Bunk Beds and Loft Beds - Building Your Own vs. Buying Ready Made

There are a lot of good reasons why you might choose to build your own bed, instead of buying one ready made. The most commonly cited reason, which may or may not be relevant to you, is the price. Building a bed tends to be much cheaper then buying one ready made, although if you buy second hand you can get a good, rugged bunk bed for under $150. You might be able to get a new one at that price, as well, but I seriously doubt that any bed you buy that cheaply will be well made enough to be worth having. As you know, if you want quality, it will come at a price... Unless you buy it from someone else.

Alternatively, if you don't want to buy a bunk bed, you can always build one yourself. While it can be difficult to get a good bunk bed new at a low cost, bunk bed kits are much more readily available and you can usually put them together without much effort. You can even just buy the plans for a bed, and get the materials yourself. So let's have a look at some of the reasons you might want to build your own bunk or loft bed.

In the first place, as I've already mentioned, kits are easy to put together. Not completely effortless, but you don't have to be an expert woodworker to do it. All you need is a bit of basic knowledge, and some standard tools that you'll almost certainly have lying about anyway, such as a hammer or screwdriver. If you've bought a full kit, then all you need to do is start assembling it, otherwise you'll have to pick up the lumber first. Just stop off at your local home hardware store, and they'll have what you need.

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.

The second most common reason for building a bunk or left bed is that building it is a fun activity. All the family, parents and children both, can contribute. This transforms it from a necessary item of furniture, into a fun family project. Additionally, if you don't want to involve the kids, then you can build one for your children (or grandchildren) as a gift. Something you've built yourself will, naturally, be of much more value to them then something just bought in a store. This way, when they have other children over to play and get asked about their nice new bunk bed, they can proudly say "my dad built it". Or even, "My granddad built it, and I helped!"

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.

There are a lot of plans available for you to choose from, so it shouldn't be too hard for you to find an appropriate one for you. The range available does not just cover the different types of bed itself, but also all sorts of accessories and alterations. For example, you could get one with some storage space, such as drawers underneath it, or in the case of a loft bed even a full closet! There are hundreds of variations, so just pick whichever you like the most, and then figure out what changes you want to make to it.

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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Patrick Oakley is a professional carpenter with expertise in creating furniture that makes efficient use of space. To this end, has recently begun providing bunk beds and loft beds online.

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