A bed made from pallets for children: how to make a small jungle-themed bed

The new pallet bed consists of ordinary EUR pallets measuring approximately 1,200 x 800 mm. You have to cut about 100 mm off of both pallets in order to fit a child’s mattress (assuming a width of 700 mm). Mark the corresponding spot and saw the pallets on the long side.

The two (very narrow) sawn-off sections of the pallet do not get thrown away. Instead, place them on your workbench and remove the top pallet board. This is done best with a hammer and chisel.

The lower part of this pallet piece – not including the upper board – is now screwed back onto the actual pallet used as the bed to provide support. You now have two complete but narrower pallets again, at least visually.

Paletten.

Now place one of the prepped pallets on your workbench. Use them to make the two foot supports for the child’s bed. Simply saw off a piece at the top and bottom of the pallet. Note, however: The more you saw off, the higher off the floor the bed will be. In our case, we want a toy box to still fit underneath. That is why we use 3,500 mm for the measurement.

Mark the appropriate spots and use a jigsaw to saw off both foot sections. Alternatively, you can also use a reciprocating saw.

You will need the other pallet, which hasn’t been prepped yet, in the next step. Lay it on your workbench with the surface you have chosen for the top of the bed facing down.

First screw a thicker beam that has the same width as the pallet (700 mm) to the head and foot of the bed. You may have to saw it to size beforehand. Use one 100 mm screw each for the right and the left side (picture 1).

Then use the beams and attach both foot sections from step 2 to the head and foot of the bed (picture 2).

The frame for the pallet bed is now ready. Now we need to prepare several wooden shapes for the bed frame creating a beautiful aesthetic. Of course, you can freely choose the design. But since you have to draw and saw them out, they shouldn’t be too complicated or too small. We have chosen a total of four jungle-themed shapes.

Draw the shapes on a wooden board, saw them out using a saw blade for fine curves (picture 1) and sand them thoroughly (picture 2).

To make sure that there are no sharp edges and that the shapes are nice and round, it is worth finishing the edges again with an edge router (picture 3). Another example of where less is more!

Time for a bit of colour: You can now paint the wooden shapes from step 4 according to your wishes. The fastest way to do this is to use a paint spray system. You can find everything you need to know in our guide.

Finally, all you need to do is screw the wooden shapes to the bed frame. It is up to you to determine where you want to place them. Our tip: If you attach them at the head and foot of the bed, then they will provide a nice visual border for the bed frame, protect the children from falling out at night and keep the mattress in position. Once this step is done, you can make your child’s bed. Sweet dreams!

By the way, there are many more step-by-step guides for various beds or projects with/for children in our All about DIY magazine. For example, check it out if you’re considering making your own suspended, space-saving or loft bed.

But there are also many great DIY projects using pallets, such as a garden bar, a cosy sofa or a cool playhouse for the kids.