Before buying the materials, visit a couple of retailers and check out the quality of their framing lumber. Here are a few suggestions for lumber shopping:
• Try to find a lumberyard that will let you select your own wood, or at least reject pieces that don't meet your standards. Look for boards without splits, gouges or loose knots. Remember, though, that because of the way the bed is constructed, you will be able to hide one bad side on both the inner and outer frame.
• Check the straightness of each board by holding one end at eye level and sighting along two sides. If there are no acceptable boards in the length you need, you may be able to have a longer piece cut in halves or cut to size.
• Your requests are more likely to get a congenial reception if you follow some lumberyard etiquette. If you are picking out the wood yourself, keep the piles neat, and when you're done, take a minute to put the stacks back in order.
• Once home, store the lumber inside--or, if that's not possible, in a garage--for a few days before building, so it has a chance to dry out and shrink.

A Note on Lumber Terms
We refer to boards by their conventional lumberyard names--2" by 4", 2" by 8", and so on. These are not the actual sizes of these boards.

MATERIALS

TOOLS
Circular saw
Power drill with 1/8", 5/16" and 3/8" bits
Power screwdriver
Socket wrench set
Tape measure
Carpenter's square
Goggles
Hammer

HARDWARE
Pound of 2" decking screws
Pound of 2-1/2" decking screws
(80) no. 8 finishing washers
(16) 3 1/2-inch 3/8" carriage bolts
(7) 5-inch 3/8" carriage bolts
(2) 8-inch 3/8" carriage bolts
(2) 5-inch 3/8" hex bolts
(4) 3-inch 3/8" lag screws
(8) 4-inch 3/8" lag screws
(12) 5 1/2-inch 3/8" lag screws
(53) 5/16-inch washers
(27) 3/8-inch hex nuts
(4) 2' adjustable shelf standards
(12) shelf supports
(4) 2-1/2" corner braces
(1) sheet medium-grit sandpaper

LUMBER
(4) 2" by 8" by 10' boards
(1) 2" by 8" by 8' board
(1) 2" by 6" by 12' board
(2) 2" by 6" by 8' boards
(1) 2" by 4" by 8' board
(2) 2" by 3" by 8' boards
(2) 1" by 8" by 8' pine boards
(9) feet interior handrail
(2) 5/4" by 6" by 8' lengths of cedar decking ripped to 3 1/2" and 1 1/2"
(1) 5/4" by 6" by 8' cedar decking ripped in half
(6) 2" by 2" by 4' clear cedar balusters
(1) sheet 3/4" birch plywood, good two sides, cut to 39 1/2" by 75"

OPTIONAL
(1) 4- by 6' cork bulletin board
(1) 6' tension shower curtain rod
(1) 38" tension curtain rod
(17) 5/8" furniture tips
(10) 1" wooden plugs (to cover ladder countersinks)
(1) pint Crayola chalkboard paint
(1) pint knot sealer
(1) quart white primer paint
(1) quart white semi-gloss interior trim paint
(1) pint clear high-gloss polyurethane finish

Approximate Cost of Materials:
Hardware - $56
Lumber - $221
Optionals - $90
Total - $367