OT. Bunk Beds

[mommyceratops]

Anyone have any advise on Bunk beds or trundle beds.

We are thinking about getting them for our DS 3 and 6 years old? But I just don't know. DS6 is in a full now and DS3 is in a twin.

TIA

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

DO NOT BUY CHEAP ONES! We made that mistake and had to replace them after a year. Also, do not buy the bunky matresses. They are trash. Basically they are a wood frame filled with loose foam that has fabric stretched over it tightly. Bad idea- not safe for the upper bunk, ecspecially. I wish that I knew had to download pics from my digital camera because I would send you a picture of the replacement beds that my husband made. He made the boys (ages 2 & 7) a fort bed that has a slide, periscope, steering sheel and rope ladder. It also has bookcases built in the headboard for each boy. They have been sleeping in it since the 2 yr old was 1.5. My older son also helped him to build it so it is a very special bed to my oldest son. He just made the girls (ages 4 &5) a castle bunkbed. It is SO COOL! He still isn't finished completely with the faux paint detailing (vines and flowers) but they love it anyways! It has turrets and windows cut out. The ladder looks like they are climbing up,little arched windows. He is a fun daddy! The beds are very sturdy- he didn't trust a manafactured bed after the ordeal that we had with the girl's old bunkbed so he built them one that would be safe for a 200 lb man to sleep on LOL. Oh, what daddies won't do for their babies.
Nicole

 

[Not so Dumbo]

My kids were this age when they were in bunk beds. We had to put them in different rooms because they wouldn't leave eachother alone at night. The fighting became unbareable. The bed itself worked okay. Ds6 fell of the ladder afew times and almost hurt ds3 by trying to push him off "his" bed( the upper bunk). As far as safety issues go, just make sure that the slots for the upper railing are very close together so they don't strangle themselves, much like an infant in a crib could.

 

[alloyd1170]

I know there are guidelines out there about bunk beds and young kids. However, we still got one for our son when he was about 2. The one we have has rails all around it except where the ladder (which is built into it like a wall, not a slanted separate piece) and slide go. It is wood, and also has a canopy over the top, and the bottom is also wrapped in fabric. There is no bed underneath, but you could stick one there. We use it for storage of his trucks and larger toys. Weve never had problem with our son rolling out of it. Hes even slept in a pullman bed on a cruise ship (with the railings up). Like the pp stated, dont buy a cheap one. Ive seen some neat setups that grow with the child (like you can turn it into a loft type bunk with a desk underneath, a day bed, etc).

alison

 

[tmt martins]

We have one that has the twin on top then a full futon on the bottom. DD likes the futon because it easy to sit up for games and TV and then folds down for a nice size bed.

We have converted the top to a train garden as she wasn't really sleeping up there anymore and it was being used as a stuffed animal storage area.

You can see some pics of it in THE TINK ROOM in my sig but it really doesn't show it that good.

 

[carrie s]

I would be very careful with buying a bunk bed when you have kids this young.make sure you keep it far away from window ledges or anything they might try to climb onto from the top bunk.
My 2 year old cousin climbed onto his brothers bunk bed then tried to climb to the window ledge(it was a basement so the window was high up)he fell and got hung,he died.
I personally wouldnt get a bunk bed with a 3 year old in the house,but if you do be so careful where you put it and make rules about playing on the top bunk.

 

[emma'smom]

I'm thinking about bunk beds for my dd when she is a bit older. We're just at the point where we are putting up the toddler bed (not a bunk, of course). However, in a few years, when she is ready for a regular bed, we were thinking of either bunk beds or a trundle so that she will have room for sleepover guests. My other dd has a double bed in her room, but it is a bit larger.

 

[mommyceratops]

THanks! Gosh I never thought about them getting hurt or hung.

 

[tadamom]

I personally do not like bunk beds and I will never let either of my kids have them. When I was younger I was pushed off the top bunk and landed on my face first and several teeth were knocked out!! It's just not worth the risk to me!

