If you have a large terrace or garden and are looking for the perfect lounge garden furniture, you should consider an outdoor bed. A wide variety of models are offered for this purpose. These consist ofPolyrattan, made of wood or metal and usually have a roof, which can also be designed in the form of a four-poster bed made of fabric. AOutdoor Bettin the form of a swing is even better and offers complete relaxation after a hard day's work.
You can also easily build and design such a bed yourself. In this article we present you with simple instructions with which you can build a rocking outdoor bed for your terrace or garden yourself.
Materials and tools you need:
– 20 thick, straight wooden boards (approx. 5×10 cm)
– 100 screws (approx. 7 cm long)
– 8 anchor screws (10 cm long)
– Pilot drill that matches the size of the screws and anchor bolts
– approx. 15 to 16 meters of rope or chain (should withstand at least 90 kg)
– Wood pore filler
– Paint as a spray for outdoor use
– coarse-grain sandpaper (medium and fine)
– Tape measure
– carpenter’s angle
– Drill
– saw
The length of the finished outdoor bed should be 2 meters and the width 1.20 meters. If you have already purchased a mattress, you can also measure it and choose the size of the bed accordingly. The length of the ropes can vary depending on the roof structure. If you don't want to hang the swing on the roof, you can also build a special frame to hang it on or you can simply place the outdoor bed on the ground and create a four-poster bed to provide shade.
And this is how the outdoor bed is built:
1. Cut the bedding to the appropriate length. This is often offered in hardware stores. You need:
– 2 pieces with a length of 2.10 meters (for the sides of the frame)
– 6 pieces with a length of 1 meter (for the crossbars)
– 12 pieces with a length of 2.15 meters (for the bed surface)
2. Assemble the frame for the outdoor bed. Mark the locations on the side boards where the crossbeams will be attached. These should be at the same distance from each other. Pre-drill the holes with the pilot drill. Two holes are needed for each side of the crossbars. First glue the crossbars in place with glue and then drill them into place with the screws. To make sure that the angles are right, you can use the carpenter's square.
3. Now spread the boards for the surface to create an even spacing. This will be approximately 12 millimeters. The beams or boards should overlap the frame by approx. 2.5 cm on all sides. If you are satisfied with the arrangement of the boards for the outdoor bed, you can temporarily glue the boards back in place. Then screw them tight again. Each board should have two screws per crossbar.
4. Now it's the turn of the anchor screws, which, as I said, are only necessary if you want to use the outdoor bed as a swing. Pre-screw holes for the anchor screws in each corner of the bed. These should also run through the frame to ensure a better hold. Then add glue to each hole for extra support and thread the anchor screws into the holes. However, you should never tighten the screws too tightly and damage the inside of the wood. This will make it weaker and you risk the screws slipping out of the holes over time.
5. Since the outdoor bed, as the name suggests, will now be outside come rain or shine, you should also give the wood a protective layer. To do this, use the wood filler and sand the entire bed with a coarse-grit sandpaper. If necessary, you can then apply wood filler again. Then sand the wood with the medium grit and finish with the fine sandpaper. After that, you can apply any color or clear varnish.
6. Hang the outdoor bed. If you want to use the roof or a canopy for this, you should choose a beam as they can withstand the weight. The standard distance from the floor is approx. 50 cm, but you can of course decide for yourself which height suits you best. Finally, add a comfortable mattress and nice decorative pillows.
What else you should consider:
– Always wear safety glasses!
– If you would like to achieve a vintage style, you can choose boards that have inherent flaws. However, it is important that the boards are straight!
– If you work indoors, make sure there is good ventilation when dyeing and painting. If the weather permits, it is better to build the outdoor bed outside.
We wish you pleasant naps on your new outdoor bed in the shape of a swing!
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