Pull-out Daybed

Pull-out Daybed
This daybed has a pull-out section to increase the width to a queen size or larger. The basic design is similar to the Hemnes brand daybed, but there are some notable differences.

This bed extends up to 33″ for a total width of 72″, which is wider than a queen, but not as wide as two twins. You could use it with a full size foam or futon mattress, or get a combination of a twin, and a “single” or “bunk” mattress that measures 30″ to 33″ in width.

Pull-out Daybed
It disassembles with 6 bolts into 6 smaller pieces, so it should fit into any vehicle that can carry the mattress.

It is a fairly complex build, but others have noted that the store bought version is pretty complicated even in kit form. This one does not require any specialty tools, and all connections can be made with screws or nails strait through the board faces. A miter saw is helpful to get square cuts, and a carpenter’s square to get the assembly strait.

Shopping List

9 – 1×2 x 8′
12 – 1×3 x 8′
8 – 1×4 x 10′ (or 13 @ 8′)
5 – 1×6 x 6′ (or 4 @ 8′)
2 – 3/8×1.5 x 8′ drawer trim
1 – 4′ x 8′ x 3/16″ veneer or masonite (for drawer bottoms)
1 – 4′ x 8′ x 1/4″ beadboard or finish plywood
2 – 1.5″ swivel casters (floor to platform height of 2.25″)
2 – 24″ rolling drawer slide sets
6 – 3″ x 1/4″ carriage bolts with washers & nuts
50 – 2″ screws
100 – 1.25″ screws
finish nails
glue

If the 10 footers do not fit in your vehicle, ask the lumber store to cut them at 40″/80″. That will give you a couple inches to spare on all cuts.

Cut List

1 – 1×2 x 79.5″ – top
2 – 1×2 x 12″ – vert back
1 – 1×2 x 74″ – Tray lower front
2 – 1×2 x 74″ – slat rails
2 – 1×2 x 68.5″ – slat rails
2 – 1×2 x 69″ – Tray fronts
1 – 1×2 x 6″ – tray center front
1 – 1×2 x 6.5″ – tray center back
1 – 1×2 x 35.5″ – tray center bottom
1 – 1×2 x 2.25″ – tray foot
4 – 1×2 x 13.5″ – side trim

3 – 1×3 x 79.5″ – Back & lower
2 – 1×3 x 39.5″ – arms
2 – 1×3 x 38″ – slats
2 – 1×3 x 35″ – arm supp
2 – 1×3 x 36″ – legs
6 – 1×3 x 24″ – legs
4 – 1×3 x 12.75″ – filler
4 – 1×3 x 8.75″ – filler
2 – 1×3 x 74″ – tray back
2 1×3 35.5 – tray end base
1 – 1×3 x 34.75″ – tray center
2 – 1×3 x 12″ – tray legs
2 – 1×3 x 8.25″ – tray back verticals
2 1×3 5″ – tray front verticals

2 – 1×4 x 74.5″ – back
1 – 1×4 x 79″ – tray
10 – 1×4 x 37″ – slats
9 – 1×4 x 38″ – slats
2 – 1×4 x 34″ – tray sides

2 – 1×6 x 35″ – ends
2 – 1×6 x 32.75″ – drawer fronts
2 – 1×6 x 31.25″ – drawer backs
4 – 1×6 x 23.75″ – drawer sides

4 – 3/8 x 1.5 x 34.5″ – drawer trim – both ends cut 45 degrees, trapezoid, measured on long edge
4 – 3/8 x 1.5 x 6.5″ – drawer trim – both ends cut 45 degrees, trapezoid, measured on long edge

2 3/16” x 32.25×25.5 – drawer bottoms

2 1/4” x 18h x35w – ends
2 1/4” x 22.5h x 38.25w – back

Step 1 – Build the Back frame

Pull-out Daybed components
Attach an 8.75″ piece of filler to each of the 36″ legs, aligned with the bottom, using nails and glue.

Lay a 79.5″ 1×3 on a 74.5″ 1×4, with one edge aligned, with each end extending 2 and a half inches. Glue and nail together, nailing through the 1×3 into the 1×4 (the opposite side of the 1×4 is the visible side).

