Bunk Bed Concepts
Answers to Common Questions
Here are some answers to our most frequently asked questions (clicking on a question reveals the answer). If you have a question and don't see the answer here, please ask using our contact form.
Bunkie boards (aka bunk boards) are the flat inserts that sit on the bed frame under the mattress to hold the
mattress up. They are our preferred substitute for what the
mattress stores sell -- a shallow box spring which can sell for up to
$60- $70 each.
Instead, we buy sheets of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) from Home Depot and get them cut down to size. The MDF is very smooth, offers more strength than plywood, and doesn't flake off like particle board. We sell the sheets at our cost and include the hardware to attach the boards to the bed. Single-sheet bunkie boards are $36 each, including sales tax.
We feel these boards are safer then the ones from the mattress stores because we actually attach them to the bed (i.e. they are not just resting loosely on cleats). This is especially good if there is a chance that anyone will jump on the bed.
If you would like, we can make the bunkie board for the bottom bed a little cheaper than the top, but it takes a bit away from the strength (most people don't need the bottom bunk rated to hold the full 400lbs.). Instead of using a single sheet bunkie board, we change the bed cleats by adding an extra one on each side. Then we insert the bottom board as four pieces instead of one solid piece. This method drops the cost of the bottom board from to $10, including sales tax (note: this cheaper method can only be used for the bottom bunk).
Instead, we buy sheets of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) from Home Depot and get them cut down to size. The MDF is very smooth, offers more strength than plywood, and doesn't flake off like particle board. We sell the sheets at our cost and include the hardware to attach the boards to the bed. Single-sheet bunkie boards are $36 each, including sales tax.
We feel these boards are safer then the ones from the mattress stores because we actually attach them to the bed (i.e. they are not just resting loosely on cleats). This is especially good if there is a chance that anyone will jump on the bed.
If you would like, we can make the bunkie board for the bottom bed a little cheaper than the top, but it takes a bit away from the strength (most people don't need the bottom bunk rated to hold the full 400lbs.). Instead of using a single sheet bunkie board, we change the bed cleats by adding an extra one on each side. Then we insert the bottom board as four pieces instead of one solid piece. This method drops the cost of the bottom board from to $10, including sales tax (note: this cheaper method can only be used for the bottom bunk).
Small orders (1 or 2 beds) are usually ready for pickup or delivery in a week
or two, but during our busy seasons it may take longer. We can give you
a more accurate estimate when you first contact us or place your order.
If cost is one of your biggest concerns, look at our economy model. Our
Vikings model is our lowest priced bed (starting at $269).
Granted, our deluxe Paul Bunyan and Royal models have more eye appeal and include more standard features, but all the beds we make are rated to hold over 400 pounds. So you'll never have to sacrifice safety no matter which bed you choose.
Granted, our deluxe Paul Bunyan and Royal models have more eye appeal and include more standard features, but all the beds we make are rated to hold over 400 pounds. So you'll never have to sacrifice safety no matter which bed you choose.
We understand wanting a lower bunk bed for younger children. We can make any
of our other bunk bed models at 60" or any other height you need.
If you stay with the Viking, you may want to consider adding the tapered top rail. Tapered top rails are standard on the deluxe models, and is an available option on the economy ones. This gives you 2" extra of guard rail height (and acts as added safety for younger children), and the tapered top rail gives the bed a nice look. You can see the tapered top rail pictured on our Paul Bunyan and Royal models.
If you stay with the Viking, you may want to consider adding the tapered top rail. Tapered top rails are standard on the deluxe models, and is an available option on the economy ones. This gives you 2" extra of guard rail height (and acts as added safety for younger children), and the tapered top rail gives the bed a nice look. You can see the tapered top rail pictured on our Paul Bunyan and Royal models.
We accept cash or check. No payment is needed until the bed is delivered
or picked up. At this time we do not accept credit cards.
We offer delivery and set up or you
can pick your bed up from our Montgomeryville location. If you choose the delivery option,
we bring the entire bed into your home and assemble it for you. The
setup process generally takes us no more than 30-40 minutes. If you
prefer to do it yourself, the bunk can be picked up in a truck, van,
mini-van, and many SUV's. Most of our customers report that they assembled
their own bed in under an hour.
All of our bunk beds are made out of 1½" thick hem/fir pine. The
hem/fir gives us the best pine wood to stain, and the 1½" thickness
gives the beds lots of strength and stability. Our bed designs have been
tested to hold over 400 pounds.
