DIY Bunk Bed Steps with Built-In Drawers – Easy Build with Free Plans

Why I Built this Project

My friend wanted a quad bunk system that could be suitable for adults.  She wanted stairs with drawers in between for easy access to the beds, and more storage without taking up more floor space.

I had an idea to do a pancake style stair system to make this project more DIY friendly and fast.  I tried it and it worked out great, the stairs turned out awesome and the drawers work well.

 

Why We Love these Bunk Bed Stairs with Drawers

• Built-in drawers add tons of hidden storage without consuming more floorspace
• Easy to build with basic tools and 1x boards
• No pocket holes or complicated joinery
• Durable solid wood design holds up to daily use
• Easy to paint or stain just about any color
• Customizable to fit different bunk bed solutions
• Works with most any bunk bed or loft bed with open end
• Space-saving solution for small rooms
• Clean, modern look with pancake-style design
• Budget-friendly and beginner approved

 

How I Built this Project

This project was about as difficult as building a dresser, and a lot of fun to make!  I would love to try this with 3/4" plywood sides too - but the 1x whitewood boards worked really well and the drawers are sliding great!

I cut all the boards with a miter saw.

Then I layed the sides out on a flat level work surface and attach with brad nails and wood glue.  

Here is the plans for my worktable, if you need a worktable that is quick to build and flat.

Next, I added the drawer slides to the sides. It is much easier to do this working flat with gravity on your side, than trying to crawl inside the project and install drawer slides.

My trick with drawer slides is to start the screws on a line, so it's always level and I just have to work about starting my screw on the line.

After the side panels are done, I added the front framing pieces.

Then the treads to the tops.

Then I built the drawers using brad nails.

And added the 1/4" plywood to the bottoms.

Then I added the drawer slides to the bottoms of the drawers.

Tested all the drawers - amazingly, everything slide perfectly on the first try and I didn't make any adjustments. 

Then I took the remaining pieces of 1x10s and used some brad nails to add a gap and attached them.

From the inside I further attached with 1-1/4" screws.

The drawer faces are a perfect fit!

For the finish, we sanded, applied interior wood stain, and poly on the tops.

 

Watch!  Build Video for This Project

if applicable, embed video here

 

Free Plans to Build Your Own Bunk Bed Stairs with Hidden Drawers

Ready to build this yourself?  Here's the free plans, enjoy!

from Recent Project Plans https://ift.tt/lRzXtQL