Having an extra bed comes in handy when guests arrive. In small rooms or RV’s, the bed has to be able to fit. A folding bed is ideal, providing it will adapt to the space. In building your own flip top RV sofa bed, you can customize the bed and maximize the use of space and storage at the same time. This would be ideal in a campervan as well.
I needed a bed in a spare room. The problem was always the same: the room is small, most beds won’t fit in it, and sofa beds are expensive. I was watching a program featuring Class A motorhomes in the $100,000 range. In one was a bed that caught my eye. The entire top flipped over to form a bed.
The idea bells started going off in my head. I began to sketch plans, measured the space and it will all fit. This plan is basic. It is different than the one on the show, but that is the beauty of being able to make your own designs.
You can build this as a single, double, queen or king bed. Keep in mind that a king takes up a lot of space lengthwise, and will end up being a wide sofa. Good for two to snuggle on.
This plan will build a full-sized bed. Adjust the plans for any bed you need. A child’s bed can be made, as well as a twin-sized chair bed.
My design differs from the one on television. You will see why in the plans. That was just a sofa that flipped down into a bed. My design is more.
General measurements are given, but detailed plans are not. This allows you to customize your bed for your needs to your exact space.
You will need:
·. Use more for longer bed
· Drawer slides, shelves for arm and seat cabinets (optional)
· One box #8 wood screws, 2″ long
·(optional)
· Nylon webbing or other strap
· Foam and fabric for upholstering (optional)
· Iron on or glued plywood edging, or scrap wood for edging
Step One:
Step back from the project. It is basically three separate boxes. The boxes are made into cabinets and connected together. The sofa seat and back flip over, creating the bed and the bed support.
How tall you want the sofa’s arms is up to you. You can go as modernistic or minimalist as you like.
I decided to make the arms of my bed 12″ taller than my seat. This provides two slide-out cabinets on either side. In a converted camper van, this will maximize the space greatly. It will accomplish the same in a spare room.
My bed cabinet is a basic box that measures 27″ wide and 18″ tall. The back of the box is solid, while the front is built as a face frame. This allows drawers to be inserted for storage space. The size of drawers is up to you.
Step Two:
Now you have something that looks like a short case with two or more drawers in it. You could also make hinged drawer fronts for a wide space underneath the seat. It’s all up to you.
The two cabinets that form my arms are each 30″ tall and eight inches wide. It will be 27″ deep to match the sofa bed. When assembling, it will be attached to the seat sides. Inside each is a small pull out pantry cabinet. In one side, I’ll store CD’s, DVD’s, magazines and writing materials. In the other, spices, I will store containers of dried food and other kitchen items.
Many companies make wire shelves in varying sizes. This allows quick and easy assembly. You can make your own shelves instead.
Step Three:
With the seat and side cabinets made, the bed is almost finished. A panel is cut that matches the width and length of the seat. The hinges are applied to the edge of the box and the panel. You may use different hinges if you like. In the box, I’d use ¾” screws. Since the hinge is going into the edge of the plywood, I’d use 2″ long screws here.
The back of the sofa is attached at the back of the panel. It will be reinforced with the angle aluminum. It should be the same height of the seat box.
Step Four:
Pull the top of the sofa forward and down. The back of the sofa should reach the floor and the bed should be flat. If it is not, trim it now.
Mark a place to cut a length of webbing or other material to use as a handle. Attach it to the back of the sofa top. This allows you to set the bed up quickly.
Purchase or make custom cushions for the seat. Make two of these; they become the bed’s mattress. Make a third to become the back of the sofa. When the bed is set up, you can use it as a bolster or pillow.
Paint or stain the sofa box to your liking. Use trims, moldings or upholstery to decorate it. If you are skilled at upholstery, no one may guess you have cabinets inside your sofa bed.
This can be made as a break down piece of furniture. Remove the side cabinets, wrap them with a cord and transport them anywhere you need to go. Do the same with the top and sofa cabinet. This is perfect for a dorm room, small spare room, “man cave” and much more.
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse forms of DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects and more.