Our ladders are built into the sides of the bunk, not the front. There are
several reasons why we put the ladders on the side. The first is to save
space -- which is why most people want to get a bunk bed anyway. A ladder off
the front of the bed takes space away from the room. The second reason for
putting the ladder on the side is to save money since this requires less wood
and less production time.
But our biggest reason is safety. The ladders that are in the front of the bed are at an angle. Should a child fall on their way up an angled ladder, they hit or slip through the ladder on their way down. This can result in more injuries than just falling straight down to the floor with no obstructions. For these reasons, we build our beds with straight ladders on both the "head" and the "toe" sides of the bed. This way one ladder is always available even if the bed is placed in a corner. However, if you still would like an angled front ladder, We can add one for an extra $95.
But our biggest reason is safety. The ladders that are in the front of the bed are at an angle. Should a child fall on their way up an angled ladder, they hit or slip through the ladder on their way down. This can result in more injuries than just falling straight down to the floor with no obstructions. For these reasons, we build our beds with straight ladders on both the "head" and the "toe" sides of the bed. This way one ladder is always available even if the bed is placed in a corner. However, if you still would like an angled front ladder, We can add one for an extra $95.
We used to offer an option to separate the bunk beds, but this option adds a
significant amount of time to making the bed and therefore costs more than it
is usually worth. This is especially true when we already sell single
beds for as low as $99 unstained and when any of our standard bunk beds can
easily be turned into a loft-style bed. Our bed-making is a part-time
business, and since regular bunks keep us very busy, we no longer offer the
option to separate the bunk bed.
There are some nice models out there that do come apart, but to get one that is as strong and sturdy you will be spending 2-3 times more than one of our beds. If that design is more to your liking it may be worth the extra money.
There are some nice models out there that do come apart, but to get one that is as strong and sturdy you will be spending 2-3 times more than one of our beds. If that design is more to your liking it may be worth the extra money.
Yes, a Captains Bed can be made by combining a single bed with a set of
drawers. Pictures of our Captains Bed and single bed are available on our
bed models page.
Yes, we can make a trundle with any bed at the initial time of
purchase. We match the trundle with the bunk or single bed model that
you choose, so prices vary a little. Prices for trundle beds start at
half the price of a set of drawers -- around $125. We have changed the
design from our very first models to allow them to take a regular twin size
mattress (i.e. they no longer need a special trundle-sized mattress). The
reason for this is that trundle size mattresses cost around 50% more than
twins since they are not standard, and we didn't want our customers to have
to spend so much more get the smaller mattress.
Yes. Our twin/full bunk bed is a more expensive model than the twin
over twin, but we can still make them much cheaper then the furniture stores.
The top twin bed still carries our standard 400-pound rating, but the bottom
full bed is even stronger, able to handle 2-3 times that weight. We make the
full/twin in either of our Paul Bunyan or Royal models. We need the wider
boards of those models to build the full bed on the bottom. Check our model
pages for up-to-date pricing. We also offer storage drawers for the full/twin
models in either regular size (40" front to back), or extra-deep size (54"
front to back -- amounting to over 40% of extra storage space). Pricing
for these drawers is listed on the bed options page.
We do make a full/full and full/queen in either the Paul Bunyan or Royal
models because those models can support the change to the larger
twin/full. While a full/full or full/queen bed costs more, they also
hold considerably more weight than our 400-pound-rated twin/twin models.
Check our model pages for up-to-date pricing. Prices include your
choice of stain color.
Yes. Directions for putting the bed together can be emailed to you, but
they differ depending on the model you have. Just use our contact form, and tell us what you need.
No, polyurethane coating is not used on any of our bunk beds. The main reason
for this is durability. Since bunk beds will be climbed on regularly, they
will undoubtedly get scratched. If a polyurethane coating is on the bed, then
the ability to repair scratches and dings in the bunk bed is greatly reduced.
We give all our customers some left over stain that can be applied to any
scratch to cover the blemish. Even large scratches can be sanded and
re-stained to look like new. You cannot do this type of repair if
polyurethane is on the bed; the scratch will always be visible. Over our 11+
years of making these beds, we have had the best success and feedback using
this re-staining method. Note: we do put polyurethane on our other furniture,
just not on our beds.
