Building a Couch riser

[KingRadicalPhil]

Hi folks, I'm planning to build a riser for my rear row of seating, and I'm looking for suggestions. A few searches seem to indicate several people have built risers, but I wasn't able to find specifics.

Anyway, the idea I have in my head is to use 2x10 0r 2x12 topped with 3/4" ply. The 2x10 or 2x12 would run all around the outside, and also cross brace about every 18", so the frame will look kind of like this from above: (some imagination required):


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I'm a little worried that a fully loaded couch could have as much as 600lbs of people sitting on it. Is 3/4" ply sufficient to support that much weight? The couch has 4 feet, each of which would not have direct support from the 2x10 underneath.

To address this, I was thinking I might add 2x4 bracing as well, so it would look something like this :


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Is this overkill? I worry that maybe I'm overdoing things a bit and it's going to end up weighing so much it's impossible to move it into the family room


Thanks in advance,

[Blu_Ray_Fan]

I don't have an answer, but when are you going to post pic's of all those nice DefTech's??

[elninoloco7]

hey kingradicalphil, I built a riser out of 2X10 and Thick plywood (cant remember the size) .. i have 3 seats on it, (each weighing about 80lbsish) So far it can hold up those chairs plus 3 adults on it and some kids (watching a 3 hour movie) with no problems. (total roughly 600LBS+). My riser however is 10" Tall X 5.5' Deep X 9.5' Wide. I made my riser in the garage, BIG MISTAKE as my theater is in the basement, when i was done building it it was solid and yet heavy, lucky for me i have walk in basement. Lucky for you i took some pics last year when i built it, Here some pics, hope this helps.

[Big Daddy]

A cheap and easy way is to buy bed risers:

http://www.bedrisersales.com/index.html
http://www.amazon.com/tag/bed%20riser

or

a platform bed:

PlatformBed.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_k?...e+Platform+bed

[derelicte]

Originally Posted by KingRadicalPhil

The couch has 4 feet, each of which would not have direct support from the 2x10 underneath.

I'd say you answered your own question - just plan the braces so that you have a 2x10 under the couch feet - and enough braces in between to keep the wood from flexing too much when people walk on it. I'd imagine 3/4" would be fine and you should be able to keep it to a reasonable weight.

Tell me how it works out, as I'm planning a riser later this year too...

Cheers