You can save a lot of precious space when you set up bunk beds in place of typical full-sized or twin beds. Normally, when you think of bunk beds you’ll associate them with kids, or dormitory life. But in addition to that you can also find a bunk bed for adults, too. While kids’ rooms and dormitories usually need to make efficient use of limited floor plans, the same can be true in adult bedrooms.
A bunk bed for adults can be strongly constructed, and made from tough, resilient materials for good support and strong, safe performance. Generally, bunk beds come with either twin-bed sized or full-sized mattresses. The twin mattress measures 39 inches wide and 75 inches long, while the full-sized bed is the same length but is 54 inches wide.
Bunk beds are sold as twin over twin, meaning it’s two twin-bed sized mattresses stacked one over the other, or twin over full, with a twin mattress on top and a full-sized mattress on the bottom, or full over full, with two full-sized mattresses stacked one over the other. Full-sized mattresses are best for a bunk bed for adults because they offer more sleeping area than does the twin mattress.
Bed frame construction is an important part of bunk beds, especially when it comes to beds designed for adults. Generally speaking, adults weigh more than do kids, so their beds must support more weight when two adults are using them. You can buy frames made from particle board or metal, but you are cautioned against doing this. While those materials may be cheaper than hard woods, they are much less strong and durable, and will likely not last a very long time. Hard woods are a good deal stronger and can last over long periods without breaking or cracking, and they offer good support, as well.
You need to have a good, strong base for your bunk beds, particularly if they are designed to support adults. Those sleeping in both the upper and lower bunks can be vulnerable to accidents if the bed frame is not strong enough to do the job that it’s supposed to. In addition, you’ll need a good, strong ladder made from hard wood to enable the person sleeping in the upper bunk to climb up there. Also, a secure guardrail is essential to prevent the person on the top level from accidentally falling off the bunk and suffering injury.
You’ll also need slats or bed boards to support the mattresses. Slats are usually made from wood and rest on the bed frame and support the mattresses. If you’re using slats, you’ll probably want to find some that are made from hard wood, like the bed frame, because they will be strong enough to adequately support your mattresses.