How to repair this bed rail

PeteD

New User
Pete
Hi all. Inexperienced with building so hoping someone may be able to suggest some fix. About three months ago we bought a rather expensive bedframe from a well known retail outlet. Within three months we noticed creaking getting worse and finally noticed that it looks like rather than using a solid piece for the bedrail, they used a piece with finger joint right in the middle at the weakest point which has separated. See photo.

I understand this may be able to be repaired with wood glue and some reinforcement, the trouble is that bottom set of fingers are now misaligned and I can seem to get them realigned.

Any tips on how I may be able to force this back into place? Hoping the retailer will replace, but doesn't sound like they will.

Thanks everyone in advance for any help.

20230326_221317.jpg
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
They absolutely should replace that.
If not you will have to finish breaking it so the two parts can slide back together.
Be sure to use plenty of Titebond wood glue and clamp well.

I would be tempted to replace both rails with solid wood.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
That looks like the joint was glue-starved since above the gap the joint looks tight. Definitely a manufacturing defect.

Roy G
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
Is the picture the inside of the rail? I'll assume it is for this suggestion. If the outside, the normally visible side, looks OK if the parts are pushed back into alignment, then I would pretty much forget about making this badly made bed rail work as it should. I would push glue into the joint but I would depend on an additional solid one piece rail glued on the inside of the existing rail. You shouldn't necessarily have to go all the way to the ends of the rail but the longer it is the stronger it will be. Might even want to do the other side if it has the same finger joint construction.

The glue up will be a mess and I would definitely clamp it first to make sure it works to fix the appearance of the outside before adding glue. You should be able to clamp the broken rail to the new rail and force the broken rail into alignment to fix the appearance. Assuming you do not have unlimited clamps, you could also use screws from the inside to link the two rails. The purpose of the screws is to do the job that clamps would do, the glue should be what holds the rails together.

You probably have some slats or something to work around but I think this will work. If this bed has a boxed spring, you could also make a wooden structure to replace the boxed spring making the bed rail not really stressed. I did this for the bed I gave to my son and daughter in law after my late wife and I used it for 10 years or more. I don't like boxed springs, I think they serve no purpose, so I normally make beds where there is no boxed spring. But I decided after the bed was made to delete the boxed spring and make a plywood structure that replaced the boxed spring. This would be a lot more work.
 

Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
Pete you really should try and get the manufacturer to stand behind this piece before making a repair. Once that has been exhausted then a repair could be in order.
 

Warped Woodwerks

.
Senior User
That is horrible! I am sorry to see that.

As @Roy G said, that joint does look starved of glue.
If you can, I'd suggest inspecting that joint and see if there is indeed glue in that joint.

Regardless, I'd raise h3LL and get them to replace that. Poor customer service, if they don't, imo.
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
Gluing and clamping that mess together is possible if the clamps are capable of putting the compression force across those joints needed. I wouldn't trust 3/4" pipe clamps as being strong enough.
The glue can't be too viscous. Blowing the glue in with compressed air will be a god strategy.

I agree with everyone's observation that the failure is a manufacturing defect.
 

spitzerone

New User
Gary
Before I would go through all the hassle, I'd get me some white oak and just remake the support (s). The technique used in making the broken one is common in Chinese built furniture. They take small pieces and join them with finger joints and glue to fabricate a longer board. The wood they use is a soft wood species that doesn't have a lot of strength similar to yellow pine. Here they obviously left out the glue or it would have broken somewhere besides the joint.
 

HITCH-

Hitch
Corporate Member
I would not attempt to make any repair until I was certain that there was no option to get it replaced.
If the store and or the manufacturer will not stand behind their product you could call the local news 'on your side' reporter and see if that brings any results.
What does the out side of that rail look like?
A Pic of that might help establish best method of repair.
 

Craptastic

Matt
Corporate Member
I'm also on the side on that being a manufacturing defect especially with it happening after just a few months. Get the seller and manufacturer to stand behind their product. If they don't, then shame them publicly and discourage others from purchasing there.

That's just a crappy build.
 

tri4sale

Daniel
Corporate Member
Time to get firm with the store, I would not be fixing their defect, but sadly good chance the next bed frame will be just as defective. If it's who I think it is, their furniture is made to be disposed after a few years, hence why you can outfit an entire room so cheaply.

Stop saying "a well known retail outlet" and starting naming names. Post on Instagram / TikTok and tag the store and the manufacturer. Send a certified letter to the store and manufacturer notifying them of the defect and that you'll expect them to cover the rental of a new bed until the fix that one due to the inherent danger of using the defective bed. And if you paid with credit card, file with them as the product is defective and they won't honor the warranty.
 

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