Pull-out Daybed components
Attach the top 1×2 to the aligned edge of the 2 boards, aligned with then ends of the 1×3. Nails and glue are sufficient, assuming the glue joints are clamped while drying.

Make another 1×3 on 1×4 for the lower rail, with one edge aligned, with each end extending 2 and a half inches. This one does not have the extra 1×2.
Lay the legs about 74″ apart, and set lower rail assembly across, against the top of the filler pieces, with the extended portion of the 1×4 towards the top of the legs. Attach using glue and 2 screws, keeping the screws away from the center of the joint (you will be putting a bolt through the center later).
Pull-out Daybed components

Flip that assembly over, and set the assembled top rail across the top ends of the legs. Screw through the 1×3 top rail into the back of the legs, and add glue to the joint.
Pull-out Daybed components
Attach the 1×2 verticals to the outside edge of the legs, immediately below the top rail.
Pull-out Daybed components
Also attach the 12.75″ filler pieces above the lower rail, and the large beadboard panels on the back.

Step 2 – Build the Front Rail

Build 2 front legs, using 2 of the best 24″ pieces. Attach one 8.75″ filler and one 12.75″ filler to each leg using glue and nails. Make sure the gap between the filler pieces allows the width of the 1×3 rail to fit tightly between them. Nail through the filler piece, so the heads are not visible on the 24″ piece.
Daybed leg
Attach the main 79.5″ rail, using glue and 2 screws on each end. Position the screws about 3/4″ from the corners of the rail.

Step 3 – Build the End Pieces

Pre-drill the remaining 24″ legs with 2 holes each, 3/4″ from the edge, at 3.5″ and 7″ from the bottom. Attach a 35″ 1×6 between them with glue and 2″ screws, with the top edge 8″ from the bottom of the legs, and 3/8″ in from the edge. Note: having properly squared ends on the 1×4 will help keep the whole thing square (don’t trust the factory cut to be perfectly square).
Pull-out Daybed components
Now install a 35″ 1×3 between the legs, with the top edge aligned with the top of the legs, also set 3/8″ in from the edge. Pre-drill holes, and use glue and screws.
Install the top armrest on each end piece, in mirror image. Each arm extends 3/4″ in the back, and 2.25″ in the front. Make sure that one has the side rails on the left, and the other has the rails on the right, when viewed from the front. Use glue and finish nails.
Pull-out Daybed components
Attache 1×2 pieces to each leg, spanning from the top rail to the bottom. Nail or screw through the leg into the edge of the 1×2. (The surface of these legs will not be visible when assembled, so all screw heads will be hidden.)

Step 4 – Build the Rolling Frame Components

Pull-out Daybed components
To create the end pieces of the rolling frame, pre-drill holes in the 8.25″ and 5″ 1x3s at 3/4″ and 2 3/4″ from one end, centered across the width. Attach one of each to either end of the 34″ tray sides, with screws and glue, aligning the edge of the side piece with the end of the smaller pieces.
Pull-out Daybed components
Now attach the 35.5″ tray end base to align with the end pieces, using glue and nails. You’ll need two identical pieces.

Create the center section of the rolling frame in a similar manner, using a 1×3 for the rail, and 1x2s for the base and ends of the rail.
Pull-out Daybed components
In this case, attach the tray center back (6.5″ piece), and the 35.5″ base aligned with the ends. The front vertical (the 6″ piece) sits lower to cover the front of the base piece. This piece is visible from the front, so it should be attached with glue and finish nails only.
Pull-out Daybed components
The front face of the rolling frame requires the 74″, and one of the 69″ 1x2s to be attached, face to face, with the ends evenly spaced at 2 1/2″, using nails and glue. The other 69″ 1×2 is attached to the 79″ 1×4 tray front, with the ends equally spaced at 5″, and the edge 1/2″ offset (or 2 1/2″ from the top edge).
Pull-out Daybed components
Attach the 12″ tray legs between the base and face rails. The base rail will be 3/4″ from the bottom of the verticals, and the top of the verticals will line up with the edge of the 1×2. Note that the lower rail attaches to the back side of the verticals, and the upper rail attaches to the front.
Pull-out Daybed components
The top of the verticals should be 1/4″ below the top rails, and they should extend 3/4″ below the bottom rails. Use 2 screws on each connection (1 1/4″ screws).

