Building Your Own Vs. Buying A Bunk Bed

There are a number of good reasons why you might decide to build a bunk bed or left bed rather then buying one. The most usual reason, of course, is cost. While there are plenty of very good bunk beds available on the market today, they tend to be extremely expensive. However, you can get a good sturdy bunk bed for under $150 is you buy second hand. I would really advise you not to buy one new for that price though, as you get what you pay for and the very cheap bunk beds are cheap because they are low quality. Second hand beds, on the other hand, can be an excellent investment.

If it is the price putting you off, then you should seriously consider building your own. It's not nearly as difficult as you might expect to construct a bed, and bunk bed kits are surprisingly easy to get hold of. You can eve, if you wish, simply purchase the plans for the bed and supply the tools and materials yourself. Well, you'd have to supply the basic tools yourself anyway, but full kits include everything that goes into the final product. Now, lets think about why you might want to do this.

Firstly, as I've said already, they are easy to build. Not effortless, of course, but they require very little in the way of woodworking skill. You can use standard tools that you have around the house, such as a hammer and screwdriver, without needing to buy anything exotic. If you only bought the plans and instructions, then you'll need to get wood as well. This shouldn't be a problem as you can use off the shelf lumber. The plans to construct them, moreover, are always easy to understand- after all, a bunk bed is not a complicated device.

Obviously, if you want something slightly unusual, then constructing it yourself is the only way to ensure that your specifications are met. As the old saying goes, if you want it done right, do it yourself. You can never be completely certain of the quality of something that you buy, but you can if you make it on your own.

After the cost, the next most often cited reason for building rather then buying is for pleasure. I'm sure you've noticed that building something can be fun, a lot more so then simply ordering it. More then that, you can expand it to a full family project and get your kids involved as well. If you don't want to have your kids involved in building the bed itself (maybe their too young, or just not very good with hammers), you could do it as a surprise gift. Children will love that you put so much effort into building something for you, and will be proud to announce to their friends that their parents built their nice new bunk bed for them.

The other reason for building, rather then buying, which has already been touched on slightly, is that only when you build it yourself can you be sure of getting what you want. Whatever you are looking for in a bed, when you put it together yourself you can make it how you want it to be. Obviously don't stray too far from the plans, unless you are very good, as you don't want to risk your children's safety. However, even within this limit there is a lot of room for imagination. For example, adding paints or stencils. This can be a significant factor if you need it to be a specific color, for example to match an existing piece of furniture (or just your walls) and is something to consider.

The number of plans available, as well, is extremely large, so you can easily find something that closely matches what you want and then adapt it to your specific designs. You can not only choose different shapes for the bed itself, but also find whatever extra features you want. For example, you might want a bunk bed with storage lockers or drawers underneath it. Or a loft bed with something larger, perhaps a desk, or closet, under it. any of these (and more) are available.

In the end, there are some situations where buying a bunk bed actually is the best solution. Obviously, if money is not an issue, then sure, go for it. On the other hand, it might be worth just buying a cheap bed as a short term solution, especially if you need it quickly, or will only be using it for a short time. A lower quality bed is not a good idea in the long run, as it will only break eventually, but for right now it could be worth it.

As you've seen, building a bunk bed has a number of advantages that go beyond mere cost efficiency. Putting together a bed can be a fun activity for the whole family, and serve to forge a deeper connection between parents and children. You can change the design of the bed as much as you wish, altering the color and design, and select for a huge variety of kits and plans available to start with.

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Author Patrick Oakley is a professional carpenter with expertise in designing furniture to make efficient use of space. To this end, has recently begun selling bunk beds and loft beds online.

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