Back in October we mentioned our plans to add a hanging daybed to the covered portion of our front porch, and our whole family couldn’t be happier that it’s finally finished.
Hanging daybeds are everywhere around here, and we’ve always loved them. Few things beat an afternoon nap or a long read outdoors on a lazy Saturday.
An Airbnb we stayed at in Costa Rica last January had one, and watching Sherry and our daughter lounge there confirmed that a hanging daybed is basically the ideal outdoor spot. They each leaned against an arm, stretched their legs toward each other, read, chatted, and gently swayed for hours.
We realized we had a nearly perfect spot for one on our front porch: it’s covered to protect from sun and rain, has exposed beams sturdy enough to hang a bed, and even a nearby fan to keep things cool.
It wasn’t completely ideal because the porch isn’t deep enough for a full twin mattress daybed without blocking the path to our outdoor shower or crowding the wicker storage bin where we load beach chairs. We needed something slightly shallower to keep good traffic flow.
We found a cushion that’s three inches shorter than a twin mattress (6′ long) and about 10″ less deep. Even with the reduced depth it’s nearly 30″ deep, which matches a typical sofa cushion and is very comfortable. The reduced size left plenty of clearance for walking to the outdoor shower and accessing the wicker bin.
The nearby egg chair swivels, so someone sitting there can turn to face the daybed. But the bigger challenge was finding the right outdoor cushion—something weather-resistant, lightweight, and easy to clean.
Finding an Outdoor Daybed Cushion
We considered using a regular twin mattress inside a waterproof cover wrapped in outdoor fabric, or a custom-cut mildew-resistant foam pad. Both options were possible, but custom solutions were getting expensive and risked ending up heavy and awkward to handle during storms or cleaning.
Instead we searched for an off-the-shelf outdoor sofa cushion sized to our needs. An outdoor replacement cushion is made to resist the elements, ships sooner than a custom order, and is usually more affordable. After some hunting we found a cushion that matched our size, color, and material preferences, and ordered it during an end-of-summer sale.
The cushions were back-ordered and arrived right before Christmas, but they were worth the wait. They’re lightweight, dry quickly, and clean up well after rain, sun exposure, and the occasional kid spill.
Materials
Below are the materials we used to build our specific swing; adjust quantities for a different cushion or a standard twin mattress (38″ x 75″). Our cushion measured 28″ x 72″.
- Three 8′ long 2×4 boards (frame)
- Four 8′ long 1×4 boards (slats)
- Three 8′ long 1×8 primed boards
- Three 8′ long 1×4 primed boards
- Two 8′ long 1×3 primed boards
- Three 8′ long 1×2 primed boards
- Box of 2″ exterior screws
- Exterior-grade wood glue
- Four 5-gallon buckets
- Eight screw eye hooks (for ceiling and bed)
- 3/4″ natural hemp rope (we used a 48-foot length)
- Outdoor-rated paint and primer (semi-gloss exterior)
Building the Daybed Platform
Building the platform was straightforward. We combined lessons from previous projects and a clear tutorial to design a frame that fit our cushion exactly. The structural core is a simple 2×4 frame built to the cushion dimensions and fastened with exterior screws. This frame supports the cushion and accepts the hanging hardware.
To make the base look more finished we wrapped the 2×4 frame with 1×8 boards. If you prefer a different look you can choose another thickness. Because we planned to paint, we used primed boards to save time.
Decide how much of the cushion you want recessed into the frame before attaching the 1x8s. We wanted only a small lip so the cushion stayed put without causing anyone to scrape their legs on the frame, so we propped the frame on scrap wood to set the perfect height.
After the 1x8s were screwed on from the inside, we added 1×4 slats across the top to create the platform. The next day we primed and painted every exposed surface with the same exterior paint we use elsewhere on the house, protecting the wood from weather.
Propping the frame on 5-gallon buckets during construction helped with alignment and made some assembly steps much easier.
Building the Daybed Arms
The arms and side rails are a design choice. We chose a low arm height to support pillows without encouraging people to turn the daybed into a couch facing the house. We built corner posts from two 1×4 boards at right angles and used 1×3 boards for the horizontal rails, attaching pieces with exterior glue and brad nails for quick assembly and long-term strength.
We added a flat top piece to create a comfortable armrest and finished the look with a 1×2 trim along the bottom edge. After filling nail holes, sanding, caulking seams, and painting, the frame was ready to hang.
Hanging the Outdoor Daybed
We experimented with multiple hanging methods and will share a detailed follow-up post about the best approach. In short, we used heavy-duty eye hooks in the ceiling and on the bed and 3/4″ natural hemp rope. Starting with the bed propped on buckets helped us get the height right; the rope stretched a bit under load and relaxed to the perfect height once people used the bed.
The most important safety step is anchoring into strong joists or other structural members in the porch ceiling. Our exposed beams made it easy to locate reliable anchor points.
Once rehung using our final method, the daybed quickly became a favorite spot to relax. We’ve enjoyed sunny afternoons and breezy evenings there already.
The 6′ cushion is comfortable for two people to sit upright at either end with legs tucked or stretched out, and it’s long enough for a tall adult to sprawl across comfortably.
Budget
Aside from the cushion, the build was budget-friendly. We paid $399 for an outdoor cushion set (bottom cushion plus three oversized pillows) during a sale, and the rest of the project costs broke down roughly as follows:
- Wood: $150
- Buckets: $14
- Eye hooks: $25
- Rope: $28
- TOTAL: $217
With the cushion added, the grand total came to about $616. That’s a lot less than many pre-made or custom hanging daybeds, and the result feels high-quality and personalized for our porch.
We’ll follow up with a detailed post and video showing how we hung the bed and what worked best so you can avoid our initial mistakes. For now, we’re just enjoying more afternoons outside with a great new lounging spot.