Bunk Bed Suggestions

I am going to say don't. Bunk beds are very dangerous for older kids and yours are way way way too young. My bf from jr. high through high school lost her son. He was elementary age and accidentally fell off and it killed him.

You can easily do a twin and the toddler bed for at least another year. Then you need to consider adding on or perhaps re-modeling so the girls can each have a room. My brother had 3 smallish rooms and ended up converting hid dining room so they could add another bedroom.

Please find a different solution. Nothing can replace a child.

FYI. I just read in a recall email that a certain bunk bed from Big Lots can result in a child being pinned beneath the frame. One child died this way. It is a bunk bed on top with a full sized futon bed on the bottom that is being recalled, so make sure you get a safe bunk bed. (I would go the full/queen sized bed route, though, and have them share.)

Build one. I've built all our beds, and we currently have the four youngest sleeping in one room. (They sleep better and bedtime is happier with four books read all in one room.) It is spectacularly easy to build a bunk that is bolted into a wall. If you build it yourself, you can adjust heights and railings as needed. Your children are probably too young for anything that is on the standard market. However, it would be simple to custom build something that is reasonably safe for them, and sturdier than anything you could buy. If you have the hardware store do all the cutting, you can have it up in less time than it would take to buy and assemble one from the store.

The costs are a couple hundred dollars and a couple hours of your time. This is assuming, of course, that you are lazy (like me) and don't bother to put a fine finish on them. If you want them beautifully finished, that will increase the time significantly. As far as I'm concerned, though, unfinished plywood will hold up a mattress just fine!

Check the safety standards for appropriate spacings to avoid head entrapment. However, the biggest risk with bunk beds is children getting trapped between the wall and the back of the bunk. Since my bunks are structurally part of the wall, this is not possible. A pillbug couldn't get between the bunk and the wall, much less a child!

Look up how to design one of these at the library, but here's the basic concept. I use the fancy decking screws that zip in easily and have a shear strength of something like 2400 pounds. A power drill speeds things up immensely. I don't do any fancy angle joints. Butt-joints work fine.

1. You make a frame out of 2x4 lumber that is the same width as a mattress. You can make it longer if you like, for extra storage on the bunk.

2. Bolt this frame into a corner to the wall at whatever height you like. I bolt into every stud, so it's non-catastrophic if I miss a stud. The frame will be supported by the wall on two sides.

3. Add a leg on the single corner that is not touching a wall. I usually use a 2x6 as the leg.

4. Put a piece of 3/4 inch plywood on top of appropriate size.

5. Add a railing. Make sure you follow safety standards regarding spacing. You can make railings out of 2x4 lumber or 1x2 lumber, depending on whether your kids are likely to play Tarzan on them. The uprights work best as 2x2 lumber.

6. Add a ladder. I usually buy a wooden ladder from the hardware store, cut it off at the appropriate height, and attach it. Sometimes you can scavenge a ladder from another bunk bed. You can also build a ladder into the bunk itself. Check spacing to avoid head entrapment!

7. Put a mattress on the top and have a party!

Good luck!

I would suggest looking on Craigslist for a good used set. I purchased a set that included bunk beds (that can be arranged together, separate twins, loft with a twin, etc.), dresser, desk, chair and bookshelf from Craigslist. I think I paid $300 for all of it. The furniture is from Great American Bunkbed if you want to look at the new stuff. I will say in hind sight though, making the top bunk bed is a big pain! Good luck!

Have you considered getting a queen or full size bed for your girls to share? We have our girls in a Q bed, and they LOVE it. And, if we have overnight guests, we have a second guest room if needed. I love that flexibility.

I would move your younger daughter into the toddler bed when she's ready, and invest in a twin bed for your older daughter. Bunk beds are dangerous at any age, and even young children have been known to climb to the top bunk without ladders, fall and get seriously hurt.

Since you planned on detaching bunk beds at some point, in a few years you can purchase another twin bed for your younger daughter. And, take a look at Craigslist, sometimes you can find almost brand new merchandise at a steal.

We purchased the solid wood "Mainstays-Twin Over Twin Wood Bunk Bed" from Walmart (approx. $159-179). We needed a twin bed for our 3 yr old, so we decided to use the bunk as a twin and bought a twin mattress to go with it (no boxspring). We will not use it as a bunk bed until our boys are much older. The bunk look great just as a twin bed and it is extremely solid and sturdy. Highly recommend it!

My sister and I shared a room growing up, at one point we got rid of our full bed and got the twin beds that had been at my grandparents house. My dad made them into bunk beds by making wooden boxes around the top posts on one bed and the bottom posts on the other, with 2x4s going across the legs at the head and foot as ladders and for stability.

Just an idea if you do eventually decide to go that route. :)

I have disassembled boys bunks in my garage I am going to give away. :(

Anyway bunks use only the top mattress and this board that is kinda a padded frame instead of the bottom. They don't sit up very high. So really any mattress will work.

I like my daughters bunk better. Is the steel tube futon on the bottom ones. Very comfy and when you push the futon up to a sofa there is more room in the room.

If you go with wood make sure the supports are solid wood and reinforced.

Google roomz for kids

if you have one near you go to a valu city furniture they sell kids room beds in twin and bunk and are good built as well and are not as expensive but would grow with the kids

someone else mentioned to make your own, and if you are even a little handy I'd say it's worth it. There is a great site, Knockoff wood.com that has FREE plans that are easy to follow and she does have several beds and an adorable bunk system (the farmhouse bunks, it's a pottery barn knock off) that would work as two twins or as a bunk bed later. And by building your own you can design them specifically for your girls.