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Before you go shelling out the big bucks for a new bed frame, stop and think for a moment that maybe all you might need is a little extra reinforcement. While bunkie boards will never take the place of a proper foundation or box spring, it can provide ancillary mattress support, especially if you’ve got a heavy mattress. But they can also be little pricey which is why we’re giving you the full 411 on how to make your own DIY bunkie board.
How to make a DIY bunkie board
If you’re the type of person with a well-stocked DIY supply cabinet (and you should if you’ve followed our DIY mattress guide and our DIY mattress topper guide), then you might already have these things lying around but if you don’t, then a trip to the hardware store is needed.
But before you go running off to Home Depot, you first need to get the exact measurements of your bed frame as well as your bed base, even if you already know your bed’s standard mattress size. Some bed frames have raised edges or a little overlap and you need to make sure that your plywood board or plywood sheet will fit snugly within. Also, if your bed frame already has slats, you might want to leave them a couple of inches longer than your bunkie board.
Although you can just go to your local hardware store with your bed’s measurements and buy plywood sheets that correspond to your mattress size, place it on your bed frame and call it a day, you can also make a bunkie board that’s a little more dressed-up and sophisticated: complete with fabric and padding (which, by the way, also adds a bit more extra support).
Gather supplies
You might only need some or all of the following materials depending on what you have or what you want to make (either just a plain wood bunkie board or a fabric-covered bunkie board).
- Plywood or cut lumber (can be plywood sheets or board) – Hardware stores can cut them down to size for you but if you want to cut your own lumber and you’ve got your own circular saw, then by all means. You might want to get some extra regardless of the type and size of your bed. For example, if you’ve got bunk beds, then you should double up and get a little bit extra, just to be on the safe side.
- Quilted upholstery fabric or plain upholstery fabric – You can either opt to have the fabric cover the entire board front and back or just the front, it’s all up to you.
- Padding or foam (optional) – Foam padding usually goes on the top piece of your bunkie board and these should be cut accordingly. Just make sure the foam covers the board’s exact width and height. You can use any type of foam, even memory foam if you so please. A foam covered bunkie board works best with memory foam mattresses but it can also work with low profile box springs.
- Staple gun – Crucial if you plan to use foam to pad your bunkie board. You can also use staple guns to attach the fabric.
- Glue – Can be used in lieu of a staple gun when attaching fabric but this will only work with plain fabric. Most upholstery fabric are thicker than regular fabric.
- Tape measure – Just in case you want to cut the fabric yourself, you need to measure it to size. But it also does not hurt to have any form of measuring device handy.
- Medium grit sandpaper – Most plywood and wood boards already come pre-sanded at the hardware store but if you want to fully ensure a smooth, splint-free surface, you might want to sand your wood again for good measure. If you’ve already got a power sander at home, you can save on elbow grease.
- Binder clips – Will act as temporary place holders for fabric and foam
- Scissors – To cut fabric
- Box cutter – To trim off any excess foam pieces
Before you begin
Now that you’ve got all your materials handy, make sure you’ve got a wide, flat surface to work on. This usually means your floor if you’re like me and have limited space.
Lay out everything you may need within reach. This is important if you’re DIY-ing all by your lonesome and don’t have anyone to assist you.
Attach foam to plywood
Lay out the plywood on the floor and place the foam on top. Make sure everything is aligned properly – you wouldn’t want the foam to be hanging off the edge of the bunkie board.
Here’s a little tip: to keep the foam from slipping off while you staple the edges, grab a couple of thick binder clips to bind the foam and the board together temporarily.
Staple all corners twice to be sure. Then on each side.
Attach your fabric
You’ve got two options on how you want to cover your bunkie board in fabric. First, you cover the entire thing from front to back. Second option is only covering the top part, which also means the part where your foam padding is.
- Option one – Since you’re covering the entire bunkie board top and bottom, make sure you have enough fabric plus and extra inch or two on all sides. Lay out fabric first then place the bunkie board top side down on top of the fabric. For seamless edges and corners, pull fabric tight as you go, again making use of binder clips to hold fabric in place. I find it easier to staple as you go once you are sure you’re happy with the fabric placement. If using glue instead of a staple gun, you may need to take extra time to press the fabric onto the board to make sure it adheres. Once more, bed size comes into play here and you will be taking more time working on a King-size bunkie board as opposed to working on Twin-size bunkie boards. You may want to manage your time accordingly so as not to rush.
- Option two – Lay fabric out on the floor. Lay your bunkie board on top of the fabric top side down. Think of it like wrapping a gift. Fold the fabric on each corner of the bunkie board and staple.
Tip: If you’re into symmetry and aesthetics, you might want to match whichever fabric you choose to cover your bunkie board with the color of your mattress cover.
Place the bunkie board on the bed frame
Once your bunkie board is ready to go, place on top of your bed frame. This usually means on top of the slats or on top of your box springs. Place mattress on top. Make bed as usual.
Tip: For a two-in-one punch, plan your bunkie board DIY at the same time you change your sheets and do mattress maintenance (rotation, cleaning). Thank me later.
Should I buy a bunkie board instead of making my own?
There are a couple of reasons why you should buy a bunkie board instead of making your own but those reasons can be personal and we’re not here to judge you if you’ve decided to just buy one.
- Time – If every day is a busy day for you and you barely have enough time for yourself or your loved ones let alone undertaking a DIY project, then you are definitely better off buying a bunkie board instead of making your own.
- Handiness – Not everyone should be around a staple gun, a circular saw, a carbide blade or even just a pair of scissors. Avoid a trip to the emergency room and buy a bunkie board please.
- Money – DIY-ing usually means you can save money by making your own but sometimes it can cost more (case in point: me buying fancy fabric to cover my bunkie board in). If it costs more to make it then to buy it, then you would be better off buying it if you plan to save some money.
FAQs
You can use wooden slats or box springs as a bunkie board replacement.
Most bunkie boards are made out of plywood so yes, plywood works perfectly as a bunkie board.
Bunkie boards are usually made out of thinner slabs of wood such as plywood, foam and fabric.
Bunkie boards are certainly worth it if your bed frame needs an extra support system for your mattress.
A bunkie board offers additional support for mattresses, especially ones that are thick, dense and heavy like memory foam mattresses.
Bunkie boards can be used in bunk beds provided that the beds, especially the top bunk, can withstand the added weight of the added support system.
Conclusion
If you are in need of some extra mattress support, making your own bunkie board is a fun, simple project that you can do in the same amount of time it would take you to get through a couple of episodes of Friends.
Bunkie boards act as an extra support system for your foam mattress or hybrid mattress. They can be used with most types of bed frames, including platform beds. They can also help extend the lifespan of both your mattress and bed frame.
Next step: Find out which brand makes the best bed frame for a memory foam mattress. If you decide that a bunkie board isn’t enough, it’s time to get a new frame instead. All of the brands on this list are specifically designed to offer support for memory foam mattresses so you don’t sink-in while sleeping.
Michelline loves nothing more than a cozy bed, with a stack of books at her side. She loves getting lost when she travels, can bake an entire British afternoon tea from scratch, is obsessed with all things analogue and does calligraphy on the side. She currently suffers from mild insomnia and is more than happy to be your guinea pig, so you won’t have to go through all the trouble of finding out what works best for you.
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