Basic Bondage Furniture Construction

Bondage furniture is fairly common within BDSM pornography. However, companies actually producing such furniture are few and far between. Fortunately, with ingenuity and some basic woodworking tools, you can construct many of them yourself. Here are two simple ideas to get you started.

These ideas are simply guidelines, not gospel. If you have a modification that makes you happy, you are limited only by your woodworking skills. I love hearing what other DIYers have cooked up. If you’ve got something interesting, anything from a minor modification to something completely different, send it to me, I’m interested!

Remember: When in doubt, overbuild your furniture. I take no responsibility for any damage you do to each other. Play safe, sane, and consensual.

The Bondage Horse

The bondage horse is probably the most versatile piece of bondage apparatus there is. The most basic form is a low sawhorse. Kits to construct these are commonly available at your local hardware stores, such as Lowes or Home Depot. Be sure to use strong parts and strong wood on these – they have to support your weight.

The next step up is to improve your horse. Eyebolts on the legs are a common and useful addition; they can be used to bind someone securely to the horse. A poly-coat finish is nice, because it is resistant to fluids and wear.

If you have the time to construct your own bondage horse, this is the best option. I recommend a 4×4 to serve as the top of your bondage horse. The legs should be sturdy as well. A 2×4 should prove sufficient in most cases. Drill two holes through the top of your horse at approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of the total length. What you’ve done is made your bondage horse modular. You can now bolt a standard 2×4 along the top board to serve as a smooth top. Countersink holes on both sides of the top-piece, add a bolt, run a bolt through both boards, and place a nut on the bottom. Use washers wherever needed and tighten.

Example ideas for a top board are plain wood, a padded top board using foam and vinyl, or a triangular (round the top edge) top piece for use with suspension play. Be very careful of splinters.

The round-rack

One simple yet effective idea is to to construct a rounded rack. Using two 2x12s, cut an elongated semicircle into each. You now have a 6′ (or however large) arch. Frame these pieces with 2x4s and screws. Next, take a sheet of plywood and lay it across the top. Screws should be placed about a foot apart. Now you have a sheeted arch. Polycoat it. Add eyebolts at the top, bottom, or sides of the rack as appropriate.

If you wished, you could add a winch for securing your partner or ambience. Do not use it to pull on someone. You can easily dislocate arms and legs by doing this. You could also easily modify the shape of the rack if you wished. For instance, half of the rack could be flat and half could curve down to the ground. You can further modify the design by adding things onto the surface of the rack – for instance, a 9″ wide bump could be used to lift the buttocks off the rack yet keep the legs along the surface.

Always remember: Play safe, sane, and consensual.