DIY: How to make a trundle bed

Accommodate your child’s friends with this nifty pull-out bed. Joanna Gosling, in her book Homemade Simple for Kids, shows us how to make one.

Trundle bed

Not many weekends go by without at least one extra child – and sometimes several – staying for a sleepover. These pull-out beds are just brilliant for accommodating extra bodies with zero hassle. Proper trundle beds can be very expensive, which seems crazy since they’re not sprung like a proper bed – they’re simply a base-board with sides. So here’s the pared-down version. It does the job, but costs very little to make.

For instructions on how to make the quilt on the bed, click here

You will need:

• Sheet of 3cm-thick MDF (the size depends on the bed – measure your space and ensure a mattress will fit)
• 6 x 30mm castors
• Drill
• 30 screws
• Paint
• Mattress
• Two small strips of fabric

Method

1. Position the castors on the underside of the MDF board – you’ll need 1 at each corner and 2 in the middle. Make holes for the screws by drilling through each screw hole on the castor with a small drill bit first. Screw the castors onto the underside of the MDF.

2. Paint the top and sides of the MDF. Leave to dry, then put your mattress on top.

3. Choose where you want your handles to go, and then use a bradawl to make small holes for the screws. They need to be slighter closer together than the length of the pieces of fabric. Make small holes in the fabric for the screws to go through, and then screw them onto one side of the MDF.

Note: Make sure your mattress will slide under the space beneath the bed. Trundle mattresses are not as deep as normal mattresses, so you may want to use one of these. Futon mattresses are a cheap option and look nice as they are finished in pretty fabric. If you’re using a regular mattress, prettify it by covering it with fabric. Ensure the fabric is long enough to tuck underneath generously, so it stays put. If the fabric isn’t wide enough for the mattress, use 2 lengths of fabric. Cut 1 in half lengthways and sew each of the halves onto either side of a full-width length.

Extracted with permission from Homemade Simple for Kids: Stylish, crafty projects to make with and for your kids by Joanna Gosling. Published by Kyle Books and distributed in New Zealand by New Holland, 39.99.

Make Halloween pumpkins, a knitted lavender heart, Doggie birthday biscuits, a bedside stash pocket, a simple skirt, customised plimsolls, and more. Lots of fun projects to make with your kids, and many more to make for your kids.