Bunk Bed Guide 2023: What Bunk Bed Should I Buy?

Looking for the perfect bunk bed for your home? You've come to the right place! In this bunk bed buying guide, we will compare all the different types of bunk beds on the market and help you choose which one is best for your family. We have a variety of bunk beds to choose from, including our bestselling Orion bunk bed, and in this comprehensive review, we will help you choose which one is right for you!

 

In this article we will discuss:

• The benefits of a bunk bed
• How to choose the right bunk bed
• Finding the right mattress for your new bunk bed

The benefits of a bunk bed

A bunk bed is a safe, exciting way to save space for families with multiple children of a similar age. It can cut down on the amount of rooms required, so you don't need a mansion to start a family!

Many children also benefit from sharing rooms with other children, as it can help develop their social skills from a young age. Bunk beds can also be used to allow fun sleepovers with their friends in a safe, child friendly environment, further benefitting their social development.

When compared to single beds in the same room, bunk beds also offer your child a higher level of privacy from their siblings, as they have their own space to decorate and call home. This can be very important in young children, as their bedroom should always feel like a safe space where they can express themselves.

Many bunks also come with additional storage to further save floor space and give your little ones even more room to customise.

 

How to choose the right bunk bed

Here at BedHut, we know it can be overwhelming to try and decide what bunk bed is right for your kids. Between height, safety, style and storage, it can feel like there's simply too much to think about. That's why we've put together this handy 5-point checklist to find the perfect bunk bed for your family:

• Safety
• Size
• Storage
• Type
• Mattress

Safety first

As a parent, your first consideration in any situation is your children's safety, and that is no different here. Putting such a tall item in your children's bedroom can be a daunting prospect, but there's no need for alarm. All bunk beds sold in the UK must be authorised and regulated by the British safety standards authority, who rigorously test each bed and make sure it is good quality, and safe for your kids.

 

In order to increase your child's safety, make sure to educate them on the proper use of the bunk bed:

• Only one child should be on the top bunk at a time, no playing on the upper bunk.
• Your kids shouldn't play on the bed frame, whether it is climbing, jumping, or any other acrobatics.
• Teach your children how to use the ladder safely, as it is the only way they should access the top bunk.

Building a safe bed

All our bunk beds come with a set of instructions. When you assemble your kids bed, make sure to pay special attention to the assembly instructions. This will ensure that you put the bed together according to the safety standards, and that it is as sturdy and safe as possible.

If you are missing a piece of the bunk bed, do not use it, instead, contact us and we will sort out the issue. Make sure the ladder and safety rails are properly fitted to prevent your kids from tripping and falling from the top bunk.

Building a safe bedroom

The safety of the space around the bunk bed is important too. Always make sure there is no clutter on or around the ladder of the bed that could cause your child to fall from the top bunk. You can also make this clear to your kids to teach them a valuable lesson about keeping their space clean and tidy.

 

We recommend that you position the bunk bed next to a wall, far enough away from light fittings, ceiling fans, and windows. It is important to put up the safety rails up on both sides of the bed, even the side facing the wall, as there will still be a small space alongside the bed.

One of the handy features of some of our bunk beds is a glow in the dark strip on each step of the ladder. If your bunk bed does not have this feature, we recommend giving your kids a children's reading lamp or night light to allow them to descend to the lower bunk safely. This can also help some children sleep.

What about the size?

Bunk beds are great space saving additions to many children's rooms. Before buying a bunk bed make sure to measure the space in your kids room, and then take a look at the dimensions of our beds (at the bottom of the description). These measurements should include the floor space and the floor-to-ceiling height, to make sure there is enough room.

If you have a low ceiling, one of our cabin beds might be perfect for you, as these tend to be smaller in height. Cabin beds are recommended for little ones over 6 years old.

 

Think about storage

When you are considering bunk beds for your kids, think about how much storage space you will need. A neat and tidy room can increase the safety of your children buy removing tripping and choking hazards. Luckily, our bunk beds come with a variety of smart space saving solutions.

Some bunk beds have built-in drawers or cupboards underneath the bed, which can be really handy for storing clothes, toys and other items, preventing them from being strewn about all over the bedroom.

Other beds, such as our Pegasus High Sleeper, come with desk space, and cabinets built into the ladder. This is perfect for teenagers between 12-16 years old as it provides a place to study and relax on their own as they become more independent.

 

What type of bunk bed?

When it comes to bunk beds, we've got them all! As it turns out, there is a wide variety of bunk beds, each built with a different requirement in mind:

• The standard bunk bed
• The triple sleeper
• The high sleeper
• The gaming bed

The standard bunk bed

The traditional bunk bed. Two single beds stacked on top of one another in a large frame. Perfect for two children of any age who share a room to have a good amount of privacy while they sleep.

Our most popular standard bunk bed is the Orion storage bunk bed frame (shown below). This wooden bunk bed frame features ample storage on both the top bunk and bottom bunk, with glow in the dark lights on the ladder for added safety.

 

The triple sleeper bunk bed

The triple sleeper often comes in one of two variations: a trio bunk or a triple sleeper. A trio bunk is exactly as the name suggests; three standard single bunks stacked on top of one another. This type of of kids bed can be quite tall, and so isn't right for everyone, but if you have a high ceiling then this bed is perfect for sleeping three children with minimal floor space.

Why not check out our sturdy pine wood Trio bunk bed (shown below) which sleeps three children while only using up the floor space of one small single bed - perfect if you need to save a lot of room.

 

The second variation, the triple sleeper bunk bed, features a single bed on top of a standard double bed, perfect for three children or for a guest bedroom.

The Domino Triple Sleeper (shown below) is the perfect contemporary triple sleeper kids bed. It features a small double bed on the bottom bunk with a single wooden bunk bed on top. This bed can also double as a handy guest bed for visitors or to sleep more kids during a fun sleepover.

 

The high sleeper bunk bed

The high sleeper is perfect for kids who want a bit more privacy, or for those who need extra storage and desk space in their room. A bunk bed with a high sleeper typically features a single bed on top of a raised platform with plenty of space underneath for things like desks, chairs, chests of drawers and wardrobes.

The Pegasus High Sleeper (shown below) is a great example of this. This single kids bed features a spacious built in wardrobe and handy desk with a chest of drawers beside it for maximum storage for your child.

 

The gaming bed

A new type of kids bed coming into popularity with the rise of online gaming, the gaming bed is an all-in-one gaming station for your child, perfect for older teens from 13-18.

Our Nebula Gaming Bed (shown below) is the perfect example of this, with a huge wall space to mount a TV, a desk for a monitor and shelves for storing games and books, what more do you need? Offering somewhere to sleep, play and stream, this bed has it all.

 

Now for the mattress

Once you've decided on the perfect mattress for you kids bedroom, it's time to pick out a mattress. Any single mattress will fit a bunk bed but UK regulations state that the top of the mattress must be at least 16cm from the top of the safety rail on the top bunk.

We recommend either our Capsules Essential mattress (18cm deep) or our Capsule Reflex roll up mattress (12.5cm deep, shown below).

 

For a triple sleeper, make sure to check if the bottom bunk is a small double or regular double, and purchase a mattress accordingly. We recommend our Phoenix Pocket 2000 Mattress.

All wrapped up!

We here at BedHut hope this guide has been useful to you. If you have any further questions about this guide or any of our kids bunk beds, please contact us. Why not also have a look at our complete guide on buying a mattress and find out how you can give your children the best night's sleep.