Bunk Bed King for LOW PRICES and FREE SHIPPING
Bunk Bed King - Guides to Bunk Bed Safety, Selection and Assembly
We understand that buying a bunk bed for your children is an important decision and in most instances, it is the first time you have made a purchase of this type of product. To assist you, we have prepared 3 bunk bed guides to "walk" you through the process. The complete guide is on this page, but if you prefer, you can review specific guides relating to
Bunk Bed Safety ,
Choosing a Bunk Bed and
Bunk Bed Assembly . Also, remember that answers to your bunk bed questions may be found at FAQS, with more detailed sales information also available to assist you in your purchase.
Bunk Bed King - Guide to Bunk Bed Safety
If you are looking at this, chances are you are considering buying a bunk bed. Your kids have been begging you for a "fort just like Tommy's", your family has expanded (but your bedrooms haven't), or your lodge or summer house needs to sleep more without sacrificing precious space. Bunk beds have long been a practical (and, for many, fun) solution to space constraints. Like other furniture purchases, of course you want to consider style, color and price. But because your bunk bed has to serve a more important function than just looking great (after all, this is where your loved ones are going to be spending 1/3 of their day!), bunk bed safety and reliability must always be considered.
Bunk beds can be a great choice to maximize space in a fun way, but the elevated design comes with a certain amount of risk. To reduce the chance of injury, proper supervision (especially of children) when bunk beds are being used as well as proper use of the safety features most bunk beds come with is essential. Before purchasing a bunk bed, check to make sure that it conforms to all of the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) Safety Standards. According to the findings of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), most risk of injury associated with bunk beds (when properly used) has to do with compromised structural integrity that leads to the child (or person) becoming trapped in the structure or wedged between the bed and the wall.
All Bunk Bed King bunk beds follow the rules set out by the CPSC guidelines to minimize this risk. Those rules include the necessity for guardrails on both sides of the upper bunk, except for up to 15 inches at each end of the bed, with the upper edge of the guardrails being no less than 5 inches above the top surface of the mattress. Only the proper sized mattress as recommended by the manufacturer should be used. All bunk beds should come with a warning label that advises against placing children under 6 years of age in the upper bunk. Make sure that the room you plan to put the bunk bed in is tall enough to accommodate it. A bunk bed that is too close to the ceiling is inviting trouble. All Bunk Bed King bunk beds are a little over five feet to allow for enough room on the top bunk.
Once you have bought a bunk bed that conforms to safety standards, it is up to you to ensure that the bunk bed is put together properly and safely and to prohibit horseplay on or near the beds. Bunk Bed King also recommends that, for support and safety, either extra slats or a Bunkie board should be placed beneath each mattress. Bunkie boards can be purchased from your local mattress store and are basically a mini-foundation for the mattress (some bunk bed mattresses may come with bunkie boards already attached). A more economical alternative is to use a slat kit, which provides extra support in the form of wooden slats. Please check that for maximum support and safety, that the bunk bed you buy comes with a full slat kit of 26 slats (13 for the top bunk and 13 for the bottom bunk). All Bunk Bed King bunk beds are made out of solid Brazilian plantation-grown pine wood, rather than particle board or MDF, for additional safety and sturdiness.
So in summary - please follow these key recommendations:
- An adult should always supervise children's use of bunk beds.
- Children under 6 years of age should not be on the top bunk.
- Use guard rails on both sides of upper bunk.
- Use only the proper size mattress as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Ensure the thickness of the mattress and foundation combined is at least 5 inches below the top of the guardrails.
- Prohibit more than one person on the upper bunk
- Prohibit horseplay on or under the beds.
- Always use the ladder for entering and leaving the upper bunk.
- Never attach or hang items to any part of the bunk bed that are not designed for use with the bed. For example, but not limited to, hooks, belts and jump ropes.
Bunk Bed King - Guide to Bunk Bed Selection
Once you have confirmed that the bunk bed you wish to purchase meets all safety requirements, the fun part can begin! The many options available let you choose a bunk bed that can blend into your decor nicely, no matter what look you are going for. The easiest thing to do is start with the basics and work up to the details. The three main things you are going to have to decide on are Size, Style and Color. For special situations, consider contacting a specialty store such as Bunk Beds etc., the price will rise considerably, but if you are looking for something very specific and just not finding it out there, this is probably your best bet.
However, never equate price with value. A lot of bunk beds will seem like a great value, until you see what they are made of, not only are particle board and MDF not as durable as real wood, but they really are not as sturdy or safe. On the other hand, just because a company is charging you a lot of money for something does not mean the product is somehow better. Bunk Bed King manages to keep prices low and quality high because they deal directly with the manufacturers; the savings of not using a middleman are then passed on to the customer.
Size: The majority of standard bunk beds come in either Twin over Twin or Twin over Full sizes, which will accommodate most situations. Also, look for bunk beds that can convert into separate beds, which give you more flexibility later (as kids grow up or houses get bigger). Make sure to measure your room (don't forget the ceiling!) before purchasing your bunk bed to make sure it will fit comfortably.
Style: Since your bunk bed is also a piece of furniture, of course you will want it to fit in with your existing decor. Bunk Bed King offers a range of styles like the Mission , with its clean, simple lines for a classic look, or the Ranch style, which features simple posts on the head and foot boards. All the styles conform to the same safety regulations and are made of the same Brazilian Pine, so when choosing which particular bunk bed to go for, just pick whichever one you think looks best. (Do not forget to ask the advice of whoever is going to be sleeping in the bunks, too)!
Color: Choosing the color goes along with choosing the style, it is completely up to your taste and other furniture. The Mission style comes in Honey, a warmer golden colored finish, Natural, a light yellow finish finish and Oak the darkest shade we offer. If you want to try to match something in your home more specifically, many customers have sanded and then repainted or varnished this bunk bed successfully, although Bunk Bed King does not guarantee this method.
Bunk Bed King - Guide to Bunk Bed Assembly
So you have checked to make sure the bunk bed you've bought follows the proper Safety regulations, you have gone through agonizing decisions over Color and Style , and now you have brought it home (or Fed-Ex just delivered it), the kids have opened all the boxes and its in pieces all over your floor. Where to begin?
First, (before the kids get to them) move all the boxes to the room where the bunk bed will reside - it's nearly impossible to get a finished bunk bed through most doorways. Second, check against the assembly instructions to make sure none of the pieces are damaged and missing. Bedz King inspects every single piece before shipping it out and double boxes the cartons, but such bulky and heavy boxes can occasionally be damaged in the shipping process.
Then just follow the instructions included with your hardware (we are aware that like asking for directions when you are lost, it is not within a man to follow directions until we find out we have one piece left over - but on this one occasion, it will really help!!). It will also help considerably to sort and identify each piece of hardware before assembly and if possible, two people working on the assembly are better than one. So, after an hour or so, your bunk bed should be ready. Double-check that all the screws are securely tightened - also check after a couple of weeks of use, place the mattresses on the bunks and for their safety, give the kids a quick reading of the bunk bed rules (you will find printed on all bunk beds that conform to the federal safety standards a short list of the do's and don'ts).
We aim at Bunk Bed King to give you quality bunks, combined with great service at the lowest price! If you have any questions please email us at info@bunkbedking.com
Bunk Bed King - Low Prices with Free Shipping Nationwide!
This site is protected by copyright and trademark laws under US law. All rights reserved. 2000-2005 Bunk Bed King
