Build a shortbed deck that extends from 4’ to a 6.5’ platform bed in a weekend!

Heres my ongoing DIY weekend project- a sleeping platform for my OR DCSB that extends from a 4 foot to a 6.5-foot long platform bed with storage underneath it.

The reason I’m going for a fast build here is because we are going on a week-long road trip during spring break that will include off-roading as far as Death Valley, so I’m in a hurry to get a expedition quality deck built in time for the trip. I want to build a useable platform that’s light, stows away gear above and below deck, and can be easily taken down and stored away flat in my garage when not needed. There are no nails or screws in this thing except to hold 2 hinges, it’s self suported, and only held together by dowel pins and gravity, so dont flip it!

I’ll chronicle this Cheapo-Deck project here as it progresses. So far, I think I’ve spent the equivalent of less than 5 hours on it, including trial and error, and fitting parts.

I am also trying to keep the total cost for this project, excluding the beer, to less than $100. I’m convinced people can build this in an easy weekend or even a day. Will it work out or end up as firewood? We’ll see!

Materials needed:

(2) 3/4” (edit: after testing, you may want these thicker for added support) x 7” x 6’ pine support boards.
(1) 3/4” x 9” x 6’ pine board.
(2) sheets 3/4” x 4’ x 8’ exterior sanded plywood
(11) 1/2” x 1-1/2” dowels
(2) piano hinges cut to about 26” each
Wood glue
Sand paper
Exterior Latex Paint (Get oops paint to save $)
Rug or outdoor carpet, etc.
Beer

Tools:
Table or circular saw with cutting guide
Drill with 1/2” bit
Router with round bit (optional)
Tape measure and pencil
More beer


Final board lengths (sanded or routered round edges on all corners and edges except only lightly sanded on hatch edges where hinge goes):

(2) forward decks - 4’ x 28.5” each
(1) rear deck - 52.5” x 31”
(2) pine support boards - 6.75” x 57-1/8”
(2) rear deck hatch/supports - 26.25” x 8.75” each

Assemble as shown in pics:

I drilled out 1/2” holes and glued the dowels into the support boards to hold the decks from moving when they are in use.

Put the decks on first and drill through them into the support board when drilling out the dowel holes so they match up properly.

The deck pieces have holes that match the protruding dowels that were glued into the support boards, so they can be securely placed over the dowels and will not slip or move around. When moving the boards, just lift them up to release them from the dowels.

The rear most deck sits on top of the foreward ones when not in use.
The rear hinged deck supports act as doors but also support the back part of the rear deck, allowing you to slide it in or out the the desired length.

When fully extended out to 6.5’, the rear deck seats in the dowels in the support board and makes a stable support for the bed.

I’ll add more details such as drilling measurements for dowels and the hinge details as I complete it over the next few afternoons.

 

Update: Finished! It is very stable, will work out very well. Here’s a rough sketch of the drilling measuremens and finished deck. ***Put the decks in before drilling, and drill through the deck and supports together and put in each dowel as a temporary holder as you go so all the holes will line up after gluing iin the dowels!***

Note: dont forget to redrill out dowel pin holes after painting and try not to paint the dowels. Put wax on the dowels and inside the holes too before fiting it together (I used my kid’s crayons).







The Walmart Sterilite rolling underbed boxes work perfectly with this bed configuration, they fit with less than 1/2” to spare above them. I can fit 4 under the bed with minimal wasted space - two 32” x 19” x 7” boxes (50qt) and two 25” x 19” x 7” boxes (10gal) under there, and they seal up well to keep dirt out. No drawers needed!

Yeah, as for color, I would have used matching paint, but “Oops paint” in poo brown was a good choice as it only cost $9 for the already color added gallon vs. $26 for the same untouched self priming exterior latex at Home Depot

Total project cost: $93 (not including the tent or beer)

 

Any chance of a video of you extending it?

 

The rear deck just slides over the top of the forward decks as you pull it out.

 

Oh, you aint done yet! That's your prototype.

If you live near Industrial Metal Supply, go check out their remnant pieces section. You should be able to score some extruded aluminum at a descent price. Build a sturdy light frame and at the end of the plywood extension, install 2 adjustable legs that unfold into place(2 others that unfold onto the gate). You can put an extruded piece at the edge of the plywood to strengthen it. So when you fully extend it, you would have a sturdy table to work, eat, and play off of. Would make a great place to fix equipment out in the boonies-axles, shafts, etc. Or a great place to set up your fishing gear, etc. Inside, maybe use some toggle clamps (at the cross members) on either side that can press and hold the back end of the "table" from wanting to shift out. Those wood workers ones have good clamping pressure. Make a bracket for them that can be bolted onto the extruded aluminum. Or simply using some spring actuated insert pins/dowels. Great project!

 

Very good ideas- you are right, it is a prototype and will be going through some good field testing in Death Valley in just a couple weeks I like your table idea as the rear deck could easily be set up that way- and I am relatively close to Industrial Metal Supply, will check that out too. Thanks!

 

Damn you!! And I thought I was done! Looked these up and bought them because of your idea... thanks a lot!

$15 Micro Trader 4X Iron Locking Folding Table Chair Leg Brackets Hinge Self Lock Foldable Hinges

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073B28XZ...t=&hvlocphy=9031498&hvtargid=pla-355040597898

 

Only thing to it is to do it

 

Great place to source for hardware, machining tools/tooling, and odd ball stuff.

https://www.mcmaster.com/

 

Subscribing.

 

Any recent updates? I feel like adding a support beam down the middle would help. The wife and I are going on a CA->UT->CO->AZ road trip and sleeping in the back of camper shell would be the best plan.

 

Yeah, after our 1 week trial I agree that it needs a bit of support in the middle, or use 2x7’s instead of 3/4x7’s cut to 2” x 6.75” cross beams - I went with thinner as per my hilift mount fits very closely to the top of the existing deck on the side. I am planning on putting two middle support legs or braces, one under the middle of each beam down to the bed - the storage boxes will still fit on both sides of those. I’ll post pics when I do it.

 

I'l be waiting, so far your design I like best. Simple and cheap, keep up the good work.

 

Very nice...

 

Any updates? See you got an RTT, what happened to the deck?

 

Hey there! Did you build one and go on Your trip yet? I’ll update this - I actually use the deck and the RTT. Its so nice having the seperate storage below the deck for the tools and other heavy stuff, and our softer items, sleeping gear, clothing, camera gear and even the dog go on top. Also, we plan on using the deck to sleep in the shell instead of popping open the RTT and getting it wet if it's raining when we go up the west coast in a few weeks. We will be on the road for 2 weeks, so putting the RTT away dry when we can will be important.

 

My trip is in less than 2 weeks and I'm building the platform this weekend. I decided to go mostly with your build as others I've seen are a bit more more complicated and permanent. What would be nice would be more pics of how it extends from 4' to 6-5'. Thanks!

 

Very cool ... not sure how I missed this till now. Any pictures of the modified Walmart tent to close off the rear? Thanks.

 

Very nice and functional. Love it

 

interested to see the tent, ive been deliberating how to do that with mine