How to Put Together a Metal Bed Frame

Co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle

Last Updated: March 17, 2023 References

You’ve got your metal bed frame lying in pieces on your bedroom floor—now what? Though each bed frame is a little different, metal bed frames mostly all follow a few certain steps. It might help to grab a friend to help you put the frame together. Assembling your bed frame is quick and easy, and soon you'll be ready for a good night's sleep.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Assembling the Essentials

1
Set the side rails on the floor apart from each other. The side rails are the two longest metal pieces in your pack of bed frame materials. These will form the sides of your bed, so line them up with the ends facing the wall. You should leave a mattress-sized space in between them, though you can always adjust this later.
- Some side rails come with a headboard bracket on one side, which shows you where the top of the bed is.^{[1]
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2
Put on the feet or wheels. These go at the corners of your bed and normally attach to the side rails. You can probably just pop the wheels or the feet onto the little rods that are poking down near the edges of the side rails. Most feet or wheels don’t require you to use screws or a wrench, but you can check your instruction manual if they don’t seem to be fitting on properly.^{[2]
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3
Swing the cross arms perpendicular to the frame legs. The cross arms are often attached to the side rails, so you will just need to pull them out. If they are packaged separately, you will have to attach them to the side rails.
4
Put end caps on the side rails. End caps are small pieces that slide onto the end of the side rails and help protect you from sharp metal edges. They also help protect the walls and your mattress, so don’t skip this step!^{[3]
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- If your bed frame doesn’t seem to have end caps and the edges seem sharp, you can wrap them with fabric or duct tape.
5
Overlap the side arms to the right width and lock them together. If you have an adjustable bed frame, make sure you are connecting it at the spot that fits your mattress. Some side arms come with little holes and nubs that click together, but for others you’ll have to attach them together with screws, nuts, or metal plates.
- If you’re not sure what kind of mattress you have, the standard US bed widths are: Twin — 38 inches (97 cm), Full — 54 inches (140 cm), Queen — 60 inches (150 cm), and King —76 inches (190 cm).^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Adding the Finishing Touches

1
Check that your bed frame is the right size before adding any finishing touches. Just line up your mattress with the edge of the frame. The mattress should be just slightly narrower than the frame so that it can fit inside it. If the widths don’t match, you’ll have to readjust the side arms to the right length.
- This is important if you have a queen or full size mattress, because those sizes are easy to mistake for one another.
2
Put on the center support beam if your bed frame comes with one. If a center support beam isn’t included in the materials, don’t worry—that just means it isn’t necessary. The center support goes halfway between the side rails, but before you put it on, you should add wheels or feet, depending on your bed. Slide the center beam into the slots on the side arms. If there’s no place to slide it into, you probably need to screw it in.^{[5]
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3
Add a headboard if you want. Move the frame away from the wall so you don’t leave scuff marks as you work. You might want to grab a friend to help with this, so you don’t drop the headboard as you try to attach it. Many metal bed frames have a headboard bracket, in which case you just need to slide the headboard into that. Some headboards attach with hooks, while others you’ll have to bolt on.
- You don’t need a headboard, but they can add a friendly and personal touch to your bedroom.