How Do You Put an Ottoman Bed Together?

The Short Answer

An ottoman bed is assembled in a set order: build the base frame first, fit the gas lift mechanism to the side rails, attach the headboard, then drop the upholstered lid or mattress platform onto the lifting arms and connect them. Most models take between forty five minutes and ninety minutes with two people, and the only tools usually needed are the supplied Allen key and a cross head screwdriver. The single most important rule is that the gas struts go on last and the mattress goes on before you test the lift, because the pistons are calibrated to work with weight on top.

If you have ever built a standard divan or frame, the process will feel familiar. The difference is the storage cavity and the lifting hardware, and both of those reward patience rather than strength. Work on a clear floor, keep the fixings sorted, and follow the sequence below.

Before You Start: Clear the Room and Sort the Fixings

Assemble the bed in the room where it will live. An ottoman base cannot be carried through a narrow doorway once built, and dismantling a half assembled frame is far more irritating than moving a few boxes. Measure the doorway and any turns on the landing before the delivery arrives so you know the flat packed panels will reach the room.

Lay a blanket or the flattened cardboard packaging on the floor. Upholstered side rails scuff easily on carpet grippers and hard flooring, and a soft surface also stops screws rolling away. Open every bag of fixings and group them by type. Manufacturers commonly include four or five different bolt lengths that look almost identical, so matching them to the parts list at the start saves guesswork later.

Two people make this straightforward. One person holds panels square while the other drives the fixings, and the lid section is genuinely awkward to lift alone. Set aside a clear stretch of time rather than trying to squeeze it in around other jobs.

Step One: Build the Base Frame

Start with the two long side rails and the head and foot panels. These are usually joined with barrel bolts or cam locks. Tighten each fixing until it holds firmly, but leave everything slightly loose until all four corners are connected. A frame that is fully tightened corner by corner tends to end up out of square, and you will notice it when the lid refuses to sit flat.

Once the rectangle is complete, check the diagonals. Measure from one inside corner to the opposite corner, then repeat with the other pair. If the two figures match, the frame is square. Now go around and tighten everything fully.

Next, fit the internal storage floor. On side lifting models this is often a single large board or two panels that rest on a lip inside the frame. On end lifting models it is usually one solid base. Some designs include a central support leg or crossbar underneath: fit it now, because you will not reach it later. If the bed is going on carpet, make sure the legs or plinth sit flush rather than balancing on the edge of an underlay join.

Step Two: Attach the Headboard

Headboards are normally bolted through the head end panel using long bolts and washers. Slide the headboard struts into the brackets or align the pre drilled holes, then fit the bolts loosely on both sides before tightening either one. If you fully tighten the left side first, the right side rarely lines up.

Check the headboard height against your wall before final tightening. Many ottoman beds allow two positions so the board can clear a skirting board or a radiator. Choosing the right slot at this stage avoids taking it apart again. It is also worth deciding now whether the bed sits flush to the wall, since side lifting models need a little clearance to open cleanly. Anyone browsing our range of modern ottoman beds UK sale will notice that headboard fixing differs slightly between fabric and faux leather designs, so the instruction leaflet supplied in the box always takes priority over general advice.

Step Three: Fit the Gas Lift Mechanism

This is the part people worry about, and it is simpler than it looks. Each gas strut has a fixed end and a moving end. The fixed end bolts to a bracket on the base frame, and the moving end connects to the arm on the lid. The struts are usually marked left and right, or the brackets are handed, so lay them out and identify each one before picking up a spanner.

Bolt the lower brackets to the frame first and leave them slightly loose. Then position the lid section on top of the frame with help, align the upper brackets, and connect them. Once both sides are engaged, tighten all bolts fully. Do not compress or extend a strut by hand to force alignment. If the holes do not meet, the frame is probably not square or the lid is sitting the wrong way round.

The struts are pressurised and should never be dismantled, punctured or heated. Treat them as sealed units.

Step Four: Add the Mattress, Then Test

Place the mattress on the platform before you test the lift for the first time. Gas struts are specified to counterbalance a mattress of a particular weight range. Without that weight, the lid can spring up quickly, and with a mattress that is much heavier than intended, the lid can feel stiff or fail to hold open. Check the weight guidance in the instructions and match it to the mattress you plan to use.

