Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Trash Day find: Old cot or daybed project

This fall's Clean Up Day was not a roaring success in terms of treasures found, but I did get this old metal day bed. I got it on Trash Day, but it never actually made it into the trash, so I'm not certain I can count it. Anyway, Al Wuennecke was cleaning out a shed that needed to be torn down, and I spotted this, covered with dirt and bat poop, in the shed and asked him if he was going to keep it, and he said no, and hauled it out and even loaded it into my Jeep for me.

I took a wire brush to it and cleaned off all the bat poop and most of the rust. I figured painting would need to wait till the spring, but then we had a couple of beautiful, unseasonably warm days here (in the 60s, even!), so I got the chance to paint it after all. It's not a great paint job, as I basically painted over old paint and some remaining rust with Rustoleum; if I did it right, I would have had somebody sandblast and then powdercoat it. Oh well, it's okay for now, anyway.

I took these pictures in the front room because that's where I put the headboard and footboard back on after painting, but don't worry, we don't keep it there. It will go on the front porch in my sewing area for awhile, though eventually Miss A wants to try using it for her bed. The bed she has right now in her room is actually Britta's and when Britta gets her own apartment off campus, eventually, she wants to take it. We'll give it a try, though I doubt this will be heavy duty enough for daily use.


Here's how it goes normally. The two halves interlock to make a trundle.


You can pull out the trundle and make a double bed (more or less - it may actually be 3/4, I haven't measured).


Or you can just separate the two entirely and make cots.



And here it is with the little ticking mattress I have - only have one so far, will have to do something about the other side eventually - and also Beckham, who had to test drive it.


Just a cute little old cot. I like old stuff like this.

12 comments:

Mrs. Mac said...

Not sure it would be too comfy for everyday use (with just a ticking mattress pad) .. can it hold a twin mattress? Or is it much smaller? Now that you mentioned locking the trundle to the main cot .. I need to see if I can lock my day bed. It makes almost a king size when pushed together .. nice for guests. You got a good trash find .. (er .. tear down shed almost in the trash find;)

Felisol said...

I like the bed too.
I must have been make for a long man..
I've never seen a double-bed like this before.
Enjoy your find. I do.

Maria Stahl said...

Thank you Felisol!

SusieQT said...

Very cute- that would be perfect with some vintage bedding, like an old wool blanket or quilt.

Catherine said...

I think it`s great. Nice find! Bat poop and all.

Maria Stahl said...

Susie, that's what'll happen to it for awhile, anyway - I pile quilts on it. And Catherine, LOL!

Maria Stahl said...

Mrs. Mac, I lost your comment in Moderation Land for awhile. It's not big enough for a twin mattress, it's really narrow. Yeah, I don't think it will work either, but she is so excited to give it a try. She likes the idea of all that floor space freed up in her room. :)

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

That is pretty cool!

Unknown said...

I grew up in New Brunswick Canada and these cots without the headboards were in every kitchen in every home I can remember. They were fitted with the old white and blue stripped mattress that also folded out. IN the 60's it was normal to host vets from the wars in your home, as they came back , sometimes with out much hope, of course today we have named it and gave it an acronym so that much better. I remember one particular gent that came to our place twice a year, and stayed for weeks. this went on for years. The "Army Cot" was also the best place to nap after Sunday lunch, usually with the cat and dog, as it was placed in our kitchen so it caught the winter sun around 1:00 pm. con grats on the find, it's incredible.

Maria Stahl said...

Greg, that's a great insight on these cots! In the KITCHEN?? Well, that is usually everybody's favorite place, it's warm and that's where the food and people are. Thanks for posting!

Judith Twitchell said...

I had two of these (similar) many years ago. I used one for my 3 daughters (twins + another) to sleep on while they were too big for a crib but didn't need twin size yet. The bed is a cot size when closed up and full/double size when the trundle is open. (I never knew the trundle could be separate!) I bought a 4" full-size foam and cut in half, so they rested one above the other when closed and the bed was made up to look like a daybed, but the one slipped down to rest side-by-side when the trundle was open. A full sheet covered them and folded up with them. The blankets and bedspread just covered it all when it was folded up for the day. I wouldn't be terribly comfortable to sit on like a couch because the springs are not as supportive as the big springs in a sofa. But it worked for my girls. They didn't know the difference, and it provided more play space for them when they weren't sleeping! I no longer have mine since downsizing years ago, but I'm getting ready to move into a larger townhouse now and would love to have another one in my guest room! Oh, and you can get cot-size sheets from Penney's and Sears. Or they used to have them.

Maria Stahl said...

Thanks Judith! I don't have this one anymore either. I kind of miss it.