Joe Bourbois
02-12-2004, 12:08 AM
Here's some more info on the loft bed I made for my son. I followed these plans fairly closely:
http://store.yahoo.com/plansnow/loft.html
I did my own thing with the accessories above the countertop/desktop. Their plans call for attaching the bookcases by drilling through hardboard into some 1x4s. I didn't think that would be sturdy enough and backed the hardboard behind the bookcase with some plywood. There are 2 1x4 ledgers at the back that the desk accessories attach to. I would move the top one up a few inches from what the plans state.
I made the unit mostly out of pine, with some edged ply too. At first I was going to finish it like in the plan, but my son wanted it painted. If I had started off with paint in mind, I probably would have used poplar.
The entire bed breaks down b/c it is mostly held together with carriage bolts. If I were to do it again, I'd make the two end pieces solid instead of carriage bolts/breakdownable (is that a word?).
The other big issue is desk height. In my opinion, the plan has the desk a tad low, but I understand that you have to compromise between desk height and head room. I think about 4-6 inches higher would be a little better, but didn't realize this until after I built it. There is a front desk cleat that runs from one end panel to the other. The plans have it flush with the inside bottom of the desktop. I moved it back 4 inches. I don't think this should compromise the support any and it gives a little more thigh room.
It's a pretty easy project and something my kid absolutely loves. He told every one of his friends about it at school the day after his first night sleeping in it.
Oh, one last thing. There are Consumer Product Safety Commission standards for bunk beds. This bed design meets them, although it is very close on one issue. The standards require that the railing around the top bed must be 5 inches above the top of the mattress. We have 3 twin mattresses in the house and one of them was thick enough that it would leave less than 5 inches. I think as designed, there is room for a mattress that is 8.5-9 inches thick. Keep that in mind when building/modifying.
Thanks for asking about it.
http://store.yahoo.com/plansnow/loft.html
I did my own thing with the accessories above the countertop/desktop. Their plans call for attaching the bookcases by drilling through hardboard into some 1x4s. I didn't think that would be sturdy enough and backed the hardboard behind the bookcase with some plywood. There are 2 1x4 ledgers at the back that the desk accessories attach to. I would move the top one up a few inches from what the plans state.
I made the unit mostly out of pine, with some edged ply too. At first I was going to finish it like in the plan, but my son wanted it painted. If I had started off with paint in mind, I probably would have used poplar.
The entire bed breaks down b/c it is mostly held together with carriage bolts. If I were to do it again, I'd make the two end pieces solid instead of carriage bolts/breakdownable (is that a word?).
The other big issue is desk height. In my opinion, the plan has the desk a tad low, but I understand that you have to compromise between desk height and head room. I think about 4-6 inches higher would be a little better, but didn't realize this until after I built it. There is a front desk cleat that runs from one end panel to the other. The plans have it flush with the inside bottom of the desktop. I moved it back 4 inches. I don't think this should compromise the support any and it gives a little more thigh room.
It's a pretty easy project and something my kid absolutely loves. He told every one of his friends about it at school the day after his first night sleeping in it.
Oh, one last thing. There are Consumer Product Safety Commission standards for bunk beds. This bed design meets them, although it is very close on one issue. The standards require that the railing around the top bed must be 5 inches above the top of the mattress. We have 3 twin mattresses in the house and one of them was thick enough that it would leave less than 5 inches. I think as designed, there is room for a mattress that is 8.5-9 inches thick. Keep that in mind when building/modifying.
Thanks for asking about it.