• Lounging on a daybedgirl in the bed image by Daria Miroshnikova from Fotolia.com
  
  Making a daybed can be a creative and affordable alternative to buying one from a store. Use reclaimed materials for an especially affordable daybed project. Many times you can find free or inexpensive surplus wood or metal at demolition sites or salvage metal yards.
  
  

Consignment Shop Refurbish

• You can find a daybed that is already made, rather than making one from scratch. Redesign and refurbish a used daybed to suit your comfort and aesthetic needs. Consider such renovations as adding a new mattress, re-stuffing cushions, reupholstering, sanding and refinishing the wood, and repairing the frame. This is usually the most affordable option, as purchasing a used daybed is often less expensive than the material costs of creating a brand new daybed.
  
  

Reclaimed Wood

• You can create a new daybed frame using reclaimed wood, which is another affordable option if you find the wood at its original source. Search for reclaimed wood at construction demolition sites. Old railroad ties, which you can find at railroad companies that are reconstructing their rails, provide furniture with character. Try creating wooden side tables at the ends of the daybed by extending the wood frame beyond the mattress.
  
  

Reclaimed Metal

• Salvage metal yards can be an excellent source for reclaimed metals to make furniture, according to Nine Stories Furniture. Either weld different pieces together to look like one folded piece or find a long enough piece that you can bend and crease to create the frame. You can often find tarnished metal, which adds warmth if you keep the aged, weathered look. If your space calls for a steel look, you can take your salvaged pieces to a metal shop for polishing. Metal from corrugated metal roofs is an ideal material for creating furniture, because it is strong yet bendable.