Kick back and relax on a hanging bed

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.

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.

You need: IXO Collection – allsaxtillsats, 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.

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.