Updated at: 27-07-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

Bed frames are susceptible to damage from normal use and aging. However, the cost of replacing them is prohibitive. A brand new bed frame might easily set you back a couple grand. Luckily, you may save yourself a ton of money by fixing things yourself instead of paying the inflated prices charged by businesses and professionals. But how can you mend a bed frame that has fallen apart?

The way that you fix the bed frame will depend on the way that the frame has been damaged. In some cases, it might be as simple as using some wood filler to fix a crack. In others, you might need a more intensive solution, like replacing the broken elements.

As we’ve discussed, you may need to take a couple different tacks. Let’s examine the most typical issues, their causes, and the methods that have proven effective in fixing them.

Reinforcing Your Bed Frame

There is nothing more annoying than a bed frame that squeaks and jiggles at the slightest touch or shift in position. Reinforcing your current bed frame can buy you some time before you have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a whole new one. By doing so, you are essentially making it quieter, more stable, and more supporting (hallelujah). Here are some suggestions for making your bed frame look practically as good as new.

Your options for solving the problem will vary depending on the nature of your specific problem and the style of bed frame you have.

Materials: We recommend using a drill, 1″ screws, and a used bed frame.

First, you need to tighten the screws holding your bed’s frame together. This includes the legs and the slats, if your bed has them. A creaky and shaky bed may be the result of loose screws or bolts. The good news is that you can easily remedy this by giving them a twist with a screwdriver or a wrench.

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Joints should be reconnected if you sleep on a wooden bed frame that has shifted over time. Destabilization from loose joints in a bed frame can cause it to sway and wobble. Cover the joint with fabric to keep it from getting scratched, then enlist a helping hand to steady the frame. Apply light pressure with the mallet to the joint, and then repeat with the rest.

Reapply wood glue to the inside of a previously glued bed frame by wrapping cloth around the joint on both sides. After that, you should use something like a clamp to securely hold the joint together while it dries, after which you can gently hammer it together. If there are any other joints that don’t seem to be attached properly, follow the same procedure again.

A bed frame with just a perimeter and a center beam can be made more strong and supportive by adding slats. This will prevent the mattress from sagging and allow the bed to support greater weight.

  1. The length of the new slats should be determined by the inside width of the bed frame.
  2. Mark the required length on a 14 foot board with a pencil, then trim the board to size with a hand saw.
  3. To make more slats, simply repeat the first two procedures, or if you’re not very skilled with tools, you can take your measurements to a hardware store like Home Depot and have them cut the wood for you.
  4. Both boards should be positioned about 2 feet (2 1/2 ft.) to the right and left of the center beam of the frame, respectively.
  5. Attach the new wooden slats to the bed’s inner lip by drilling holes through them.

If you think the bed’s central support beam is the lone problem area, you can swap it out for something more sturdy.

  1. The bed’s middle support beam can be removed by unscrewing it.
  2. Determine the length of your new center beam by measuring the breadth of your bed’s inner frame from side to side.
  3. To establish the correct length of the new support leg, measure the distance from the ground to the base of the central beam.
  4. The new center beam measurement can be written with a pencil on a 14-inch wooden board and then cut with a saw, or the measurements can be taken to a hardware store and the staff can do the cutting for you.
  5. For the replacement support leg made from the 44 lumber, simply return to step four.
  6. After cutting a block of wood to size, place it directly beneath the new center beam’s center. Drill two wood screws through the top of the plywood center beam into the block to secure it.
  7. Attach the two ends of the new beam to the bed’s frame with a power drill.

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How To Fix A Broken Bed Frame

Don’t give up just yet if you missed the “reinforcement” section of this post and now have a fractured bed frame from lack of support. Maybe there’s still a chance. This issue frequently occurs along horizontal grain lines or at frame ends. If so, tap into your inner handyman by working through the following eight steps:

  1. Once the mattress has been removed from the bed frame, leave the slats in place and use a screwdriver to pry apart the split from the interior of the frame. After it has been split, the splinters and wood particles should be cleaned up.
  2. Spread wood glue along the length of the crack and smooth it out with a putty knife or other flat tool.
  3. You can use a bar clamp to reconnect the broken pieces and tighten it until glue seeps out of the break. Hang them up on the frame so they can dry completely in the morning.
  4. One day later, when everything is dry, measure the length of the split from the inside of the frame and add 6 extra inches to it in order to reinforce the frame and make sure the joints are sturdy.
  5. Please take the necessary measurements for your bed’s width.
  6. First, using the measurements you have figured out, cut a strip of half-inch wood, such as plywood, to size using a saw or a flat surface.
  7. Use a 3/16″ bit and drill to make holes in your scrap wood 2″ apart, but make sure they’re staggered and not in a straight line.
  8. Wood glue one side of the scrap wood and adhere it over the crack on the inside. Repeat the drying process overnight, then reassemble your bed and rest it on the frame.

