How to make a Tatami bed with your little hands

To make a tatami bed you just have to follow these steps:

1. Check mattress measurements

If you do not want to get rid of your mattress, it is essential that before starting the construction of the tatami bed, you know what the exact measurements of the mattress are, because depending on its size, it will be that of the new japanese bed With the help of a tape measure this will be easy and fast.

2. Save time and effort buying custom wood

Because a bed requires quite large wooden boards, the ideal is to buy it to measure and squared, this will save time and effort. For the tatami bed you will need a large board for the headboard, 5 medium boards and 2 smaller ones.

You can calculate the measurements of the wood according to those of the mattress, for example, if the mattress measures 1.90 m long x 1.50 wide x 0.20 m high, you will need a board 1.55 mx 1 m, for the headboard; 3 stringers of 1.95 m x 0.25 for the sides and 2 of 1.55 m x 0.25 for the top and bottom. These measurements will allow you to join all the woods with great comfort and form the structure of the tatami bed.

3. Reinforce the head of the bed

In the lower part of the board that will be the head of the bed, we will place one of the smaller boards, this will serve to reinforce the part where the stringers will be placed. The two boards will be joined by applying wood glue. Let dry for at least 4 hours.

4. Join the stringers to the header with wood glue

Put some glue on the head of the rails and attach them to the head of the bed, use a heavy object as a base on each side to hold them at the desired height. Repeat the procedure on the other end to secure the bottom. Let the wood glue dry.

5. Fixed with screws

Now that you have the structure of the tatami bed ready and you have verified that the measurements inside are compatible with the size of the mattress, allowing easy placement with the extra centimeters of the stringers , it is time to fix all the parts with screws. Be sure to use special wood screws.

6. Cut the mattress support

From the wood that is left over, cut the supports of the bed base with a saw and adhere them with glue to the inner face of both crossbars, to make them more resistant you can fix them with small screws.

7. Sand the entire surface

With a portable sander and P120 sandpaper, delicately smooth all the wood, it will be easier and faster than you can imagine.

8. apply varnish

Once all the wood is perfectly smooth and without irregularities, it will be time to apply a thin layer of satin water-based varnish. Let dry and repeat again until completing 3 applications.

9. Customize to your liking

Once the varnish has completely dried, you can customize the bed as you wish, either by changing the color with wood paint or, if you like the natural look, you can put decorative vinyl on it . The possibilities are endless, you will decide how your new bed will look.

10. Place the box spring and mattress

The last step to enjoy your new tatami bed is to put the box spring in place and then the mattress, place silk or fine cotton sheets, cushions and blankets, and your bed is ready to give you hours of rest and nights of sweet dreams.