totse.com | Loft bed/Bunk bed

@@@ · #1 2008-09-23, 17:16

My current living space is pretty cramped, so I figured I'd save some space by raising up my bed.

Here's my design. Black lines represent 1 inch black iron pipe and such. Blue dots represesnt flanges. The red will be a a 1" or 3/4" piece of plywood with a 2-3" tall by 1" wide border/rail. (EDIT: i forgot to draw four flanges to hold the pipes to the board, but they'll be there when I build it.)

sooper dooper MSpaint design:
http://i33.tinypic.com/2rpxmx3.png

Do you think this will be stucturally sound/safe for a 170 pound person + mattress?

emag · #2 2008-09-23, 18:02

You're gonna need to add some triangulated braces like shown below or else that thing's gonna fold right up.
http://i36.tinypic.com/x4j793.png
or
http://i36.tinypic.com/35a1a1z.png

I'd use 2x4's for easy construction/modification & use the rails off your old bed to save $

StarWarsNerd · #3 2008-09-23, 21:37

My dad and I actually just made one for my bedroom. My brother and I moved off campus this year with some friends and to save money we share the master bedroom. We made two loft beds to we can save space, we have our computer desk under our beds. I'm on campus right now, so when I get home later tonight I'll try to take some pictures of our build. We used all wood btw. It's pretty much like emag's second rendering.

nimajneb92 · #4 2008-09-24, 00:17

If you have dust allergy's being under a bed is going to be fucking hell. I had to sleep on the bottom bunk for a week once, and my nose was always running.

I found somewhere that this can cause asthma in little kids who grow up on bottom bunks.

But if you don't have allergy's don't worry about it

@@@ · #5 2008-09-24, 01:09

Thanks for the ideas.

I totally forgot about adding triangles for strength. I'll keep that in mind when I start getting materials.

My current bed is a crappy box spring. I think i'm gonna ditch everything but the mattress.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarWarsNerd View Post

My dad and I actually just made one for my bedroom. My brother and I moved off campus this year with some friends and to save money we share the master bedroom. We made two loft beds to we can save space, we have our computer desk under our beds. I'm on campus right now, so when I get home later tonight I'll try to take some pictures of our build. We used all wood btw. It's pretty much like emag's second rendering.

I want to do that too. Pictures would be great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nimajneb92 View Post

If you have dust allergy's being under a bed is going to be fucking hell. I had to sleep on the bottom bunk for a week once, and my nose was always running.

I found somewhere that this can cause asthma in little kids who grow up on bottom bunks.

But if you don't have allergy's don't worry about it

Dust has never bothered me, but thanks for the info.

StarWarsNerd · #6 2008-09-24, 02:09

excuse the quality of the photos I had to use my phone. If you want any other close ups of certain areas lemme know.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/413x3/IMG00113.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/413x3/IMG00116-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/413x3/IMG00114-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/413x3/IMG00115-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/413x3/IMG00117.jpg

the last image is of a shelf I added on to use up extra space and for storage. We have full size mattresses, I had been using a twin bed until I moved in but had outgrown it several years ago.

We added the ladder on as an after thought because we had some extra lumber, though it really isn't necessary.

@@@ · #7 2008-09-24, 02:19

I think i'll pretty much copy your bed. Thanks a heap.

How tall is it?

StarWarsNerd · #8 2008-09-24, 02:45

The frame is 7ft long by 42 inches
and the post are 5ft tall IIRC.
note that the frame is longer than need be.

@@@ · #9 2008-09-24, 02:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarWarsNerd View Post

The frame is 7ft long by 42 inches
and the post are 5ft tall IIRC.
note that the frame is longer than need be.

I was planning on making it longer than necessary so i could have books and such up there. I'll probably have it taller so I don't have to hunch over.

I've gotta talk to my dad about this first, but I hope to be done with it before October.

StarWarsNerd · #10 2008-09-24, 03:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by @@@ View Post

I was planning on making it longer than necessary so i could have books and such up there. I'll probably have it taller so I don't have to hunch over.

I've gotta talk to my dad about this first, but I hope to be done with it before October.

I'm not quite sure about you but mine is plenty high enough. I'm 6 foot 1 and I still have a good foot between my head and the bottom of the bunk.