 

[Goingtodisneyworld]

Don’t Do It!!! First of all ~ Way, Way harder to change the sheets, 10x’s worse than crib mattresses even! Most of all I can’t stand ours, because I have to stand on a little step stool to kiss DD5 good night & can never get in to read books or cuddle w/ her! Luckily we just got the cheap ones from Kmart to try & bought good mattresses, so as soon as I can convince DDs (5 & 3), single beds will be better ours are out of here!
P.S. we have never had any safety issues girls are great about following rules & company is not allowed up on top, BUT they do come very close to ceiling fans in rooms w/lower ceilings, just another thing to think about!

 

[loopner67]

I vote for a trundle bed. I'm not a fan of bunk beds for the reasons already discussed. I know of someone who lost a child because of a bunk bed.

Anyway, we have a trundle bed and my boys love it. I have no problem pulling it out every night and pushing it in in the morning. You can't have a thick mattress on it, but children don't weigh as much as an adult. I can even keep a comforter on it when I push it back under the main bed . Easy Peasy.

I also agree with what was said about not buying a cheap one. Too easy for it to fall apart, especially the slats on the trundle bed (or that is how ours is).

 

[penguin087]

My son used to have a loft bed. Bed on top and desk on the bottom. What a great idea for a small room, right? WRONG! He hated that thing! I hated it more! He always complained about being too hot up there. Couldn't use the ceiling fan and I had a little ladder to kiss him god night. It was a nice large desk on the bottom but way to easy to bang your head getting up. I came close to knocking myself out once.
Changing the sheets or even making the bed was a nightmare. After about a year he boycotted the whole thing and slept on the floor for a month until we got rid of it. Never had any safety problems but every kid that came in the house asked if they could jump off of it.

 

[Plantlady]

My two oldest sons share a bunkbed (9 and 7). We have rules though, only the nine year old gets to be in the top bunk. Ever. No visitors. I don't want them acting like boys and pushing each other out. Also, this gives him his own private space, since they all three share a room.

We do have a ceiling fan in their room, and we just have to never, ever turn it on.

We don't have a heat issue, because we have a window AC unit, that is in a high window. so, the top bunk is the coolest spot in the room.

If I had the space though, I wouldn't have them in the bunkbeds. That top sheet is a pain to change. He's now old enough, I just having him do it himself. I don't like that I can't give him a proper hug and kiss at night (he has to lean out to give them to me).

 

[WantToGoNow]

We got bunkbeds for our children about a year and half ago -- dd was 17 months (bottom) and ds was 4 (top). They worked wonderfully, although dd did take a few falls from the top bunk once she learned to climb up there. Luckily she was never hurt. Just yesterday we unbunked them. DD2.5 had decided it was more fun to lay there at night and kick the bottom of bubby's bed than to go to sleep -- my ds5 actually asked if we could unbunk them. Last night dd2.5 was having a blast jumping on her bed -- she's never been able to do that. Here's a picture of the beds while they were still bunked right after we bought them - we only used the rails for about 2 months.

T.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

~ Way, Way harder to change the sheets, 10x’s worse than crib mattresses even!

Yes!! I forgot all about that. Just think, if you had a bed wetter.

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

OHHH... I forgot to add to my earlier post that when my husband designed our children's bunk beds he made the distance between the lower and upper bunk larger. He can sit on the lower bunk and read the children books and still have adequate head room and he is 6'1. The beds are very sturdy so I just climb up the built-in ladders and hug and kiss the children goodnight or to snuggle. We have had bunk beds in our house a total of 2 years and have never had an accident. But we are very strict with both our kids and those that visit the house about safety issues. My daughters top bunk doesn't even have side rails . My husband made turrets and a faux bridge that act more like a wall. The boys have a railing on the upper bunk with a tightly woven rope railing- they can't fall out- they can slide out with the slide, however. Everyone that we know just loves the beds and my busy husband has had several offers to pay him to make them a custom bunk bed. He is just too busy to. Thank goodness he isn't to busy for his kiddos!
Nicole