Lift the lid slowly using the strap or handle. It should rise smoothly and hold in the open position without being held. Lower it with a hand on the lid rather than letting it drop. If the lid opens too eagerly, the mattress is likely too light for the mechanism; if it needs a hard shove, it may be too heavy. Our selection of mattresses UK sale lists depth and weight details on each product page, which makes matching a mattress to a lift mechanism much easier.

Side Lift or End Lift: Why It Changes Assembly

Side lifting beds open from the long edge, which suits rooms where the bed sits with one side against a wall and open floor on the other. End lifting beds open from the foot, which works well in narrow rooms or alcoves where both sides are tight. The assembly steps are the same, but the clearance you need differs. End lifting models need free floor space at the foot of the bed, so a blanket box or bench placed there will get in the way.

Think about the room layout before assembly rather than after. If the bed opens towards a radiator or a low window sill, the lid may not travel fully. A quick check with a tape measure at the planning stage takes moments.

Common Mistakes Worth Avoiding

Overtightening is the most frequent problem. Cam locks and barrel bolts thread into engineered board, and forcing them strips the thread. Tighten until the joint is firm and stop there.

Skipping the diagonal check is the second. A frame that is a few millimetres out of square will still bolt together, but the lid will sit unevenly and the struts will work against each other.

Losing track of fixings is the third. Keep the small parts in a bowl or on a tray rather than loose on carpet. If a bolt does go missing, count what remains against the parts list before improvising with something from the toolbox, because thread pitch matters on strut brackets.

Finally, resist the urge to load the storage cavity immediately. Give the bolts a check after a week of use. Beds settle slightly, and a five minute tighten at that point keeps the frame silent for years.

Using the Storage Well

An ottoman base holds a surprising volume, but it works best with soft, evenly distributed items. Spare duvets, winter bedding, towels and off season clothing sit flat and lift easily. Heavy boxes, tools or anything with sharp corners will press into the underside of the mattress and make the lid harder to raise.

Use vacuum bags or fabric storage bags to keep contents tidy and to stop items shifting when the lid moves. Leave a small gap at the top so nothing catches as the platform lowers. In homes without a loft or airing cupboard, this space often replaces a whole cupboard, which is why ottoman designs have become such a practical choice in smaller UK bedrooms.

If storage is the main reason for the purchase, it is worth looking at the wider picture too. Pairing the bed with matching modern wooden bedside cabinets UK or a slim drawer unit keeps everyday items to hand while reserving the ottoman cavity for bulkier seasonal things. At Furniture in Fashion we group storage friendly bedroom pieces together so a room can be planned as a whole rather than one item at a time, and free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes applies across the range.

Maintenance and Long Term Care

Gas struts have a working life measured in thousands of cycles, so normal household use is well within tolerance. Keep the pivot points clean and avoid getting cleaning sprays onto the piston rods. If a lid gradually begins to sag rather than holding open, the strut is the part that needs attention, not the frame.

Check bolts once or twice a year, particularly the strut brackets and the headboard fixings. Vacuum inside the cavity occasionally, since dust gathers in any enclosed space. Fabric bases benefit from a soft brush attachment rather than a beater head.

Rotate the mattress in line with the manufacturer guidance. Ottoman platforms are usually solid or slatted with close spacing, both of which support a mattress well, but rotation still evens out wear. Anyone updating a whole room may also want to browse modern bedroom furniture UK sale for coordinating wardrobes and drawers once the bed is in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to assemble an ottoman bed?

Allow around one hour with two people for a standard double or king. Larger super king models with heavier lids may take a little longer, mainly because of the time spent aligning the platform.

Can one person assemble an ottoman bed alone?

The base frame is manageable alone, but lifting the platform onto the gas struts safely really needs a second pair of hands. It is worth waiting for help rather than risking a bent bracket.

Do I need any special tools?

No. The supplied Allen key covers most fixings, and a cross head screwdriver plus a small spanner or adjustable wrench handles the rest. A tape measure is useful for checking the frame is square.

Why will my ottoman lid not stay open?

Almost always the mattress is lighter than the weight range the struts were designed for, or a bracket bolt is loose. Check the fixings first, then compare your mattress weight with the guidance in the instructions.

Can an ottoman bed be dismantled and moved?

Yes. Disconnect the struts at the lid end first, then remove the platform before taking the frame apart. Keep the fixings bagged and labelled, and note which strut came from which side.