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The plans below are adaptations of published tutorials, not tested furniture standards. None provides a universal height, load rating, or stability certification, so use the original cut list where one is supplied and inspect every joint before allowing a cat to climb.
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Five approaches to a homemade cat bunk bed
A bunk bed gives cats separate vertical sleeping spots while using less floor area than two beds placed side by side. The five designs in Catster’s roundup are best treated as different build strategies. A reused bed or suitcase can be quick when you already own the parts; a wooden frame offers a fixed, cushion-friendly surface; a hammock is compact but depends on secure fabric supports.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Approach | Build effort in the cited roundup | Main materials | Sleeping surface | Space character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paired doll beds | Easy | Two doll beds, wood screws, mending plates | Existing rigid beds with bedding | Footprint follows the doll beds; two levels use the same floor area |
| Hammock bunk | Moderate | Fabric hammocks and a supporting frame | Flexible sling | Can fit a narrow vertical frame, but fabric needs clearance to sag |
| Suitcase bunk | Moderate | Suitcases, added legs or supports, cushions | Hard suitcase shells with padding | Footprint follows the cases; closed cases can be storage shells |
| Pine-board bunk with ladder | Moderate | Select pine, lath, plates, brackets, screws, nails, pillows | Slatted wooden platforms with travel pillows | Fixed rectangular frame; dimensions come from the plan’s cut list |
| Two-platform pet bunk | Not rated in the source | Plywood, dimensional lumber, glue, screws, four posts, cushions | Framed platforms with cushions | Rigid footprint set by platform size and post spacing |
“Easy” and “moderate” above are the labels used in the Catster roundup, not independent time or strength tests. A design that is simple for an experienced woodworker may still require careful measuring, clamping, and drilling for a first-time builder.
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1. Convert two doll beds into a stacked cat bed
The doll-bed conversion is the most direct route when you can obtain two matching beds. It keeps the original sleeping surfaces and turns them into a vertical pair with a small amount of hardware. Catster presents this option as easy and lists a screwdriver or cordless drill, wood screws, and mending plates.
What you need
- Two sturdy doll beds of compatible width and length.
- Wood screws suited to the bed material and thickness.
- Mending plates to tie the two beds together.
- A screwdriver or cordless drill.
- Washable cushions or blankets that do not block the openings.
Build sequence
- Place the two beds in the intended orientation and measure the total height against the room and nearby furniture.
- Identify solid points on the bed rails where a mending plate can bridge the upper and lower sections without interfering with a mattress.
- Predrill if the wood is prone to splitting, then fasten the plates with the selected screws.
- Check that the beds remain square and that no screw tip protrudes into a sleeping area.
- Add bedding and test the structure by pressing each platform and gently rocking the frame before introducing a cat.
Retail availability of any particular doll-bed product can change, so verify dimensions and construction before buying. This approach is useful when you want a recognizable bed shape and minimal cutting, but it offers less freedom to change the footprint than a scratch-built frame.
See the complete photo tutorial at Catster.
2. Make a two-level hammock bunk
A hammock bunk replaces rigid platforms with fabric slings attached to a supporting frame. Catster labels its hammock option moderate. It can create two elevated resting places without building two wooden boxes, and many cats enjoy the gentle give of a suspended surface.
Plan the support before sewing or cutting fabric
The frame, not the fabric alone, carries the load. Decide where the vertical members will stand, how far the lower hammock is from the floor, and how much clearance the upper sling needs from the ceiling, shelves, or other furniture. Leave enough room for a cat to enter, turn, and leave without snagging a claw.
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Materials and assembly considerations
- Durable, washable fabric sized for each sling.
- A rigid supporting frame and suitable fasteners.
- Reinforced hems, loops, or sleeves at every attachment point.
- Removable cushions or a tightly fitted pad if the fabric is too thin for your cat’s preference.
- Build or position the frame so all four attachment points for each hammock are supported.
