When it was time to move our toddler to his own big boy bed, we decided to go with something low to the ground to avoid falls. He’s a crazy sleeper and used every inch of his crib every night. A toddler floor bed frame was just a no brainer for us. Plus, it cost less than $25 and it took no time at all! Here’s our step by step guide to building your own DIY toddler bed!
*lumber prices will vary year to year and by location.
DIY Toddler Floor Bed Frame for Under $25!
We bought a standard Twin size mattress by Total Comfort that cost about $90 for our 2.5-year-old. We choose it because he sleeps well on firm mattresses and he will likely only be in it for 2ish years until little brother needs to transition. At that time we’ll get him a nicer, possibly larger bed that he can help pick out based on his comfort preferences.
DIY Toddler Floor Bed Frame
*As with any DIY project, it has not been tested or passed any inspections. The builder assumes all responsibility for quality and safety. Factual Fairytale is not responsible for any injury, incident, or accident resulting from this guide.
Our twin mattress measures 37.5″ wide x 73.5″ long x 6.5″ deep. Plus you’ll need a little extra space for changing sheets and tucking in covers.
DIY Toddler Bed Supplies:
Lumber
- 1″x6″x8′ – QTY 3 – These are for the outside of the DIY toddler floor bed frame.
- 2″x2″x8′ – QTY 2 – These are for the inner long side supports.
- 2″x4″x8′ – QTY 1 – This is for the inner center support.
- 1″x4″x8′ – QTY 5 – These are for the inner cross rail supports
1 1/4″ Wood Screws – for securing all the 1″ boards together
2″ Wood Screws – for securing the 2×2 to the outer frame from the inside (for aesthetic purposes).
Drill/Driver Combo – To save you hands from screwdriver cramps! We love our drill/driver combo.
Drill Bits – You’ll want to pre-drill holes near the edges of the lumber to prevent splitting. Bit Set
Tape Measure + Pen – For obvious reasons. I would also recommend a square for making straight lines easily.
Circular Saw – or any saw that will cut a straight line. Our circular saw.
Palm Sander or Sand Paper – To smooth the cut edges to prevent slivers and snagging bedding. Our palm sander
Primer + Brush (optional) – all raw wood needs a coat of good primer to seal it before painting.
Paint + Brush (optional) – I recommend paint just because it will seal in any rough areas better than a stain.
DIY Toddler Bed Step by Step Instructions
Seriously this takes 4 easy steps and probably less than an hour (plus drying time)! Just make sure your mattress measures the same as ours or adjust dimensions accordingly.
Step 1: Build the Toddler Floor Bed Frame
From the same 1″x6″x8′ board, cut two pieces 38.5″ long. Next, Cut your remaining two 1″x6″x8′ boards to 76″ long. Sand the cut edges.
Form a rectangle with the long boards on the outside (so they overlap the ends of the short boards). Pre-drill 2 holes on each corner to prevent splitting the boards, then screw the 4 corners together.
Step 2: Add Inner Floor Supports
Cut both 2″x2″x8′ and your 2″x4″x8′ boards to 74.5″ long (or measure the inside long edge to get your exact measurement). Sand the cut edges.
Attach the 2″x2″ boards to the inside of the long edge of the toddler floor bed frame. For aesthetic purposes, we screwed from the inside out to minimize the number of screws visible on the outside. Again, it is best to pre-drill at least the holes closest to the ends to prevent splitting.
Attach the 2″x4″ board down the center of the bed frame using 2 screws on each end.
Step 3: Add Inner Short Bed Rails
Cut the 1″x4″ boards into 10 bed rails measuring 38.5″ long. Sand the cut edges.
Lay these on top of the long supports you just attached and space them out down the length of the toddler floor bed frame. Pre-drill 2 holes on each end of each board and 1 in the middle and screw them to the three frame supports.
Step 4: Prime and Paint DIY Toddler Bed
As I mentioned, I prefer to paint toddler furniture because it seals in any rough spots in the wood better than a stain. If you prefer, you can simply seal or stain your DIY Toddler bed.
For painting, use 1 coat of a good raw wood primer such as Zinsser or KILZ and allow to dry. Then paint 1-2 coats of paint over the top of your primer as needed.
Toddler Floor Bed Complete!
And there you have it, your completed DIY toddler floor bed. Super easy, really affordable, and it takes almost no time to make.
Complete the look with cute bedding your little one will love. Shop our sheets here and here. Our bed quilt is from Hannah Anderson. See our full Woodland Toddler Boy’s Room design.
How to keep a toddler in bed when he has freedom is not an easy task. We ended up building a DIY toddler crib attached to our floor bed frame. It was cheap, easy, works great, and he loves it!
Read about our DIY Toddler Crib for Transitioning to a Toddler Bed
How Did Your DIY Toddler Bed Turn Out?!
Let me know in the comments below! You can also send photos of your completed projects to [email protected]! I’d love to share them with our fellow DIYers!
Until Next Time,
XO,
Meg
