No setup instructions were included in the bed packaging and the instructions on the Joss & Main product page were not helpful. Ultimately we had figured out we had to cut the material on the headboard and footboard in order to insert the wood center support. Then we just assume that the slats lay on top of that center support bar, but they don't lay flush. There were 8 bolts included in the packaging that had no obvious use, so we didn't use them. Now that the bed is assembled it looks good. There was no metal bar as other reviewers have mentioned.