- Reinforce fabric edges before hanging; unreinforced hems can stretch or tear.
- Attach the lower hammock first and check that it cannot contact the floor when pressed.
- Hang the upper hammock, keeping it clear of the lower level and the frame’s sharp edges.
- Apply gradually increasing hand pressure to each sling and inspect the fabric and fasteners for movement.
Because a hammock changes shape under weight, monitor how your cats enter and exit during the first few uses. Retighten or replace fabric if stitching elongates, a corner pulls out, or the sling begins to sit unevenly. The source plan is a concept and photo guide rather than a stated load-rated specification.
Use Catster’s hammock example for the pictured arrangement and attachment ideas.
3. Turn two suitcases into a bunk
The suitcase version reuses containers as two sleeping shells. Catster rates it moderate because the cases must be supported, aligned, and converted into stable levels. It is a practical choice if you already have hard-sided luggage and want a distinctive look.
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- Two sound suitcases with latches and handles that do not create sharp protrusions.
- Legs, posts, or another rigid support system sized for the cases.
- Fasteners appropriate to the suitcase shell and support material.
- Cushions or pads that fit without preventing the lids from closing, if you intend to retain that function.
Build sequence
- Inspect hinges, latches, corners, and interior linings; reject cases with cracked shells or loose hardware.
- Decide whether the cases will remain closed as platforms or open to form deeper beds. Secure lids so they cannot fall or flap onto a cat.
- Position the lower case and mark the support locations. Keep supports under reinforced areas rather than thin shell panels.
- Attach the posts or legs, then mount the upper case and confirm that the two levels stay parallel.
- Cover hard edges and add fitted cushions. Test for rocking, lid movement, and exposed fasteners.
A suitcase bunk can be heavier and less forgiving than it looks: a shell may flex while a cat jumps onto it. Treat the supports as the structural system and the suitcases as sleeping surfaces, and do not infer a safe load from the luggage’s travel rating.
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See the pictured suitcase approach in Catster’s roundup.
4. Build the pine-board bunk with a decorative ladder
The scratch-built pine design from Dream a Little Bigger is the most detailed of the five options. It uses a cut list, framed platforms, slats, hardware, and two travel pillows. The tutorial describes the ladder as decorative, so do not count on it as a functional climbing route.
Materials listed by the plan
- Select pine boards in the several sizes specified by the tutorial’s cut list.
- Pine lath for the platform slats.
- Mending plates and corner brackets.
- Wood screws and nails.
- Two travel pillows for the sleeping surfaces.
- A power drill and bar clamps.
The source does not establish a universal dimension that fits every cat. Measure your cats at rest and compare those measurements with the plan before cutting; if you alter a length, recalculate the slat spacing and bracket positions rather than improvising mid-assembly.
Assembly sequence from the tutorial
- Cut the pine components and lath according to the published cut list.
- Predrill screw holes where needed to reduce splitting.
- Join the platform frames with mending plates and corner brackets, using clamps to hold joints aligned.
- Attach the slats across each frame with the specified fasteners, keeping gaps consistent and too small for a paw to become trapped.
- Build and attach the decorative ladder as shown; regard it as trim, not a load-bearing access ladder.
- Install the travel pillows and check that they cannot slide into the slat gaps.
This design suits a reader who wants a conventional wooden piece and is comfortable following a measured woodworking plan. Use the original tutorial’s dimensions and sequence rather than estimating from photographs.
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5. Make a basic two-platform pet bunk
The separate pet-bunk project from Charleston Crafted builds two framed platforms and connects them with four posts. Its author describes plywood bases, dimensional lumber, glue, screws, and cushions; a saw and drill are the main tools, with a pocket-hole jig suggested as one fastening method.
Construction concept
- Build a side-board frame for the lower platform and attach its plywood base.
- Repeat for the upper platform, keeping both frames square before fastening.
- Cut four posts to the project’s planned height and attach one at each corner so the upper platform is supported at four points.
