IKEA items used: 2 KURA Beds, 2 TROFAST Frames
For these beds, I was inspired by similar projects I saw on Ikea Hackers and on Pinterest. We have 2 boys, and each got his own treehouse bed. They’re sleeping on the bottom for now, but when they’re old enough, we’re going to move them to the top. For now, they’re using TROFAST frames at the ends as steps to get into the “play area” upstairs on the treehouses.
I chose to finish it with Amber Bulls-Eye Shellac, since shellac is non-toxic, and there are no fumes while the finish cures. The room is ready for the kids to sleep in it right away.
The main project took me four afternoons – two to cut the wood, one for assembly, and one for finishing.
Parts (for each bed):
- 1 Kura Bed
- 7x Pine 2″x2″x8′ boards
- 3x packages of Western Cedar planking from Home Depot (14 sq ft per pack)
- Box of 2.5″ #10 wood screws
- 12x 4″ L-shaped corner brackets
- 1qt Shellac
Process:
- Assemble KURA bed. I left out the end panels (which don’t add any structural support) in order to give it the look of a house on stilts.
- Cut 2″x2″ to frame the treehouse above the bed
- Assemble frame on bed. Pre-drill holes for all wood screws to avoid splitting the boards.
- Vertical posts are secured
- Cut cedar paneling for front, side, and roof
- Nail cedar paneling to frame
- Shellac cedar paneling.
- Add trim around windows and roof line
| Bed 1 | Count | Length | Total” | Angle cuts |
| Crossbars | 2 | 76.625 | 153.25 | |
| Roof angles | 2 | 79.25 | 158.5 | 81.3 degree angle on low side |
| Corner posts | 8 | 19.625 | 157 | |
| High corner posts | 2 | 33 | 66 | 33″ on high side, 8.7 degree angle top |
| Side connectors | 2 | 38.375 | 76.75 | |
| Window top frame | 2 | 21 | 42 | |
| Corner braces | 4 | 12 | 48 | 45 degree angle each side |
| 701.5 | ||||
| Bed 2 | Count | Length | Total | Angle cuts |
| Crossbars | 2 | 78.375 | 156.75 | |
| Roof angles | 4 | 41 | 164 | 17 deg on center, 73 deg on ends |
| Corner posts | 10 | 19.625 | 196.25 | |
| Side connectors | 2 | 38.375 | 76.75 | |
| Window top frame | 2 | 21 | 42 | |
| Roof braces | 4 | 45 deg on bottom, 118 degree on top | ||
| Corner braces | 4 | 12 | 48 | 45 degree angle each side |
| 683.75 |
~ Edward