy or cut your wood. The size you need will depend on the amount of space you have to work with.

Idea 1

The base should be formed of 4 planks of wood arranged in a square, like a picture frame. Attach a wooden peg to each corner to serve as the legs of your sofa bed. Once your base is ready, you can place a box or drawers on top to create the storage space. A two-compartment drawer will give your sofa bed greater strength and stability.

To create the backrest for your sofa, place two long pieces of wood horizontally side by side. These should then be attached at a perpendicular angle to four smaller pieces of wood, which will serve as supports. Place two at one end, a short distance apart, and two at the other.

To reinforce this structure, we recommend attaching a smaller wooden board in between each pair of vertical pieces of wood.

Next, add a large plywood board to the front and back of your backrest. The remaining space is where your storage container and seat will go. To create the seat, simply place a mattress on top of a wooden board, and use hinges to attach the board to your drawers or storage box.

Cover the entire structure with foam, and finally add your sofa cover. The idea is that, when you want to use the sofa bed, you can simply raise up the mattress on its hinges, and take out any bedding you need. Any guests who come to stay will be guaranteed a great night’s sleep.

How to make a sofa bed out of wooden pallets

We’re sure by now that you’re familiar with our famous pallets. Thanks to their strength and versatility, these fantastic wooden structures are being used in more and more DIY projects these days. They are really affordable, and because they are so easy to work with, they are frequently used by carpentry and woodworking aficionados.

A pallet sofa bed can be used inside your house, in the garden or even out on the balcony or terrace. If you’re planning on using it outside, remember that you’ll need to treat the wood to make it weather resistant.

Materials

This project is perfect if you love recycling. You’re going to need the following materials:

• 2 pallets.
• 1 mattress (whatever size you want).
• 4 wheels or wooden legs (depending on whether you want to be able to move it around or not).
• Nails, screws and a hammer.
• An electric sander and drill.

Steps to follow

• Sand the entire surface of each pallet, until they’re completely smooth to the touch.
• Reinforce your structure by nailing down any loose boards.
• Place one pallet next to the other and attach them together using large screws to prevent them from moving.
• Once your base is ready, add the wheels or feet to the underside.
• You can then go on to paint the wood any color you want.
• Leave it to dry and then place the mattress on top, complete with protective cover and sheets.

This last idea doesn’t include a backrest, so you’ll need to place your sofa bed against the wall. However, if you prefer, you can follow the same steps for creating a backrest that we looked at in our first example, and attach it to your pallets.

Alternatively, you could place two wooden pallets side by side, and attach them together. Then, fix them to your pallet base to make a backrest. Another option is to cut a pallet in half and attach it to the base, to create a slightly lower back for your sofa bed. You’ll also need cushions and pillows to decorate and make your backrest more comfortable.

Let your creative juices flow, and create the perfect sofa bed using these common objects. You’ll hardly need to spend a thing, and you’ll definitely spend a lot less than you would on a store-bought sofa bed. You’ll soon have a beautiful sofa bed that’s perfect for receiving guests, or for whiling away a lazy Sunday afternoon…