3 DIY Treehouse Beds to build for your kids’ room
A treehouse bed spells adventure and is such a fun and unique way to transform your child’s bedroom. If you need ideas on transforming the IKEA KURA bed look no further than these DIY treehouse beds.
While it looks like a tough DIY, it actually isn’t too hard to construct. You’ll need some basic woodworking skills and tools like a drill and miter saw to create these fabulous treehouse beds.
In this post, we share 3 DIY treehouse bed ideas to inspire your own DIY projects. Whether you’re looking to create a cozy reading nook or a fun play area, these whimsical kids’ beds are sure to spark your imagination and delight your child.
DIY treehouse loft bed wrapped in cedar
We bought a KURA bed for our toddler a while ago. She’s just getting to the age where we think she’ll sleep alone. We looked over the KURA bed and decided it was kinda plain, so after looking at all the IKEA KURA hacks we decided on a treehouse bed for her.
The top bunk is the sleeping area with a mattress and the bottom is a play area for her. We used IKEA play mats for cushions on the bottom.
Supplies:
- IKEA KURA reversible bed
- IKEA TROFAST used as stairs/storage
- 1” GRK cabinet screws
- 8 ft cedar board V-plank 6pk (Home Depot) 3 packs
- 2×2 lumber (Home Depot)
- Corner braces
- Wood glue
Tools
- Drill
- Miter saw
- Level
- Clamps
(Disclaimer: Not a woodworker at all! It’s not perfect but think it turned out well.)
In my garage, I built a 2×2 frame for the front of the bed and then screwed it to the top of the KURA bed frame using corner braces.
Once the front was secured to the bed, I added in framing for the two sides.
The back of the bed was left as-is since it will be against the wall. Once the frame was attached I began adding cedar planks using cabinet screws. Some of the planks where a screw could not be used I just used wood glue to secure.
It felt shaky at first but once all the planks were installed, it was very solid. I didn’t use a finish on the planks — just plain ole cedar wood planks. They look great and smell even better.
We placed a step-up TROFAST storage unit by the side of the bed to serve as a stair/ ladder. And that completes it.
~ by Phil Jones
KURA beds transform into tree house playland
I used the structure of the KURA beds to build two tree houses adjoining each other in a typical tree house style. The space below the beds is room to play. The houses are connected and are a source of endless play for children. Dual color interior exterior, the roof has missing planks to be able to see the moon …
See the hack below for more details on making a similar treehouse bed.
Edward’s IKEA Treehouse beds in 2 styles
For these beds, I was inspired by similar projects I saw on IKEA Hackers and on Pinterest. We have 2 boys, and each got his own treehouse bed. They’re sleeping on the bottom for now, but when they’re old enough, we’re going to move them to the top. For now, they’re using TROFAST frames at the ends as steps to get into the “play area” upstairs on the treehouses.
IKEA items used:
- 2 KURA Beds
- 2 TROFAST Frames
I chose to finish it with Amber Bulls-Eye Shellac, since shellac is non-toxic, and there are no fumes while the finish cures. The room is ready for the kids to sleep in it right away.
The main project took me four afternoons – two to cut the wood, one for assembly, and one for finishing.
Parts (for each bed):
- 1 KURA Bed
- 7x Pine 2″x2″x8′ boards
- 3x packages of Western Cedar planking from Home Depot (14 sq ft per pack)
- Box of 2.5″ #10 wood screws
- 12x 4″ L-shaped corner brackets
- 1qt Shellac
DIY Treehouse Bed: Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: The plan
I first sketched out the plan for the tree houses. The two houses are almost identical except for the roof line. Treehouse Bed 1 has a sloping triangle roof, while Bed 2 is a classic pitched roof. It’s a matter of cutting wood so you can design it any way you want.
Step 2: Assemble the IKEA KURA bed
Assemble KURA reversible bed in the loft position. I left out the 3 white end panels (which don’t add any structural support) in order to give it the look of a house on stilts.
Step 3: Cut wood for the frame
Cut 2″x2″ to frame the treehouse above the bed. If you have the space, lay out the pieces to make sure you’ve got the dimensions and cuts right. Carefully label where each piece should go.
Step 4: Assemble the frame on the bed
Gather the cut pieces and assemble the frame onto the KURA bed. It’s best to do this section-by-section to avoid confusion. Also, pre-drill holes for all wood screws to avoid splitting the boards.
Secure the vertical posts first to the KURA frame with corner braces. Then screw on the horizontal beams to the vertical posts. Lastly, add the roof line.
Step 5: Add paneling
Cut cedar paneling for the front, side, and roof. Use a brad nailer and nail the cedar panels to the frame. (Good old hammer and nails will also work.)
Step 6: Finish the DIY treehouse
I used shellac on the cedar paneling. Lastly added trim around the windows and roof line.
The kids love it. Here are more photos. The forest wallpaper adds to the treehouse vibe.
Cut list
Here are the cuts I made, if you’re interested in making your own DIY KURA bunk bed tree house. Do note that the KURA bed may have undergone a change in size. (IKEA has been known to make size changes periodically.) So best to measure the bed you have and confirm the sizes before making any cuts.
| Bed 1 | Count | Length | Total” | Angle cuts |
| Crossbars | 2 | 76.625 | 153.25 | |
| Roof angles | 2 | 79.25 | 158.5 | 81.3-deg angle on the low side |
| Corner posts | 8 | 19.625 | 157 | |
| High corner posts | 2 | 33 | 66 | 33″ on the high side, 8.7-deg angle top |
| Side connectors | 2 | 38.375 | 76.75 | |
| Window top frame | 2 | 21 | 42 | |
| Corner braces | 4 | 12 | 48 | 45-deg angle on each side |
| 701.5 |
| Bed 2 | Count | Length | Total | Angle cuts |
| Crossbars | 2 | 78.375 | 156.75 | |
| Roof angles | 4 | 41 | 164 | 17 deg on center, 73 deg on ends |
| Corner posts | 10 | 19.625 | 196.25 | |
| Side connectors | 2 | 38.375 | 76.75 | |
| Window top frame | 2 | 21 | 42 | |
| Roof braces | 4 | 45-deg on the bottom, 118-deg on top | ||
| Corner braces | 4 | 12 | 48 | 45-deg angle on each side |
| 683.75 |
See more IKEA KURA hacks:
- IKEA KURA bunk bed with storage drawer hack
- KURA bed to captain’s bed
- Toddler bed with slide and den
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