Monday, July 12, 2010

We have a Bathroom!! (and a "Bonk Bed")

Okay so after a quick 30 miles ride this morning with my brothers, I got some work done on the trailer. My now 3 year old son and I got some good progress today. My goal was to just get the bathroom walls and door up, but we built what he calls a "Bonk Bed" (Bunk Bed, of course). Funny thing is he's so much taller now than when we first got the trailer, first thing when he got in there was sit up and "Bonk" his head... so I think the name will stick.

So, I built the 27"x76" frame for the wall off the kitchen first, adding extra supports at 36" and 63" for the counter top and the overhead storage. I added the 5mm plywood to the back, (stapled on) and put it up in place. I needed an extra 1/2 inch to make it sit tight, so I cut a 3/4" strip out of 1/2 plywood and nailed it to the floor as a footer, then wedged the wall on top of it. Then I added the halfway polished corner bracket (from the original closet).

for the other wall, I screwed 2 1x2" firing strips on the wall 38" each to follow the shape of the rear wall, then a strait 72" piece for inside the corner frame. I also added another 1x2" along the floor. For the top piece, I cut the former 1x4" piece from the center of the closet into an 3" to 3/4" 42" long angle. This created a level header for the door frame (at 72" tall). I added a cross piece at 55" to mount the "bonk bed" brackets, and a 1x2" stud as support. Then I cut and tacked up another piece of 5mm plywood to create the outer wall. This time I used 3 self closing surface mount brackets to mount the now Shorter 72"x16" door (Previous closet door, of course). I recessed the handle a bit into the door, and added the clasp to the 1x2" frame. Done. (yes, you can only close or "lock" the door from the outside, hence the self closing hinges... it will close on it's own.)

For the "Bonk Bed" I made a quick frame of 2x2's 55"x26" with a support in the center to support the weight (Should be good for 100-150 lbs at least, but only weighs about 10-15lbs, a LOT lighter than the 150lb 1" solid plywood old bunk 42"x84" platform) I added more 5mm plywood to the top, added the two old sofa bed supports to the walls, and a piano hinge to the rear, and presto! A fold-a-way "Bonk Bed"

and the pics:

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1 comment:

  1. That's so funny, our granddaughter got to spend July 4th weekend using her very own "bonk" bed in our 1971 Lo-Liner, too.

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