The safest bed rails are those that come as part of the bed or as a freestanding frame that fits around it. If unable to use either of those, you can improvise bed rails by mounting them directly to the frame of the bed. Attaching rails to an iron bed is especially challenging, but most people can accomplish this successfully without resorting to welding. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the height of your bed rails and the distance from the top of the mattress support to the top of the mattress. Confirm that your rails will extend at least 6 inches above the top of the mattress. If not, you need taller rails (or a thinner mattress).
2. Remove the mattress from the bed frame.
3. Locate the points where you want to mount the bed rails. You should have two points of attachment running perpendicular to the ground (along the headboard rails) and at least four running parallel to the ground (along the mattress support). If your rails are long enough to reach the foot board rails, attach them using two more points running perpendicular to the ground.
4. Put on your safety goggles. Drilling metal often throws sparks. Clear the area of anything that sparking might scar or burn.
5. Drill pilot holes through the bed rails using a drill bit the same diameter as your bolts. For thicker bolts, start the hole with a narrower bit, then widen the hole with progressively wider bits.
6. Hold the bed rails in place. Push the felt marker through each bolt hole, marking the bed frame for later drilling.
7. Drill pilot holes in the bed frame at the marked points, using the same method as you did for the bed rails.
8. Bolt the bed rail in place using one washer on each side of the frame. Have the nuts point inward towards the bed.
9. Put the mattress back in place.
Tags: your rails, Drill pilot, Drill pilot holes, ground along, hole with, mattress support
