Bracing a broken bedframe

Question

I have an Ikea bed made from some type of particle board. As shown below, the main rail running on one side from the head to the foot of the bed has cracked.

Of course, the usual advice for such "disposable" furniture is just to dump it, but currently I can't afford to do this and need to fix the bed I have for a low cost.

What's a reasonable way to do this? I'm thinking a piece of wood running parallel to the frame over the crack (flat part on flat part), attached with 4 screws on both ends? Or perhaps bolts straight through both pieces of wood with nuts and washers. I am not particularly concerned about the aesthetics of the fix.

The bed is very low to the ground, so a collapse is not a serious matter (but I'd prefer it doesn't happen).

I have basic tools (drill, hand saw) but nothing fancy.

The crack, which occurred at a screw point for the metal rail (I'll move this screw):

The other side:

The full rails:

End-on view showing the type of wood:

Answer 1

On the assumption that the metal L shaped length is there to support the slats: either two plates of thin plywood (3mm), one on either side, long enough so they don't block the lateral slats - so maybe 6" long, high enough to span top to metal, wth 4 bolts/nuts through, 2 either side - a good way away from the crack.

If you can find some 1mm metal plate, that will be better, again bolted through, holes maybe 1" from the ends of the plate. Even better - bend the metal on one side, so it forms an L shape to go along and under the whole piece of chipboard - the outside piece is going to be that one.

Greg's answer is a more 'permanent' one, but more work and expense will be involved.

Answer 2

Consider making a new rail from "real" wood. It looks like white oak may be a better match and less conspicuous than a patch across the crack.