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Jaime Costiglio

build - paint - sew

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DIY Pipe & Wood Slats Bed

February 21, 2014

When you want something that doesn’t quite exist then you make it right?  Today I bring you my DIY pipe and wood slats bed.  Yes it’s a bit unconventional but my son is digging it and that’s really all that matters.
diy pipe and wood slat bed

A DIY tutorial to build a pipe and wood slats bed. Make a unique bed using pipes and wood slat accents.

Ana White and I are up to our old tricks again except this time we’ve entered new territory by combining wood boards with galvanized steel pipes to make this twin bed.  It’s a match made in heaven with the cool, hard steel against the warm wood.
detail of galvanized steel pipes
diy steel pipe bed with wood slats

Metal and Wood Bed

  • beautiful texture combination
  • easily adjust size to fit your mattress
  • very basic tools needed

This bed was inspired by both the Pottery Barn Owen bed and RH Baby’s industrial steel pipe bed.  We married the two designs to create our own DIY version of a pipe and wood bed.

bed inspiration

upper left image source
upper right image source

galvanized steel pipe bed legs

The galvanized steel pipes give a hard, clean look to the bed frame.  I probably need a rug for this room but all good things in time!

More Pipe Projects:

  • pipe desk base
  • mason jar carrier
  • drawer pulls on this sideboard
  • cupcake stands
galvanized steel pipe bed with wood slat detail
This is definitely a different type of build requiring very little tools except your hands to screw the pipes together.  And just like all of Ana’s other building plans we designed this plan using off-the-shelf, readily available supplies that can be found at any big building supply store.

Cost Breakdown:

  • galvanized steel pipe $466
  • lumber $54
So this bed will cost just over $500 to build but that’s still cheaper than retail price and combines both retail looks for a truly unique build.  And if you’re looking for another version of this bed in full size with a more streamlined look check out my friend Lindsay’s post here.
teen boys bed from pipes
A huge thank you to Ana White for working with me on this project.  Her willingness to work with a new medium gave me the support I needed to pull this build together.
steel pipe and wood slats bed
And now on to the how-to portion.  Let’s build this pipe bed!

Pipe Bed Notes:

  • No glue was used on any pipes or pipe-to-wood connections.
  • Hand tighten pipe connections until you are confident of pipe placement, this allows you to unscrew if necessary – that’s the beauty of working with pipe.
  • The most difficult portion will be connecting the side rails to the footboard / headboard since the pipe screws together in the same direction on both ends (if you’re screwing in one end essentially you are unscrewing the other end simultaneously).  Take your time and eventually it will come together.
  • Follow the step by step instructions carefully.
1. Follow Ana’s plans for supplies.
All the pieces are off-the-shelf available except the (2) siderails at 75″ and (4) top horizontal portions at 18″.  You will need to have these pieces cut and threaded at the store.
steel pipes for bed

Supplies: All the pipe pieces are off-the-shelf available except the (2) siderails at 75″ and (4) top horizontal portions at 18″.  You will need to have these pieces cut and threaded at the store.

pipes for footboard leg foot board leg assembled

Start with with one footboard leg in the combination pictured above.

diy footboard leg attached to siderail

Then begin the other leg, foot portion only and connect the siderails.

Headboard

  • Repeat the same process for the headboard except opposite.  Attach one completed headboard leg to the siderail with footboard foot portion only leg.  Then the other completed footboard leg attaches to the siderail with headboard foot portion only.  This allows you to screw siderail completely into tees by swinging the foot portions around and around.
pipe bed construction

Once the basic framing (4 legs and siderails) is set then begin connecting the horizontal pipe support section using 1″ close nipple.

Wood Slats

  • To prepare the wood slats I stained my boards using Minwax weathered oak.
  • Attach two split ring clamp hangers on the cut ends.
attaching split ring clamp hangers into wood slats

Then place the wood slat in position in footboard frame and screw in the 1″ x 8″ nipple.

attaching wood slat to pipe leg
attaching horizontal pipe to pipe leg

Next add the horizontal pipe and tee section.  Then keep repeating the process until you have the three wood slats in position.

closing split ring clamp onto pipe

To secure the clamps onto the vertical nipples center the board in position and tighten the screws with a drill.

headboard pipe assembly

One last challenging part is the center top horizontal portion.  Again it’s a twisting game until you get it just right but it will eventually come together.  Have patience.

Mattress Support

slat mattress support

Build the mattress support to fit the frame.  The 1×3 boards will rest on the siderails providing a platform for your box spring / mattress.

Pipe Bed Plans:

  • For the complete plans visit Ana’s site here.
  • Working with pipe is different that building with wood, take your time.  If you love DIY then this bed is for you.
pipe bed dimensions

Thanks for joining me for this wood and pipe bed project.  Please leave any questions in the comments below and be sure to follow me on social media for sneak peeks, tools and project inspiration:

Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook / Youtube / Twitter

diy pipe and wood slats bed

how to pipe and wood slats bedgalvanized pipe bed with wood slats

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Filed Under: BEDS, BUILD, DIY, FURNITURE, KIDS BEDROOMS, SALTBOX PROJECT32 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. [email protected] says

    February 21, 2014 at 6:01 PM

    Utterly, truly awesome, Jaime!

    Reply
  2. danellejv says

    February 21, 2014 at 8:08 PM

    Really cool. Definitely expensive though – I would suggest checking out Craigslist for used 1" pipe and fittings though. You can get a huge savings that way.

    Reply
  3. Our Pinteresting Family says

    February 21, 2014 at 8:29 PM

    That is such a cool project! Great job as always, Jaime!

