I was talking to my mother on Mother’s Day and we got to chatting about some old paintings that my recently deceased great Uncle had given to me when I was a young “Master Scott”.
My mom keeps them in an old cedar chest she uses as a footboard and for storage and I decided that I want to build one.
I only have a small wardrobe closet here in Thailand and it would be great to have more storage.
Build a DIY footboard bench with storage using reclaimed wood and hinges, a saw, screws or nails, and paint.
The DIY videos start about halfway down the page. So if you are not interested in the following information feel free to scroll down to see the various how-to video projects.
Footboard Components
Below are the components of the footboard and some considerations yoy may want to think about.
Footboard Height
The footboard height should match the height of your mattress for the most appealing look with the items on your bedroom being proportional.
If you are building a TV stand or a wardrobe footboard then the height may obviously be higher.
Footboard Width
The width should not exceed the width of your bed frame or mattress.
This is determined by the size of your bed and if it is for a child’s bedroom you may want to consider future beds that may be larger as your child becomes a teenager.
Footboard Legs
There are many options for the legs, including:
- can be simple lumber (2″ x 4″) tapered to give it some character.
- no legs with the footboard sitting on the plywood across the entire width.
- purchase legs from the local hardware store. Screw pilot holes in the base of the footboard and then screw in the legs or feet.
- blocks of wood that can be one size or fasten several together that are different widths to give it character. Sand or cut the edges to add profiles like molding.
- Cushion pads can be attached to the bottom of the footer if legs are not necessary such as if you have a storage chest as your footboard.
Footboard Attachment Brackets
There are many universal footboard attachment brackets available at furniture brick and mortar stores and online.
These can work for most footboards purchased separate from the bedroom furniture set and also for DIY projects. Many sizes and configurations are available to meet most needs.
Footboard Bench DIY
Table 1. How to Make a DIY Bed Bench
| Title | How to Make a DIY Bed Bench for Bedroom |
| By | 20112 System Furniture DIY |
| Cost | NA |
| Difficulty Rating | 2 |
| Helpfulness | 3 |
| Like vs Dislike Percentage | 95.5 |
| Pro | Attractive design |
| Pro | Simple to build |
| Con | The soundtrack repeats and drove me nuts by the time I got half way through. I recommend turning volume off since there is no voice-over. |
| Con | He is using a sewing machine for the custom upholstery work. If you don’t have a sewing maching or the skills simply staple and fold the upholstery as needed. |
| Con | This bench was built with a solid top. I don’t know why he did not add hinges to allow the top to open towards the bed. This would be a great storage area for toys, blankets, pillows, off-season clothes, or family memories like my mother does. |
| Con | No measurements or material list provided. |
Table 2. Build a Twin Size Footboard
| Title | Build a Twin Size Footboard |
| By | DIYwithRick |
| Cost | NA |
| Difficulty Rating | 2.5 |
| Helpfulness | 3 |
| Like vs Dislike Percentage | 98.60% |
| Pro | Simple design that looks good |
| Pro | Cheap to build and not fancy tools needed |
| Con | None |
Footboard Storage Drawers
Table 3. DIY: Easiest 2×4 Drawer Bench
| Title | DIY: Easiest 2×4 Drawer Bench |
| By | Ana White |
| Hours | |
| Difficulty Rating | 4 |
| Helpfulness | 3.5 |
| Like vs Dislike Percentage | 98.90% |
| Pro | Simple materials, 2x4s and plywood and can be easily used as a footboard. |
| Pro | She knows how to mark for joists with an X like a framer! (carpenter who builds the wood frame of a house). |
| Pro | Nice footage of Alaska |
| Con | Her helper might be a little underage, but SO Cute haha. |
Footboard Storage Chest
Table 4. How to Build Cedar Storage Chest
| Title | How to Build Your Own Cedar Chest |
| By | Whiskey Drankers |
| Hours | 20 – 30 hours |
| Difficulty Rating | 4 |
| Helpfulness | 3.5 |
| Like vs Dislike Percentage | Only 9, all likes |
| Pro | He mentions the materials and measurements. No room in description area as it is stuffed with affiliate links. |
| Pro | It is a awesome storage chest. |
| Con | The camera work makes me think I “Drank” a lot of “Whiskey”. By the time I got to the end of the video I had a headache. I recommend following along as you are building your own and move forward in the video as your project progress. |
Table 5. Build a Storage Chest From Reclaimed Wood
| Title | Build a Storage Chest From Reclaimed Wood |
| By | DIY Montreal |
| Cost | NA |
| Difficulty Rating | 2.5 |
| Helpfulness | 3 |
| Like vs Dislike Percentage | 97.40% |
| Pro | He provides a link in the description area to an article with the cut sheet and material list. |
| Pro | He answers questions in the comments section. |
| Pro | Very beautiful and I like the exposed black hinges. |
| Con | None |
Blanket Storage Chest DIY
Table 6. Simple Blanket Storage Chest DIY with Removable Dividers
| Title | A Simple DIY Plywood Blanket Chest |
| By | Sawdust is Life |
| Cost | NA |
| Difficulty Rating | 3.5 |
| Helpfulness | 3.5 |
| Like vs Dislike Percentage | 96.20% |
| Pro | List of tools in description area and no affiliate links! |
| Pro | I like the end of the video where a chipmunk is taking sunflower seeds from his hand. Reminds me of Home in Nova Scotia many years ago 🙂 |
| Con | No cut sheet or material list |
Footboards are almost a footnote in history, which is a shame because they can provide so much value for storage, saving space, sitting bench, TV stand, closet, and more.
This is the most versatile piece of furniture someone can add to their bed and bedroom.
Especially if space is an issue. Wow, what an amazing storage space in an area that is usually completely wasted.
If your bedroom is twelve feet wide then the space at the end of your bed is completely wasted unless you utilize a footboard.
If you want to make a homemade cheap headboard for storage or for enhancing the look of your room then check out my article about how to build one here.