Step 5 – Build the Interlocking Slats

First, build the sliding set of slats. Mark the 68.5″ slat rails at 3 1/2″ from the end, then every 3 5/8 inches after that. Make those marks measuring from both ends. on edge. Lay one of the 37″ slats across the rails, aligned with the end of the rail. One end of the slat will align with the rail, but the other end should extend 3/4″ beyond the the rail. Screw that down, and a similar one at the other end.
Pull-out Daybed components
Lay 8 more 37″ slats between them, on the marks, with each one flush with the front rail and overlapping the back, and screw or nail down.
Pull-out Daybed components
Now start the stationary slat section. On the 74″ slat rails, make marks at 2 1/2″ from each end, then every 3 5/8″ after that. Lay the two 1×3 slats at each end, with both ends of slats overlapping rails by 3/4″. Screw those down.
Pull-out Daybed components
Now set the sliding slat section on top of the frame for the stationary slats, with the overhanging end of the slats inside the other frame .
Pull-out Daybed components
Lay out the remaining slats between the others, and tack down to the rails for the stationary section, with matching overlap to the 1×3 slats.
Pull-out Daybed components

Step 6 – Build the Drawers

Build a square frame using the 1×6 drawer sides. The back piece fits between the side pieces, while the front piece overlaps them.
Pull-out Daybed components

Attache the bottoms, and then attach the rolling rails to the sides, aligned with the front edge.
Pull-out Daybed components

Attach the trim pieces so that they overhang the face of the drawer by 1/2″ to 3/4″ on all sides.

Step 7 – Assemble the Rolling Frame

Attach the side sections to the front rail with the 5″ vertical resting on top of the lower rail. Attach 2 of the 74″ 1x3s to the back of the side rails, aligned with the top and bottom.
Pull-out Daybed components
This is a critical point to get everything aligned so that the drawers open smoothly. You need to attach the center section, midway between the ends, with the 6″ vertical at the front, between the upper and lower front rails.
Pull-out Daybed components
The wheels can now be screwed into the bottom of the side rails near the back. Also attach a 2 1/4″ piece of 1×2 below the center rail in the front.

Step 8 – Assemble the Pieces

Drill through the legs on the back frame with a 1/4″ drill at 10″ and 22 3/4″ from the bottom, and 1 5/8″ and 1 7/8″ from the outer edge, as shown. Clamp to the end pieces and continue drilling through the same holes through the end verticals.
Pull-out Daybed components

Pre-drill the front legs at 13″ from the bottom, and 7/8″ from the inner edge. Clamp to the ends, and drill on through the legs of the ends. Remove the clamps and install the bolts.

The bolts in the front legs and the upper bolts in the back legs go through from the front, and the lower bolts in the back legs go through from the rear (this keeps the nuts out of view and avoid scraping the wall with the threaded end).
Pull-out Daybed components
Set the frame on top of the rolling section with the front rail in the center of the rolling frame. Set the interlocking slats on top, aligning each section with the frame below.

If you have Sketchup installed, you can download this file and modify it for your own needs.

36 comments on “Pull-out Daybed

  1. Hey, I’m interested in these plans, but I have a few questions:

    1) I saw on Ana-white.com that you said (a while ago) that you hadn’t tried to build from these plans yourself; have you yet? What, if any, issues did you run into?

    2) What modifications would need to be made to allow for a pullout to King size?

    Thanks so much for your help!
    Janna

    • I still have not built the pull-out version, although one reader sent me a photo of one she built. Her comment was that the “instructions were perfect!”

      The current plans is as wide as I could get it allowing for the thickness of the wood. A regular King size bed is 2″ narrower than 2 twins, so the interlaced slat design would not work.

      A California King would match the current maximum width, but the frame would need to be 9″ longer (or wider, looking at it as a couch). Add 9″ to all the pieces longer than 60″, and 4.5″ to the drawer fronts and backs. Then add one more slat to each sliding section, and increase the spacing by 1/16 to 3 11/16″.

  2. Hi. We’re in the final stages of building this, and can’t make sense of the drawers. As near as we can tell, the measurement of the drawer backs and bottoms will result in drawers too small (width-wise) for the opening for them on the rolling frame, rendering rolling rails useless, and there is no other mechanism we can see to get the drawers to slide in and out. The rolling rails mentioned in step 6 we assume are pieces of hardware with wheels (not included on the buy list). Please help!