    Reply
  4. Kelley says

    February 21, 2014 at 8:54 PM

    This is so awesome! Awesome! Now if I could just justify why I would need such a bed in our house. 🙂 So cool.

    Reply
  5. amyk5 says

    February 21, 2014 at 9:18 PM

    Very cool bed! I also love the wall color. Do you mind sharing what it is?

    Reply
  6. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says

    February 21, 2014 at 11:57 PM

    this is amazing! you are amazing! in case you couldn't tell, i am totally amazed!

    Reply
  7. Jen says

    February 24, 2014 at 2:12 AM

    This bed is unbelievable. I have a question for you–are you woman or a woman/robot mix? I can't believe how many projects you do. You have to be one of the hardest working DIY bloggers out there. If you are indeed part robot, it all makes sense. If you are not, please share your secrets, you're amazing!

    Reply
  8. Cindy * Daisies and Crazies says

    February 25, 2014 at 11:02 PM

    Popping over from Ana's site. Love this. LOVE! 🙂

    Reply
  9. Dr.Mommy says

    February 26, 2014 at 12:25 PM

    Love this bed!We are just finishing up building a house in Puerto Rico&I want to build some unique pieces to furnish it.This bed would look great in our son's/Guest BR.Do u think it could be made as a full size by just adjusting the lengths of pipe?I found u from Ana's site.Can't wait to check out your other projects!Thanks!!!

    Reply
  10. Danielle Bartran says

    February 26, 2014 at 2:03 PM

    Beyond awesome!!! Love this bed!

    Reply
  11. J. Bishop says

    February 27, 2014 at 5:30 PM

    We love this bed and would like to adapt your plans to make a bunkbed, similar to the pipe bunk bed sold by Restoration Hardware. Do you have any advice or thoughts for us before we take it on? Thanks so much for posting the instructions and thanks to Ana too.

    Reply
  12. [email protected] The Picket Fence says

    March 3, 2014 at 6:06 PM

    Love this! A winner for share! From a fellow entrant!

    Reply
  13. Cathy Wall says

    March 4, 2014 at 1:25 PM

    An amazing DIY, such a cool bed! Good luck with CWTS!

    Reply
  14. Lauren Lanker says

    March 5, 2014 at 4:31 AM

    Jamie, you knocked it out of the park, yet again! This is SO creative! Best of luck in the CWTS competition. I'd love to see you as a contestant. I know you'd create such stellar projects.

    Warmly,
    Lauren
    The Thinking Closet

    Reply
  15. Bliss says

    March 6, 2014 at 12:45 PM

    Fantastic!

    Reply
  16. Jani says

    March 15, 2014 at 6:45 AM

    Amazing project! Saw you on the CWTS link up–best wishes! You'd be an awesome contestant.

    Reply
  17. Lynne Trask says

    July 16, 2014 at 2:28 PM

    What about a full size version??

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      August 15, 2020 at 7:45 AM

      Yes! Check out Lindsay’s @frillanddrills https://www.instagram.com/p/CD2YMV0AYqh/

      Reply
  18. Tumaini @ Curbside Connections says

    October 8, 2014 at 11:40 PM

    I'd like to build a KING sized version. Are center supports needed? I'm assuming they are. This project is EXACTLY what I've been looking for!!! Great job.

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      August 15, 2020 at 7:46 AM

      Yes definitely need center supports for a king size.

      Reply
  19. Emily says

    November 13, 2014 at 5:50 AM

    I would love to re-create this for my boys. How exactly did you attach the mattress support to the metal?

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      August 15, 2020 at 7:46 AM

      Hi Emily, the wood mattress support only rests on the siderails. It is not attached or screwed on at all.

      Reply
  20. Hector nunez says

    October 25, 2017 at 4:30 PM

    I love the bed….do you have dimension and pet list for a queen been.

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      October 25, 2017 at 7:21 PM

      Thanks Hector. Unfortunately I don’t have a cut list for the queen size.

      Reply
  21. Olivia says

    February 23, 2018 at 5:10 PM

    To cut down on cost, I wondered if this would work: instead of buying bushings to convert the 1″ opening of the tee to 3/4″, could you just buy a tee that reduces down to 3/4″ in the middle?

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      February 25, 2018 at 1:46 PM

      Great idea and yes that would probably work perfect. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  22. Kirsten Paoletti says

    May 11, 2019 at 3:31 PM

    I am right in the middle of working on this bed. At some point you end up screwing in one end and unscrewing the other somewhere. I am following your directions. I’ve got the 2 siderail sections and I’m trying to attached a horizontal rail to connect the two sections so they stay upright. How do you compensate for the screwing in and unscrewing issue?
    I’m stuck and feel like I need to take this completely apart, but may still end up with the same problem.
    I can really use some guidance. My 6yo boy is being extremely patient and I try to assemble his new big boy bed.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      May 12, 2019 at 8:00 AM

      Hi Kirsten, it’s been awhile since I built that bed but if I remember correctly I screwed in one side all the way and then unscrewed enough to catch the other side. It’s a back and forth dance until you get it solid and I used the bushings to aid in the screwing / unscrewing.

      Reply
      • Pipefitter says

        October 6, 2020 at 3:19 PM

        The way to avoid the screwing / unscrewing situation would be to use a union at some point along the length of pipe. Unions will be available along with the other fittings used.

        Amazing project and I’m planning something similar but the use of unions would help no end!

        Keep up the good work.

        Reply
        • Jaime says

          October 7, 2020 at 9:57 AM

          Thank you Rory, great advice. So wonderful to have readers like you helping with tips, I truly appreciate it!

          Reply

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