3 Ideas for Creating the Perfect DIY Sofa Bed

Are you looking to get a sofa bed to entertain overnight guests? Why not look into making your own? Not only could you potentially be saving a lot of money, it’s a fun project that the whole family can get into.

Get more out of your living space by creating your very own sofa bed. If you have a small studio flat, you can use it as a sofa during the day and a bed at night. For tiny homes, it’s the perfect bed for whenever you have a guest.

What’s more, the DIY sofa beds that we’ve compiled below are not just your run-of-the-mill sofa beds, but multifunction furniture with shelves and additional storage space.

DIY Sofa Bed with Storage

Image: Woodbrew

Kicking off my list is Woodbrew’s DIY sofa bed with a large storage area underneath:

Watch the video below as Woodbrew’s Dylan and Molly turn full sheets of finished plywood into a sofa bed with a hidden storage. It’s such a simple design but it can be quite the space-saver if you have a tiny house or a small apartment:

Stoppers are added to prevent the wood from bowing while a lift system is attached to make accessing the storage much easier. Just make sure that the pistons you get are strong enough to handle the size of the bed you’re planning to use.

Meanwhile, Molly and Dyland used 4’x8’ UV-finished plywoods for their sofa bed. However, you can make your end product extra strong by opting for true birch 5’x5′ sheets reinforced with triangles or diagonal bracing.

Dylan started by sawing the plywoods into their proper widths and chamfering the edges inwards for aesthetics and a smooth feel. He then pre-drilled all the spots where the screws will be before doing a final sanding.

Next comes the assembly and the attachment of the lift system and stoppers. After this, they flipped the main piece to make it easier to install the sofa’s bottom part. Finally, they returned it to its original position and screwed in a looped nylon piece for the handle.

Now, all that’s left is to position your self-made sofa bed right where you want it and add the mattress and pillows.

DIY Sofa Bed with Side Table and Shelves

Image: DIY Creators

Next up is a rustically charming multifunction piece by Glen of DIY Creators. During the day, it’s a sofa with an integrated shelf. At night, it turns into a twin-size or full-size bed with a built-in nightstand. For people with spatially-challenged homes, this sofa bed is a wonderful addition for personal use or for whenever you have a guest.

According to DIY creators, this sofa bed only costs about $130 depending on where you buy the materials listed. Plus, as a way to support the creator, you’ll have to buy the detailed plan for just $5.

First, you’ll laminate two pieces of lumber using wood glue and dowels to form the back of the sofa and arms. Clamps will ensure that the lumbers are stuck together tightly while drying. Then, you’ll have to attach the arms to the back of the sofa using the same process, using a sandpaper to prevent the clamps from sliding while applying pressure.

Build the frame of the seat, including the front and middle support. Secure them in place using more wood glue and pocket hole screws. If the wood you used is rough and uneven, sand it several times with sandpaper.

Then, reinforce the back of the storage arm. You can use screws to achieve this if your sofa bed will be against the wall. If not, dowel rods are better since they’re less visible. Apply some staining or finish to the sofa bed that will fit your room’s decor. 

Next, secure the slats for the sofa bed’s slide-out feature using glue and screws to make them sturdy. Just make sure that there’s adequate space between each slat.

Finally, add the finishing touches. It’d be better to round the edges of the slats with a sander. If you don’t want the slats getting pulled all the way, you’ll also need to add some stoppers to the ends of the slats attached to the front panel.

DIY Sofa Bed with Adjustable Backrest

Image: HomeMade Modern

Get comfortable no matter what position you want to relax in with HomeMade Modern’s sofa bed with adjustable backrest. Made out of thick plywood, EMT conduit, and pool noodles, this convertible sofa only needs basic tools to create. If you want a heavy-duty version, you can swap out the conduit with steel pipe with threaded flanges.

As long as you have basic DIY skills, this version of the sofa bed is quite easy to do. HomeMade Modern’s plan which you can download for free, includes all you need to know about the materials, measurements, and assembly. This plan, along with the video below, will ensure that the process of creating your DIY sofa bed goes smoothly as possible.

You’ll start by sawing the plywoods into the right dimensions indicated in the plan. Then, take the 6”-wide strips for the folding arms and glue every two pieces together with the help of some spring clamps. Do the same for the 17”-wide strips for the side panels. Once fully dry, proceed to cutting them to the right size.

Drill pivot holes to the side panels, ensuring that the holes are properly aligned. Next, drill 1” holes to the rotating arm pieces where the EMT conduits will be inserted.

Sand the wood and round the sharp corners. Then, screw the pieces together using 2.5”-long screws. Create the pivot points of the backrest using ⅜” bolts. Cut the conduit to the proper length and insert them in the 1” holes. Screw in long finishing screws to hold the conduits in place.

For the pivot holes of the side panels, create washers that will keep the conduit from sliding out. Screw in long finishing screws into the washers and conduit ends. Set the backrest in the angle you prefer and drill in holes for additional bolts.

Seal the wood off with some polyurethane, assemble the pieces together, and cover the conduit with some pool noodles. Now, all you need to do is add the mattress and make a matching cover for the backrest and bed.