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  3. Kick back and relax on a hanging bed

Kick back and relax on a hanging bed

Garden, Balcony & Terrace
Project
A hanging bed made of old wooden beams is secured against a tree. The tree has also been decorated with lots of lights. Brightly coloured cushions are arranged on the mattress.
The DIY hanging bed will make your garden look cosy
  • Difficulty
    medium
  • Cost
    85-170 £
  • Duration
    3 - 8 h

Do you love spending hours outside in your garden? Then you'll love taking a break or having a little afternoon nap outdoors too! Take a look at our step-by-step guide to find out how you can build your own bed from wooden beams and hang it from a tree using rope. Once you've built it, you can relax and drift off to sleep in the comfort of your garden.

You need
Step14

Build the hanging bed

An eyebolt is screwed into a wooden beam for the hanging bed.

After you've screwed the eyebolts into the wooden beams, the frame of your hanging bed is almost ready

You need:
Cordless Drill
,
Wood drill bit 5mm
,
Brad point drill bit
,
Multi-sander
,
Sanding sheet for multi-sander G120
,
Paint spray system
,
Cordless reciprocating saw with saw blades for wood
, floor protector or cover sheets, carpet/utility knife, measuring tape, Set square, felt-tip pen, work gloves, face mask, ear protectors, safety glasses, screw clamps, a stirrer to mix the paint, 2 supporting slats: 200 x 4 x 1.8 cm, 4 eyebolts (closed): 12 x 15 mm (D x L), 8 screws: 6 x 200 mm (D x L), 10 screws: 4 x 40 mm (D x L), 2 old wooden beams or birch logs: 2 m each (L), 2 old wooden beams or birch logs: 91 cm each plus the thickness of the beams, 4 smooth-edged boards, e.g. Douglasie: 300 x 14.4 x 2.7 cm, White 2-in-1 paint: 345 ml

Before you can hang up your new favourite bed in the garden, you need to build it first. To do so, you need to measure out the wooden boards and cut them to size. Then you need to sand down, varnish and assemble the individual parts. We'll show you how it all works and what you need to watch out for in our guide to building a hanging bed for your home.

Step24

Varnish the frame of your hanging bed

Clear varnish is applied evenly to a wooden beam using a paintbrush.

Protect your hanging bed against the elements using clear varnish

You need: floor protector or cover sheets, paint brush, clear varnish: approx. 345 ml

The frame of your hanging bed is now ready. Now protect the wood from the elements by coating it with clear varnish. Apply the varnish evenly using a paintbrush and leave it to dry. The wood now has a smooth outer layer of varnish that will protect it effectively against the wind, rain, heat and cold.

Step34

Cut the ropes to the desired size and tie them to the hanging bed

The rope is tied to a carabiner snap hook using a hangman's knot.

Safety first: the rope is tied to a carabiner snap hook using a hangman's knot

You need:
Cordless screwdriver cuting adapter
,
Cordless screwdriver
, measuring tape, felt-tip pen, carpet/utility knife, triangle, rope (depending on the height of the tree), carabiner snap hooks

After you've built your hanging bed and applied varnish to make it weatherproof, it's time to figure out where exactly you want to hang it. In a large garden, there are plenty of options. Would you prefer to hang it closer to the house or would you rather have it in a quiet corner of the garden? Wherever you decide to put it, it's important to make sure that it's stable and can support your weight. You should choose a tree that has branches suitable for hanging the bed from. Long, thick branches that protrude from the tree at the right angle are ideal.

Once you've selected the right branches, you can measure the correct length for your ropes. Use a tape measure or a folding ruler for this. While you're measuring out your ropes, remember to leave enough rope for tying the knot – it's best to factor in around half a metre extra per rope. You need to ensure that your hanging bed is the right distance above the ground so you can get on and off it comfortably. It's also a good idea to hang the bed within reach of another surface such as a garden table or a garden bar . Now you can correctly work out how long your ropes need to be. Use the IXO with a cutting adapter to cut the rope to size. Alternatively, you can use a carpet/utility knife to cut the rope.


Now the ropes should be the right length. Tie the ropes securely to the eyebolts of the hanging bed. It's best to use a bowline knot to tie the ropes to the eyebolts. Once you've secured the ropes to each eyebolt, you should end up with four pieces of rope that connect the bed to the branch. Next, tie the other ends of the ropes to a carabiner snap hook. Use a hangman's knot to secure them. Thread the rope through a carabiner snap hook and lay it alongside the other, longer part of the rope, first from the front and then from behind. Now bring the end of the rope through the loop. Finally, pull both ends of the rope tight to secure your hanging bed.

 

Tip
HOW TO TIE A BOWLINE KNOT
To tie a bowline knot, first thread the rope through the eyebolt attached to the hanging bed and make a loop. Then thread the end of the rope through the loop from behind and wrap the rope once around the long end of the rope. Finally, thread it through the loop again. Pull the rope tight and your knot is complete!
Step44

Secure the hanging bed to the tree

A man lays a wooden board that has been painted white onto the hanging bed to form part of the slatted bed base.
A man ties a green round sling to the branch of a tree.
A man secures a carabiner to the loop of the round sling.
A man lays a wooden board that has been painted white onto the hanging bed to form part of the slatted bed base.
A man ties a green round sling to the branch of a tree.

Now you can add the slatted bed base, the mattress and the final decorative touches to the hanging bed. And then you're almost there!

First, tie a round sling to the tree

Then secure a carabiner to the loop of the round sling

Now you can add the slatted bed base, the mattress and the final decorative touches to the hanging bed. And then you're almost there!

First, tie a round sling to the tree

You need: ladder, round slings, wooden boards for the slatted bed base, mattress, pillows/cushions

Now it's finally time to hang up your DIY bed. To do so, first of all, wrap the round slings around the designated areas of the branch. Round slings are extremely reliable, and will prevent any unwelcome wake-up calls while you're having a snooze in your hanging bed.

For the next bit, ask someone to help you. First of all, pick up the bed frame together and place it on a bench or a few chairs. This will make it easier to secure the ropes. If the branches of the tree can't be reached from ground level, stand on a ladder and bring the rope towards one corner of the bed. While securing the bed, make sure that you're standing firmly on the ladder at all times and ensure that you're well supported. This is where the second person comes in handy.

Now clip a carabiner into each of the round slings – one for each corner. Then remove the bench or chairs. Now all that's left to do is to make yourself comfortable on your new hanging bed and drift off to sleep.

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