    • Thanks for asking, as it turns out I did have an error on the size of the drawer fronts–but it was listed an inch too wide, not too narrow (it has been adjusted to show 32 3/4″). I’ve also added the drawer slides to the buy list.

      The openings should measure 33 3/4″, so the drawer needs to be 1″ narrower to allow 1/2″ on either side for the rolling slides. They attach to the bottom edge of the side, so the piece that attaches to the frame will be screwed into the edge of the very bottom horizontal pieces. Hope that helps.

  3. Hi there,

    Without pulling it out, what size mattress it will fit? Can I use two full mattress after pulling it out completely?

    • It fits a twin mattress, which is 39″ wide. It does not pull out enough for 2 twins, the second mattress would need to be a 30″ or 33″ width.

  4. I love it!
    Thanks for the plans. I’m hoping to adapt them for UK timber (lumber) sizes and UK mattress sizes. Your plans give me a great start. Thank you.

  5. I’m about to start building this and I was going through the cut list and the plans and saw a discrepancy. The cut list says the tray legs are 12″ but in the plans (step 4) it says the tray legs are 9.75″. Can you let me know which? Thanks for the plans, I’m looking forward to building this.

  6. Excellent post. I used to be checking continuously this weblog
    and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful information specifically the last phase πŸ™‚ I handle such info a lot.
    I used to be looking for this particular info for a long time.
    Thanks and good luck.

  7. Great idea. Would you be willing to make a guide for the IKEA PS 2012 daybed? It is a much simpler design, especially if you don’t include the drawers. I believe it was also designed as a single (not twin) size when used as a couch. I love everything about the PS 2012 bed but it’s not available for sale anywhere and I haven’t built much by myself so I need some guidance. Thanks so much!!

  8. GREAT PLANS, THANKS! I have an Alaska bush homestead where any visitors have a full day trip in and another day out. So I badly need a sofa, in the library, that can pull out for over-night company. I figured-up some plans myself which are cumbersome and clunky. Your plans are lighter, more simple, functional, and use much less lumber!

  9. Pingback: Brilliant Daybed Plans Designs | Bed Ideas

  10. Hola buenos dias, me interesan los planos para realizar el proyecto, un favor yo no aprendi el ingles, me podria facilitar las instrucciones en espaΓ±ol se lo agradeceria mucho.

  11. I guess that you can use two foam ikea mattress for the sofa since they sell something similar. Have any one tried yet? Thanks

  12. Need assistance in making this to fit a full size XL thinking couch position it would sit roughly 27” and length would be 80” we are doing a Bus conversion and want to switch our sofa/bed set up to function like this.
    Any input would be greatly appreciated.
    TinaDee

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  15. hi, I love its space saving ability and was interested in turning a crib into this pullout day bed. By using a crib, I will only need to create the extension. Will these instructions work for that?

  16. Could this plan be altered to fit two twin mattresses, similar to the Ikea daybeds that feature thin stacking foam mattresses you can lay side by side when the bed is pulled out? I’d like to build a frame and use those mattresses instead of a twin and a single or one full/futon mattress.

  17. What would the dimensions for the cut pieces be to fit a mattress that is 58”x26”x12” when closed and 78”x58”x4” when open?

    Below is the link to the mattress. It turns into a Queen Mattress.

    https://www.amazon.com/Milliard-Folding-Mattress-Ultra-Washable/dp/B00W67PCTE/ref=pd_sim_196_11?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00W67PCTE&pd_rd_r=4e8a88d2-178d-11e9-ba73-3f18b729ac20&pd_rd_w=ID9p4&pd_rd_wg=VL4AI&pf_rd_p=18bb0b78-4200-49b9-ac91-f141d61a1780&pf_rd_r=E6E3ZSBXED8HQYSPH6ZR&psc=1&refRID=E6E3ZSBXED8HQYSPH6ZR

  18. Thank you so much for the amazing design! It was a really fun project!!! Sketchup was a great addition too. One question though I just finished builinding this and the 1x2x13.5 side trim is never used… Am I missing something?

  19. Can you give me the measurements for the whole thing after assembly? You give width measurements, but no length or height measurements. Thanks.

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