How to secure leg extensions to canopy bed?

[bobbinthebard]

Hi brains trust,

I'm hoping to extend the height of this bed by about 42cm with the extensions on the base of the legs (currently the supporting canopy beams sit at KO-height). Additionally, the plan is to raise the bed for more underbed storage space clearance.

Bed is a king single.

Material is pine.

Supporting leg dimensions are:

W:70mm x H:37mm (37 being how it's measuring but do the cuts come generally as a standard? ie it's more likely a 35mm height?)

A few questions I'd appreciate advice on:

A) MGP10 untreated pine best for extensions?

B) How to secure the 42cm cuts to ensure stability but ideally with connections hidden inside the two joining post ends? (pic with felt is current floor end of supplied post). I'm assuming no way to disguise the join of the two pieces?

C) Will need to drop the platform base and then fill the pre-drilled holes on posts (see pic). Would dowels be best for ensuring strength? If going with dowels, sand over/buff to level but any suggestions on how to blend them with the pine 'colour'?

D) Best vanish on the untreated pine to try and match the supplied pieces? It has a slight gloss.

E) Anything else structural I should take into consideration?

Cheers in advance for replies. Much appreciated.

Floor end of vertical canopy post - 70mm x 37mm x 185mm   Dowels to fill these pre-drilled?

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @bobbinthebard 

I am a little bit hesitant in suggesting a solution, mainly as I think the added height will create more stress on the cross members due to the bed being more likely to sway. (So mattress level connection points)

But to answer your question

I am thinking right angle pieces of metal, around 30cm long so as to distribute the forces drilled and screwed or preferably bolted through bracket and timber on each of the inside legs of the bed.

To answer specific questions you have.

A) MGP10 untreated pine best for extensions? 

I would try to match size for size of what the bed is made of. It dosnt look like it has a lot of strenght which is another reason I am concerned about modifications)

B) How to secure the 42cm cuts to ensure stability but ideally with connections hidden inside the two joining post ends? (pic with felt is current floor end of supplied post). I'm assuming no way to disguise the join of the two pieces?

Even if you wereand cabinet maker you would still see a join, You could always create a covering to go over the join but it will look thicker.

C) Will need to drop the platform base and then fill the pre-drilled holes on posts (see pic). Would dowels be best for ensuring strength? If going with dowels, sand over/buff to level but any suggestions on how to blend them with the pine 'colour'?

Not sure what you mean, I thought you wanted to add a length to the  bottom part of the bed?

D) Best vanish on the untreated pine to try and match the supplied pieces? It has a slight gloss.

Mmmm Id suggest to take a piece of the timber in store and colour match it against the samples they have hanging off the shelves in the varnish section.

E) Anything else structural I should take into consideration?

The joins may be strong enough with right angle lengths of metal, the connect between the base of the bed and verticals are a bit iffy. Maybe adding a cross beam to the top and screwed/bolted in addition to the one thats there might help.

Dave

[JacobZ]

Hi @bobbinthebard,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Similar to @Dave-1, I'd be a bit hesitant because your legs are the structural base of the bed that need to be able to support vertical loads, as well as resist lateral ones. If you were to put an extension on the base, you would need to be confident that it could resist any forces applied to it, predominantly the lateral ones.

Ultimately, the aesthetics should take a backseat to safety, but I do think you could hide a join in a way that is strong and looks good. The way I would create an invisible, but very strong connection is to have a threaded rod run up the centre of the existing legs and down into the extensions. I'd want it to extend at least 100mm into the extension and the existing frame to ensure there is plenty of strength there. You could predrill clearance holes and then install T Nuts to accept the threaded rod. When tightened together, a good amount of tension could be created.

MGP10 untreated pine would be fine to use, and based on the dimensions, 70 x 35mm Framing MGP10 Untreated Pine would be the way to go.

Timber dowels would be the way to go for filling the holes. Just use pine dowels, cut them off and sand them down. They are never going to blend perfectly because you will see end grain as opposed to edge grain, but the colour will match reasonably well.

I don't think the bed has a varnish on it; it looks more like a wax to me. I'd give this Gilly's Clear Cabinet Makers Wax a try. I think it would blend in rather nicely as long as the timber is sanded well.

If you installed the threaded rods and they still didn't feel strong enough, consider reinforcing them with something like a bracket plate. 

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[AlanM52]

Hi @bobbinthebard,

! am seeing that as a canopy bed sitting inside a base frame.

Cheers