Turn IKEA doll beds into an adorable cat bunk bed

cat bunk bed ikea duktig hack

Move over dolls, we want the IKEA DUKTIG as a cat bunk bed

You may have seen some photos of these adorable cat bunk beds and wondered where they came from. They’re actually sold as “doll beds” at IKEA!

IKEA does sell pet furniture (in some countries) and it’s probably easier to buy than make, but it’s hard to deny how cute your pet will look in one of these little beds.

IKEA items used:
IMG_5591
Other materials and tools:
  • Screwdriver or cordless drill
  • 16 x wood screws
  • 2 x 4″x7/8″ mending plates

My partner and I bought one of these IKEA DUKTIG doll beds on a whim after a friend got one. I actually went back to IKEA just days later to get a second one.

With two larger than average cats in the house there would be no sharing. After seeing some photos of folks who had double (or triple) bunked these little beds, I knew I had to do the same.

I looked around for an explicit “how to make a cat bunk bed” post but couldn’t find one, so I thought I’d make one myself.

You don’t have to be handy or have any special tools to do this project, just a screwdriver or drill, 2 x pre-assembled IKEA DUKTIG doll beds, 16 x wood screws, and 2 x 4″x7/8″ mending plates.

How to make a cat bunk bed

First, remove the board from the bottom of the DUKTIG beds and set them on their sides. Line up the posts and place the mending plate so that it is spread equally across both posts.

mending plates

The next step is to attach the mending plates to each of the posts. I stood mine up just to make sure everything looked right.

diy cat bunk bed using ikea DUKTIG doll bed

Then, tip the bed onto its side again and attached the two mending plates to the top bunk. Make sure they’re centred!

join them together

Carefully flip the beds, now attached on only one side so they’re a bit fragile. When you turn them over you’ll likely notice that things aren’t lining up just right. Don’t worry! The final screws will fix them.

alignment

On the left you can see how the posts are before the last two mending plates are attached. Just gently press them into place beforehand.

diy cat bunk bed using ikea DUKTIG doll bed

You’ll find the attachments are very sturdy, and because the mending plates are attached on the interior they don’t detract from the overall appearance of the bunk beds. Now all you have to do is replace the bedding…

diy cat bunk bed using ikea DUKTIG doll bed

And last but not least, insert happy cats!

diy cat bunk bed using ikea DUKTIG doll bed
diy cat bunk bed using ikea DUKTIG doll bed

Hope your pets like the bunk bed!

~ Kelly