Bunk bed

The bunk bed is a space saving item of functional furniture intended to provide adequate sleeping space for two separate people whilst taking up no more space than a standard single bed.

Bunk beds come in a variety of designs and sizes and they cover a wide range of prices. The original bunk beds were based around a solid timber frame with one mattress supported a few inches above floor level and the other suspended some three to four feet above the first. A ladder, attached to either the side or one end of the bunk, provides safe climbing access to the upper sleeping surface.

Most bunk beds come with the mattresses and some compact bunk beds (none standard size) will only fit the supplied mattress. When this is the case the life of the frame and the mattress are interdependent.

Bunks that take a normal sized mattress can be supplied with or without the mattress and when the latter is the case there is the opportunity to select a mattress of choice. Provided that the depth of the frame is sufficient, this means that a memory foam or pocket spring orthopedic mattress can be used with the bed.

Bunk bed options

Most people who buy a bunk bed do so for a combination of reasons that include space saving and economy. Orthopedic considerations are rarely a determining factor in bunk bed selection. Bunk beds that fall into the budget end of the market are often self assembly and they may have a frame that is constructed of either wood or metal. Some of these beds will also break down so that they can be used as separate single beds, e.g. when small children get bigger and want independent sleeping.

In order to minimise the use of space still further, some bunk designs have a smaller (narrower) mattress on the top level and in some instances the bottom mattress can be a small double. When this is the case the bed can sleep three people.

All bunk beds should have some kind of fall-out rail or barrier around the upper mattress to prevent someone from accidentally falling out of the bed. These rails are only low and do not detract from the appearance of the bed. Most bunk beds are of course slept on by children.

Variations in bunk bed design can see the inclusion of storage. When this is the case options include drawers under the bottom mattress, or shelves or a cupboard at one or both ends of the bunk bed.

You can get a bunk bed that only has a top sleeping level where the entire area under the mattress is used for another (non sleeping) purpose. This may be for storage only, or as an open out study and storage area equipped with a desk and pull out chair. This type of bed is an efficient way of maximising space in small rooms. It is ideal for children of school age.

A final and more unusual type of bunk bed is the sofa bunk bed. A sofa bunk bed can function as a sofa during the daytime, whilst converting into a two level and two person split level bed at night time. This type of bed can be expensive, however it gets top marks for functionality and the more expensive version cannot be distinguished from standard sofas.

Very few bunk beds are supplied with high quality mattresses, however replacing the supplied mattress with a better quality or orthopedic mattress is a simple task.