One of our frequently asked questions is how to create a structure for a base on a French antique bed.

It often looks a daunting task when you excitedly take delivery of your new French antique bed, but it is unexpectedly minus the cross bars and a working base, but help is at hand..

Even if you have the cross bars, we tend to find that many are fragile from years of woodworm and it is often wise to replace them with new ones. These are the dimensions of the wood we generally buy to make cross bars, the central support and if you need to replace the brackets which  on the sides of your bed

Making Cross Bars For Antique French Beds

The photos below show new cross bars being made for a U-shaped metal bracket on an upholstered French Capitone bed which is 140 cm wide (4 ft 7″) by 190 cm (6 ft 3″) in length.

Making Cross Bars For Your French Bed

 

1.  Decide if you will make 2 or 3 cross bars, then measure the width of your bed and buy an appropriate length of wood, measuring 7 cm x 2 cm.

We have used 2 cross bars, our bed fits together tightly and we are happy that it is structurally sound and that 2 cross bars will be sufficient in this instance.

  • Some builders merchants will cut the wood to size for you if you measure the exact width required.

2. Shows a U-shaped metal bracket usually on these beds.

3 & 4. Make a template using paper, cut it out and mark your wood.

5. Cut your wood to match the template. Fit the cross bar.

6. Check your template will fit the other bracket. With one end of the cross bar fitted, mark your wood and cut it to match the template.

7. Fit your new cross bar.

8. Repeat this process so you have one cross bar by the headboard and one by the footboard.

Once you have made the cross bars then we recommend you add a ‘foot’ in the centre of the cross bars to add additional support.

Making A Central Support

 

1. Buy an appropriate length of wood, measuring 4.5 cm x 4.5 cm.

2 & 3. Measure where you need to cut the wood. There should be a gap of bewteen 0.5 and 1 cm below the cross bar. This allows the cross bar to bow down and take the weight of the base, mattress and you, without stressing the wood.

4. Cut and check your central support sits just below the cross bar.

5 & 6. Screw the central support in place.

7. If you screw it tight to the cross bar it will lift off the ground with your 0.5 cm – 1 cm gap.

8. Your finished cross bars with central supports.

A selection of our metal framed slatted bed bases can be found here.