Most ottoman beds take one to two hours to assemble with two people, using only the tools supplied in the box. The gas struts are the one part worth slowing down for — fit them last, and fit them the right way up.
Table of contents
- Before you start
- The assembly sequence
- Fitting the gas struts safely
- Five common mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
Before you start
- Assemble in the room the bed will live in — a built ottoman frame will not fit through a standard doorway.
- Clear a space slightly larger than the bed's footprint.
- Lay the parts out and check them against the parts list before fitting anything.
- Keep the mattress out of the room until the frame is complete.
- Have a second person available — not optional for the platform and struts.
The assembly sequence
- Build the base frame — join the side and end rails, leaving bolts finger-tight so the frame can flex into square.
- Check it is square — measure both diagonals; they should match. Adjust before tightening.
- Tighten fully once square, working around the frame evenly rather than one corner at a time.
- Attach the headboard to the base or the wall bracket as instructed.
- Fit the platform — this is a two-person lift; align the hinges before securing.
- Fit the gas struts last — see below.
- Test the lift empty, then add the mattress and test again.
Fitting the gas struts safely
Gas struts are under high pressure. Three rules: fit them cylinder-end up, piston-rod down unless your instructions say otherwise (this keeps the seal lubricated and the action smooth); never dismantle or puncture a strut; and never let the platform slam — guide it down until you have confirmed the struts are engaged correctly on both sides.
If the platform rises too eagerly or refuses to stay up, the struts are almost always inverted or fitted to the wrong mounting points — not faulty.
Five common mistakes
- Tightening everything before checking square — causes a frame that rocks forever.
- Assembling in the wrong room — the most common call we get.
- Fitting struts before the platform is secured — dangerous and fiddly.
- Using a power drill on the final turns — strips threads and splits timber; finish by hand.
- Skipping the empty lift test — always test before the mattress goes on.
Every frame arrives flat-packed with fittings and clear instructions, plus a 5-year warranty covering the gas-lift mechanism.
Browse ottoman beds →Frequently asked questions
How long does an ottoman bed take to assemble?
Typically one to two hours with two people.
Can one person assemble an ottoman bed?
Not safely — the platform lift and strut fitting both need a second pair of hands.
Do you need special tools?
No — the fittings and Allen key are supplied. A rubber mallet helps but is optional.
Why won't my ottoman bed stay open?
Almost always inverted or wrongly mounted gas struts. Recheck orientation before assuming a fault — and see our warranty page if the issue persists.
New to ottoman beds? Start with how the mechanism works.
