HOW TO SET UP A BED FRAME: COMPLETE EXPERT GUIDE

Investing in a brand-new bed is a good thing if you are renovating your room. The bed is the spot where you lay after a whole day’s tiredness. Don’t think that buying a new bed is sufficient to get comfort and good sleep, you have to know ‘how to set up a bed frame.’

If you have the proper tools, then it shouldn’t be difficult to set up your bed frame. You can even put up the frame if you have no prior knowledge. Just follow this guide on how to set up a bed frame. Let’s get started!

How To Set Up A Bed Frame

How to set up a bed frame is our major concern in this topic. There are two ways to set up a bed frame. One is to set up metal bed frame, and other is a wooden bed frame. So, keep reading. But first, is it possible to put together a bed frame at home by a novice? Let’s explore it!

How To Set Up A Bed Frame At Home

The overall process of setting up a bed frame is similar for all beds. As the market has thousands of different bed styles, you must have chosen according to your taste and needs. You can put it together by following the general guide about how to set up a bed frame. In case you weren’t successful, just read the wood or metal bed frame assembly instructions that comes with your bed to know about model-specific information.

How To Put Together A Metal Bed Frame And Headboard

First, we discuss the metal bed frame assembling process in our How to set up a bed frame expert guide.

Set frame legs (How to set up a bed frame)

There are two major segments in most of the metal bed frames: the right and the left leg. You have to set both legs across from each other. While placing the legs, you have to leave enough space for mattress in center.

Attach feet or wheels to frame legs (How to set up a bed frame)

Find the short beam which is extending from each metal leg. For an immobile bed frame assembling process, connect rubber or plastic feet to the leg. To assemble a mobile bed frame, you will have to connect included roller wheels. In most bed frames, these wheels should attach without any special hardware. While in some bed models, you may require screws and nuts to secure wheels.

Pull and Lock the side arms (How to set up a bed frame)

Most of the metal bed frames place their side arms inside the metal legs themselves for ease of assembly and packing. In that case, you simply pull arms out of legs and ensure they are fully extended. If the legs already have attached sidearms, you can use screws and nuts to connect the arms separately.

Find the protruding nubs or small holes on the side arms and if you find any, connect the side arms together by pushing nubs through the holes to fix them properly. If your side arms of bed have only holes and there are no protruding nubs, you can connect them together by using screws and nuts or included metal plates.

Note: For assembling an adjustable bed frame, you can use holes that are compatible with size of mattress.

Attach center support beam if necessary (How to set up a bed frame)

Some metal bed frames come with a center support leg. This center support leg feature is especially true in those metal frames that connect side arms together using metal plates. In such metal frame beds, make sure to connect any necessary wheels or feet to leg, then lay it across the center of bed frame. In some metal frames side arms or legs have grooves in center, ensuring to slide the ends of your bed center into them. Otherwise, you can use screws and nuts.

Place protective caps for safety (How to set up a bed frame)

Sometimes, your bed frame leaves some exposed small pieces of metal on corners. You must cover them with protective caps. In case your bed has exposed metal pieces, and you don’t have caps, cover exposed pieces with multiple layers of duct tape. This secure layering of duct tape will keep you safe from scraping your skin if you bump into bed frame accidentally.

Connect a headboard or baseboard (How to set up a bed frame)

Some of the metal bed frames also come with a baseboard and headboard. If you have that one metal frame bed, make sure that bed has board that is fully extended. Attach the included legs with screws and nuts if there is any requirement. In some metal frame beds, you can simply slide board legs into slots on the main bed frame to make it stable. In others, there is a need to line the legs up with holes in the bed frame and fix them by using screws and nuts.

How To Put Together A Wooden Bed Frame And Headboard

Let’s learn the step-by-step guide on how to set up a bed frame like platform water bed. Follow the steps discussed below to set up wooden bed frame:

Place headboard (How to set up a bed frame)

Place the taller wooden frame named the headboard up against back wall. You can also place the headboard on a balanced and durable surface. As we know, assembling a bed frame is not an easy task. Therefore, you can place it against the wall where it will sit after completing the process. You must make sure that finishing side of frame points out so that everybody will see the side easily.

1. Some headboards stand on their own, and there is no need for a person. If you don’t have that one, take another person to hold the headboard in place.

Attach side rails (How to set up a bed frame)

The second step is to attach a headboard to side rails. There are some small holes and grooves near the base of your headboard. These holes or grooves are equal on both left and right sides. Attach one of your bed frame side rails to the headboard and finish the side by ensuring the rail points out. Do the other side of the bed in the same way. Some side rails fix easily while others need screws and nuts to be secured properly.

To attach side rails to headboard, you can use screws or metal brackets. Let’s learn how to attach them using screws.

• Find the required area on each side of the headboard for attaching side rails. You will see some marks with holes or other indicators.
• Put the screw into the required area to fasten the side rails to headboard. You must make sure that screws are long enough to fasten the side rails securely to the headboard.
• Align the side rails with screws and push them onto screws until they are fully fixed.
• Shake them gently to check stability of side rails and bed. If you feel side rails are loose, tight the screws with screwdriver.

Some beds have metal brackets for attachment of side rails, and procedure to attach side rails with metal brackets is as follows:

1. First, find the location of metal brackets on each end of the headboard. These metal brackets also have holes and indicators to attach side rails. Screw metal bracket onto each required area on the headboard.
2. Position the side rails correctly so that they align with metal brackets. Screw the rails with metal bracket. You must make sure that screws are tight enough to secure the side rails in place.
3. Shake them to check stability and tighten them if you find that screws are loose.

Connect the baseboard (How to set up a bed frame)

In most wooden frame beds, the method of the baseboard attachment is the same as headboard. The only difference is that sometimes the baseboard is shorter than the headboard. So, the grooves and holes are slightly different and screws and nuts are smaller to secure the baseboard. In this case, you must keep unfinished side of your frame points in.

Attach board or beam guides

Some side rails have holes, small panels and ridges to hold center supports. If your bed frame doesn’t contain these, you will need to attach beam guides by using screws and nuts. Make markings along your side rails on recommended Drilling spots. Make a hole with the drill in wood and attach your support guides. Sometimes you don’t have any markings; in that case, count the support guides you have and attach them to bed frame at an equal distance to maintain balance. Remember it’s a wooden bed and flying termites will damage your bed’s wood, so keep them away by reading our helpful blog about ways of getting rid of flying termites.

Add support legs to center boards or beams

In some beds, center boards or beams come with support legs. Remember to attach these legs before connecting the center support to the rest of the frame. In some bed frames, you can simply screw the legs into the board or beam by hand. But in some, you will need to drill a hole into the support and attach the leg by using a nut.

Connect center boards or beams to side rails.

Bed frames that come with wooden or metal beams, you will have to lay them across the frame at equal distances. Instead, if there is a wooden support panel, lay the beam across the top of the frame. To make them more stable, you can secure your supports with screws and nuts or slide them into locking grooves or holes.

For bed frames that come with both center support beams and panels, you will have to first secure your beam and then lay your panels on top.

Check bed frame by using level and tape measure

To make sure the bed is stable, place the level on the side rails and center support. For an adjustable bed frame, use tape to make sure it is same size as mattress.

My Verdict On How To Set Up A Bed Frame

In summary, setting up a bed frame is a simple and straightforward process. By following steps carefully, you can easily adjust your bed for optimal comfort.

If you still need help after reading this guide, please hire a professional. Find A Pro Near You Here!