I recently bought a stunning used Stickley Mission California King bed from the Prairie Collection at a great price, but when I got it home, I realized the headboard is about 2 inches too tall to fit up the stairs in my older home. We really love the bed and don't want to sell it. What are some options I have for disassembling it? I believe the joinery is held by dowels, and I'm considering hiring a skilled carpenter to help with the joinery in the legs to allow for easier assembly. Any advice would be appreciated!
2 Answers
First off, check how exactly it's too big. If it’s just a slight height issue, you might try using a soft piece of construction lumber and gently tapping it with a rubber mallet to get those end pieces off. Just make sure you don't hit too hard to avoid damaging the wood. Once you get it apart, you can clamp it back together with some glue. If that seems complicated, hiring someone to disassemble and reassemble could be worth it, but it might cost more than your deal!
Have you checked the size of the upstairs windows? It might be possible to hoist the headboard through one if the window is large enough. I’ve been a part of some multi-storey moves, and it’s all about getting the angle just right! Just make sure you clear the area for furniture first. If you get it through the window, you can literally 'Tetris' it into place, but be prepared for some trial and error!
Sadly, the windows are just small casement ones, so I don't think that will work. It would have made things easier if they were larger!
Also, I wonder how feasible it would be to cut the legs at some premarked spots and add a threaded insert or dowel to reattach them later.