Buying A New Bed Frame

If it appears that your bed frame cannot be repaired, you may want to look into purchasing a new one. Bed frames come in a broad variety of styles and may be purchased for any budget. Some bed frames (such as adjustable bed frames) can cost more than $1,500, much exceeding the average price of $250. Before beginning your search for a bed frame, it’s important to think about your space, budget, and needs.

Why They Occur

These are common when the bed frame isn’t receiving adequate support. The solution to the crack will allow you to focus on strengthening the structure at a later date. Sometimes this requires adding new beams to the structure for reinforcement.

How to Fix Cracks in a Bed Frame

One must first have an unobstructed view of the fissure. This may necessitate getting rid of the mattress.

The next step is to insert a screwdriver into the crack and carefully pry out any debris, such as splintered wood, that has made its way inside.

After taking this step, you should have a clearer notion of the crack’s severity. Your strategy will depend on the outcome.

Fixing Smaller Cracks

A small amount of putty should be able to seal the crack. The steps to accomplish this are as follows:

  1. Make the crack as smooth as possible by sanding down the edges. The binding efficiency of the wood filler can then be guaranteed in this way.
  2. Fill the crack with wood filler until it is smooth.
  3. Remove any excess filling with a putty knife.

4.  Leave to dry.

  • It is possible that painting over the putty to hide the fracture could be a viable option.

Fixing Bigger Cracks

Cracks in wood may be too large for wood filler to effectively repair. Here, you’ll need to employ a more laborious procedure, specifically these steps:

  1. You can even out the crack’s edges with some sandpaper.
  2. Take a moist cloth and wipe down the area. Because of this, the glue can more easily join the two surfaces.
  3. Use a clamp and a measuring tape to determine the distance between the two sides. You’ll need superhuman grip strength to keep them together.
  1. Once the clamp is set up, liberally apply wood glue to both sides of the crack.

Because this is a potentially messy step, you may wish to lay down an old blanket to catch any glue that escapes.

5.    Clamp down on the area.

  • The surplus can be removed using a putty knife.

7.    Leave the glue to dry.

  1. Remove any rough spots caused by too much adhesive by sanding.
  2. As of right now, the hole should no longer be visible. If you want to keep from having to redo the whole thing, maybe some extra reinforcements could help.

BROKEN BED SLATS

The slats in your bed may have cracked or broken in some circumstances. The broken slats may be easily replaced, which is a relief.

Why Does This Occur?

As the mattress presses down on the slats repeatedly, the slats might get bent and eventually shatter. If the weight isn’t distributed uniformly, more pressure will be exerted on some slats than others, speeding up the process.

How To Fix Broken Bed Slats

You can easily find a solution to this issue. Simply swap out the damaged slat. Let’s examine the procedures involved:

  1. Take out the damaged slat. Depending on the type of bed you have, they may need to be screwed in. The moment it leaves your body, you can discard it.
  2. Get the other slats measured. The length, width, and thickness of each slat must be known. Once you have the measurements, you can head to the hardware store to pick out a new one. If a perfect match can’t be found, settle for close dimensions instead. It’s adjustable in length.
  3. Place the replacement slat in the
  4. Set it up where it belongs. I recommend screwing it in. Wood glue can be used as an extra precautionary measure.

BAD BED JOINTS

In addition, you may discover that the bed’s joints have begun to loosen. The stability of the bed may be compromised as a result. In the absence of a solution, this could become a major issue down the road. Too much slack and the joint could break free, which would be disastrous for the bed’s frame.

Why Does This Occur?

Beds constructed before the 1980s often included mortise joints. In this step, a wooden slot is used to join the two halves together. These are sturdy, but the wood will expand over time, weakening them.

Thus, a metal bracket might have been installed. The goal here is to give the joint a little more oomph.

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How To Fix A Bad Joint

Most wood will expand with time without weakening joinery. Therefore, it’s time to get things in order. Let’s examine a few of the necessary procedures:

  1. To get rid of the metal bracket (if necessary). Put these somewhere safe; you’ll need them again.
  2. Carefully dismantle the joints. Occasionally, a rubber mallet will be required for this task.
  3. When you get outside, check the seam for damage. Chisel out the dried glue if it is present.
  4. Wrap the tendon in wood tape. The joint’s bed-securing end is located here.

frame. This is usually the part of the joint that becomes dislocated. The problem can be fixed with some wood tape.

  1. Wood glue should be applied to the slot. Cover as much of the slot as possible, preferably on all four sides. Putty knives might be useful for evenly spreading the compound across the surface.
  2. The connection needs to be re-established. You may use a rubber mallet to hammer the pieces together.
  3. Restick the metal supports. Because of the wear and tear they have endured, it is recommended that you replace them if they are beyond repair.
  4. You can start putting weight on the joint again once the glue has dried.

IN CONCLUSION

You don’t want to have to buy a new bed frame unless absolutely necessary due to the high cost. As we’ve seen, a few easy do-it-yourself solutions may often solve the most frequent bed issues. This means that you can now get more use out of your bed.