One of the most useful pieces of furniture for a home with a family is a set of bunk beds. They can be especially helpful if your extra bedrooms are smaller because stacked beds don’t have huge footprints. You can sleep two, three, or even four kids on a single piece of furniture that takes up no more room than a single bed. Think of them like skyscrapers – build up, rather than out. That leaves you more space on the floor for other important pieces of furniture like a desk and chair, a dresser, or toy chests.
How do you know which one is the best bunk bed, though? Well, there are plenty of different features bunks come with, so you should know what you need out of your particular choice first. Most stacked beds don’t come with mattresses, so you’ll have to buy those separately.
Bunk Beds as a Solution for Any Home
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These smart beds can be the end to the problem of having two kids close in age who must share a room. In a small room, two twins or full-sized beds can take up all the floor space, which is a problem, when your children’s bedroom is their only space that’s all their own. Instead of eating up all that space with beds, a bunk bed becomes the best solution. While stacked beds are the obvious solution for smaller rooms, they’re also great options for those with more space. Some stacked beds come with built-in dresser drawers, desks, and other features that are helpful for kids of any age. You can even find fun bunk beds with slides attached which might get your little ones on top out of bed earlier in the morning. Perhaps the biggest issue with stacked beds is determining who gets to sleep on top and who gets the bottom. Most of the time, kids are going to fight for the top bunk, but you may have one child who’s afraid of heights or who doesn’t really care which bunk they get. You could always set up a swapping system, so they trade out every month or something.
Types of Bunk Beds
When you think of traditional bunk beds, you probably visualize the classic twin-over-twin bed. These are still quite popular and, probably, the most affordable option. There are plenty of other options out there, though.
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Twin-Over-Twin
These are the traditional bunks you’re likely familiar with, and they’re usually made of wood, but some are made of metal, too, which makes them lightweight and easy to move about. This type of stacked bed is a great choice for a pair of kids who are close in age, as they’ll be about the same height and weight.
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Twin-Over-Full
Another popular choice for bunk beds is the twin-over-full type. This bed takes up more floor space than the traditional stacked bed, but it gives the bottom sleeper more room in the full-size bed. A ladder leads up to a twin-sized bed on top. This is a great choice for children who have more of an age gap and likely more of a size gap. Your preteen or teen can take the bottom while your youngest can sleep on top.
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Full-Over-Full
Rarer is the full-over-full bunk bed, but this could be a great solution for your preteens or teens who have outgrown twin-sized beds. This type of bunk should see them through their teen years until they move out as long as you have teens who still don’t mind sharing a bedroom.
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Bunk with Study Space
Whether or not you’re looking for a sleep and study solution for one or more children, these bunks that only include one bed but offer a desk underneath could be ideal. The twin-sized bed is on top, and below is a small desk for one. Put two of these in a small bedroom, and each of your two children will have their own space.
What to Look for in a Bunk Bed
Although you’re looking into stacked beds because they’re great space-savers, you still need to consider the height of the bed and the height of the room it’ll be in. Typically, bunks are about 5 to 6 feet tall, so you want to make sure the room it’s going in is at least 8 feet tall. The last thing you need is a kid on the top bunk bumping their head on the ceiling every morning.
With Railings
With Ladder
Of course, safety features may be at the forefront of your mind. Whoever’s on the top bunk is the one most in danger of rolling off and crashing to the floor. Most stacked beds come with railings to prevent that, but some are taller than others. Most bunk beds include ladders for the top bunk sleeper to climb up, but some are made with stairs for a sturdier climb. Just make sure the ladder is secured well to the bunks and you should be good to go. If you’re concerned about your children outgrowing the idea of bunk type beds, or you expect to move to a home with bigger bedrooms, you can buy a stacked bed model that can convert. Some bunks allow you to build it vertically, or disassemble to make two stand-alone beds. You may also need to seriously consider the weight capacity of each bunk. If you’re using a bunk bed for kids, there shouldn’t be much of an issue, but if these beds are used in guest rooms, it’s a good idea to know the weight limit.
Conclusion
There seems to be a different type of bunk bed to suit every need whether you have a couple of kids close in age, a giant age gap who need to share a room, or you’re looking for a bed with storage options. Choosing the best one comes down to reading through reviews and figuring out which one would be best in all situations. The two full-sized beds mean you can accommodate a couple of teens, or even adults, should the need arise. This bunk bed is made of solid wood that should last a lifetime, and it includes storage under the bottom bunk and along the staircase. It’s a bunk bed that will see your kids through the years – and even when they come home from college to visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you arrange bunk beds in a small room?
A bunk bed is perfect for a small room as they are placed vertically and do not take up as much space on the floor as two separate beds would. However, they should not be placed on walls with windows as it can make the space look smaller than it is and block light. Bunk beds should be arranged away from the room entrance, possibly on the wall opposite to the door, making it a focal point to create order in the room.
Can adults use bunk beds?
Yes; bunk beds are not limited for children’s use. They’ve come a long way since their creation and the right bunk bed today can accommodate not just two, but four adult sleepers. A full size, heavy duty bunk allows two adults to sleep side-by-side on each bed. In fact, these beds are commonly used for guest rooms and vacation homes for occasional visits by families and friends. However, be sure to pick a quality bunk bed that can support an adult’s weight and not one that begins swaying as soon as you or your guests lie down.
How dangerous are bunk beds?
Bunk beds can be dangerous for children. A 16 years long study of bunk bed related injuries revealed 36,000 cases every year associated with them. While the beds in themselves cause no harm, the fall from the bed is what’s dangerous. In fact, most of the injuries relating to bunk beds are caused by falling at a distance, landing on the wrong surface, or striking something while falling, resulting in lacerations, abrasions, or fractures. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission state that no child younger than 6 years of age should be allowed to sleep on a bunk bed.