- Add cushions sized to each plywood surface and verify that they remain in place when a cat jumps up.
Tools and fastening choices
A saw and drill cover the basic operations. The optional pocket-hole jig can hide fasteners and speed assembly, but conventional screws and glue are also part of the project’s described material approach. Follow the project’s plans for dimensions; the article is an individual build, not a universal specification for every breed or room.
This format is a good middle ground when you want rigid, level beds without the longer decorative details of the pine-and-ladder project. Read the full plan and diagrams at Charleston Crafted. A related platform-and-post concept is summarized by Kreg Tool’s Pet Bunk Bed plan; its page summary lists the same broad use of plywood, dimensional lumber, glue, screws, and cushions.
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How to choose among the five designs
Choose by available materials
- Have two matching doll beds? Start with the screw-and-plate conversion.
- Have sturdy fabric and a frame location? Consider hammocks.
- Have hard-sided luggage you want to reuse? The suitcase design avoids a full lumber cut list.
- Want to buy lumber and follow measured instructions? Use the pine-board plan.
- Want simple, rigid platforms? Build the four-post pet bunk.
Choose by the cats’ sleeping preferences
Cats that seek firm, level surfaces generally suit doll beds, pine slats with pillows, or framed plywood platforms. Cats that curl into flexible surfaces may prefer hammocks. If your cats avoid enclosed or unstable objects, a suitcase shell or swinging sling may be less appealing than a broad, open platform.
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Choose by room footprint
Measure the floor area, ceiling clearance, and the approach path before selecting a plan. Two levels reduce the bed’s floor footprint, but every design still needs a stable base and enough surrounding space for a cat to jump down without colliding with a wall, shelf, or appliance. The cited tutorials do not provide a tested minimum room size.
Safety checks before a cat uses any homemade bunk
No source listed here establishes a universal safe height, load rating, or tested stability result. Dimensions must account for the cats’ size and the available room, and the finished piece should be treated as a custom project rather than certified pet furniture.
- Push each platform, post, plate, and leg from several directions. Any rocking means the frame needs correction before use.
- Run a hand over every edge and fastener. Recess, cover, or remove anything sharp or protruding.
- Check slat and frame gaps for paw, leg, or collar entrapment.
- Confirm cushions, pillows, and hammock corners cannot slide into openings or bunch under a jumping cat.
- Place the bunk on a level, non-slip surface and keep it away from fall hazards.
- Introduce the lower level first, observe how the cats jump and turn, then allow access to the upper level.
- Reinspect screws, plates, fabric stitching, and posts regularly; repeated jumping can loosen connections.
If a cat is elderly, injured, unusually large, or reluctant to climb, provide a ground-level bed as an alternative. Stop using the bunk if a joint loosens, wood splits, fabric tears, or the cats show difficulty entering or leaving.
What to measure before cutting or buying parts
- Measure each cat from nose to rump while relaxed, then add room for turning and stretching.
- Measure the intended floor footprint and the vertical clearance above it.
- Mark the locations of nearby walls, shelves, radiators, cords, and doors that could obstruct a jump.
- Compare those measurements with the chosen tutorial’s stated cut list or bed dimensions.
- Only then purchase lumber, plywood, fabric, hardware, pillows, or cushions.
For the Dream a Little Bigger and Charleston Crafted projects, follow their own dimensions and assembly diagrams rather than transferring measurements from a different design. For reused beds, hammocks, and suitcases, the available objects determine the starting dimensions, so verify fit before fastening anything permanently.
The Bottom Line
The best DIY cat bunk is the one whose structure matches your cats and your room: reuse doll beds or suitcases for a distinctive shortcut, choose hammocks for a fabric lounge, or build the pine or four-post platform designs when you want a rigid, measured frame. Whichever route you take, use the source plan’s dimensions, test every connection yourself, and provide a ground-level alternative.
Quick Recap
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