American Doll Bunk Bed Plans

American Doll Bunk Bed Plans – Build your own doll bed for an American Girl doll or other 18-inch doll. This sturdy wooden doll bed is quick and easy and inexpensive to build. Free step-by-step plans for building a DIY doll bed for your American Girl.

Today was my daughter’s friend’s birthday. The birthday girl has been raving about getting her first American Girl doll, so Grace and I thought we’d make her a bunk bed.

American Doll Bunk Bed Plans

Not entirely sure why I waited until Wednesday afternoon to start cutting the boards. Good thing it only took me about an hour to fix this bed.

Diy Doll Crafts Bunk Bed, Barbie Sneakers, Pencil Case Cartoon Video

OK, I know why. I have a very well thought out reason. No. No really, I do.

Because if I made it last week, it wouldn’t be really new when we delivered it.

And can you blame them? I love this bed because the top bunk sits at play height, perfect for my youngest niece, who is only two, for her eight-year-old older sister.

And I won’t post pictures (sorry sweet birthday girl), but I actually caught three of them standing on the top bunk. This bed has been tested for at least 100 pounds of live load. Live, giggle, scream and jump.

American Girl Doll Bunk Bed

And I know that American Girl dolls now come in a variety of colors and hairstyles to match their owners. , ,

And you can make your own mattress with this super easy tutorial. I speak very easily! Simple as that, I can do it.

(Look for a square trim board that measures 3/4″ x 3/4″, or if you have a table saw, tear a 1×2 in half.)

Please read the full plan and all comments before starting this project. It’s also a good idea to review the Getting Started section. Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a clean, flat surface free of blemishes or debris. Always use straight boards. Check a square after each step. Always pre-drill holes before screwing in. Use finishing nail glue for a firm attachment. Wipe off excess glue for painted projects on bare wood, as dried glue will not stain. Stay safe, have fun, and seek help when you need it. Good luck to you!

How To Build An American Girl Doll Bunk Bed

Build the two ends as shown above. I used a kreg jig to hide all the holes, but you can use 2″ screws on the outside. Use a piece of 1x material as a spacer.

Now here is where clamps are your good friend. Install, glue and press, then nail with 1 1/4-inch nails. You can also use 1 1/4 inch screws, but then you have to cover the screw holes, which isn’t a big deal if you’re painting it. But in our case, we wanted to give the doll’s bed unfinished so that the birthday girl could paint.

I have a fairly good sized clove and I was able to get in there. But if you absolutely care, you can of course add threads before step #2.

Seriously, everything works here. I had some scrap 1/4″ purebond plywood (formaldehyde free, yay!) so I put it in there.

Scrap Wood Bunk Bed For American Girl Or 18 Inch Doll

Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Add additional layers of wood if necessary. Once the wood filler is completely dry, sand the project with 120-grit sandpaper in the direction of the wood grain. Vacuum sand project to remove sand residue. Also remove all sanding residue from work surfaces. Clean the project with a damp cloth.

It is always recommended to apply a test coat to a hidden area or fabric to ensure color uniformity and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed. For Christmas 2014, I had my husband make a bunk bed for our daughter’s American Girl dolls. Of course, it ended right before Christmas and I’d sneak into the basement for a few minutes to paint them red, her favorite color. I was so surprised that I was able to pull it out. (I also had a giant trap basket in the bathroom that day, hidden behind the shower curtain. I’m pretty sure I inherited the last-minute housewarming gene.)

To build the bed, I found free plans by Ana White (available here). My husband found a slight error in the directions and it is important to note that these beds are not designed to withstand children climbing on them. Not that ours would do that…

The second part of this gift was that I went clothes shopping for her to get the fabric for the bed. It was a painful experience. I did a post on pattern quilts here. He took forever.

Pzas Toys Doll Bunk Bed

It fits the dolls well and matches really well with their bedroom. (You can see the collage wall and free printables here).