Have you ever had to use a bed that squeaks and rattles under the slightest movement you make when turning in your sleep? I know I’m not alone when I say it’s one of the most annoying experiences. Fortunately, if the cause of the problem is a wobbly bed frame, you can easily reinforce it by making center support for the bed.
If you are contemplating reinforcing your bed frame and getting rid of that squeaky sound, you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll get into detail, explaining each of the steps to make center support. Read on to learn how you can do this project on your own and even on a budget.
1. Take Out the Bedding and Mattress From the Bed
Before you do anything on the bed, you have to take everything, including the bedding and mattress. This will allow you a better look at the bed frame and see what needs to be done.
Sometimes, the slats on the support need to be reinforced or replaced if they are broken or bent. With a closer look, you might realize the bed frame is also broken somewhere and needs to be replaced or repaired before installing the center support.
Most importantly, though, you need to take out everything so you can measure the bed.
2. Take Measurements of the Bed
There are different bed sizes, so you’ll need to start by measuring the different places the center support will occupy. To start, measure the length of the bed from the headboard to the footboard.
You should take measurements from the outside of the bed as the center beam needs to go a little past the headboard and footboard because it’s nailed under them. The length of the center support should be exactly as that of the bed frame and not the mattress.
Secondly, you have to measure the height of the bed where the center support legs will go. Here, you will measure from the underside of the bed slats to the ground.
Last but not least, you have to measure the width of the bed frame. This will help you figure out the center of the bed since that is where you will nail the center support bar. Use a marker pen or pencil to trace where the center is for future reference.
While it does not have to be at the exact center, precision helps with stability once you sleep on the bed. That said, some people prefer to have another support beam going along the width of the bed. This adds more stability, especially if the occupants of the bed are heavy. Again, you have to mark with a pencil where the center of the width is.
3. Gather Your Tools and Supplies
Once you have your correct measurements, the next step is to gather and prepare the supplies. Gather the tools you need to assemble the center support before you even get the wood. These tools and supplies include:
- A nail gun
- Nails/screws
- Table or orbital saw
- Wood glue (optional)
- Cordless Drill w/ Screwdriver Attachment
- Tape measure
- Socket Wrench w/ 5/16″ Allen Key Attachment
- Level
- Pencil
For wood, you will need two long 2″x4″ pieces as center support beams going from one end of the bed to the other. You will also need to cut three 2″x4″ legs corresponding with the height measurements you took. These legs will be nailed under the center beam strategically to give it more support.
If you don’t have the cutting tools, you can go to a workshop and have them cut the pieces for you with high precision. Places like Home Depot will also cut the wood for you if you buy there. It’s also possible to have the holes you will need for screws drilled at the workshop if you measure and mark where they should be first.
This will make your work easier, and all you have to do is assemble the support.
4. Cut the Wood Pieces to Size
Cut the center beam wood pieces to size with the measurements you took on the bed at hand. All the pieces you have should be 2″x4″ already, so you are measuring length only.
Cut the other three tiny pieces to size and ensure they fit perfectly under the bed slats. More importantly, ensure they are all equal so the bed will be stable.
One thing people forget to do when adding center support for their bed frame is to stain or paint the wood. The rest of the bed is painted and finished, so doing the same for the new additions will make everything look uniform.
Apply a coat of water-based polyurethane varnish to protect your wood without altering or hiding its color. Once it’s dry, apply another coat and finish with a coat of wood stain matching the bed frame. Give them about a day to dry and come back to finish the job the day after.
5. Assemble the Center Support on the Bed
You can start the assembly by nailing the three legs on the long center support beam. Two legs will go on the far ends of the beam and the remaining one at the center. Use your power drill or nail gun to nail or screw the pieces securely to the underside of the beam.
Next, take your long beam and place it under the bed frame with the legs touching down. Line it up to the center of the bed and nail the ends of the beam to the bed frame, ensuring it doesn’t wobble or squeak.
If you have a center beam running across the width of the bed frame, nail it on the wide ends of the bed frame and to the long center beam where they meet.
6. Put Back the Bed Slats
You have built sturdy center support for your bed frame and tested it to ensure everything is strong and stable. The bed frame should not move or squeak at all. If it does, tighten the bolts on the sides a little bit and check if the support is secured well.
Once that’s done, you can now put back the mattress support on the bed. Ensure the slats are sturdy and secured to avoid that squeaky noise. If they need to be screwed to the bed frame, go ahead and do so on each before placing the top board.
Put your mattress back and make the bed as usual. You can test your new center support by jumping in for a quick nap or sitting on it.
See also: Best Wood for Bed Slats & How Many Slats You Need
Key Takeaways
As you may have noted already, making center support for your bed frame is not hard. It’s something you can quickly do at home if you are handy with tools and know your way around wood. If you haven’t done a lot of woodwork, this is the perfect project to begin with because it requires little know-how.
Simply go to a wood workshop, tell them to cut the wooden pieces according to your measurements, and then go home for assembling. Staining the wood is the fun part, so you should do that yourself before assembling the bed.
