Finding a Bed for the Boy
The small boy turns 5 in a few days, and as he has mastered making it through the night without an accident, and as he is still sleeping in the convertible crib/bed he has slept in from when he was 9 months, and since he wants a big boy bed, specifically a loft bed:
I am looking for a bed for the no longer small boy and I want to surprise him with it on his Wednesday birthday.
I’ve had my eye out for a loft bed at freecycle but none have turned up recently so I have turned to the web to see what is out there–and what sizes they are to make sure it would fit!
Making one doesn’t seem impossible. It would be difficult to surprise him with one though!
Here are some free plans I found:
they have how to build just about anything from PVC pipe!
(Does this seem sturdy enough for a 50 pound boy and a parent or two??)
Here are some very thorough plans–the dad’s a contractor and so this one seems very sturdy.
Out of wood from Monster Guides (how to build ANYTHING–except the plans are vague and so it looks like what they are doing is selling more sophisticated plans…sneaky–don’t you hate that?)
There are plenty out there to buy of course. Doesn’t this look awesome??
There’s a full bed on top and a trundle bed on the bottom level! I am sure it is way out of our budget, and I can’t even get the link to work to the company but we can still drool… Here’s a link to a similar one but in a shaker style which runs $1200…
I would really love to have a full bed above and a twin below…
These are inexpensive and flexible–very customizible.
And homemade ones abound for all kinds of great ideas out of my realm I’m afraid…Lucky Andrew!
I think what I’m going to do next is check Craigslist, and then while the Big Monkey and small boy getting bigger are out on a bike ride, I’m going to hit the thrift stores and see if I can find something used!
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Last Sunday, I spent 5 hours building my daughter’s new loft bed. It was ridiculous that I was standing there getting my little eight year old to hold this and hold that, while I used those silly little allen keys. Ikea – £80 – and it is wonderful. I have strung fairy lights underneath because they can get quite dark and have put up all her cuddly toys hanging by their feet, through the cage that holds the mattress up so that it looks like an animal zoo under there! One very important thing with homemade beds is the distance between the top of the mattress and the top and middle rung. So many children have been killed or injured by slipping through the gap and strangling themselves that there is now strict EU rules on measurements. I would also suggest bracketing it to the wall as I have done, as your little boy might not have a problem on his own but again, from experience, get a kid up there with three of their friends and you have a mighty wobbily platform, ha! Hope you find what you’re looking for. :)
Thanks for the tips, Mary! We’ve looked at a number of used Ikea beds on Craigslist, both wood and metal. We hear from friends with a 14 year old that the metal ones are a bit more rickety–they really move when the child gets older and heavier and shifts in the bed at night. Big decisions! Fortunately, I have friends who can help me put the thing together–not much of a surprise if he’s handing me the tools!
At this very moment I am going shopping for a new bedroom set for my son. He is in middle school now. I didn’t stop by your site to tell you this (as I have been here before with poetry)…but, I am currently selling my son’s set which is just like the one you show above. The only difference is the top bunk is a single. It is also trimmed in an antique blue. A separate dresser with mirror also comes with the set. I have a separate tall matching bookshelf I can include, also. I haven’t taken a photo yet, nor even advertised it yet…but was going to do that soon. We bought it at Haverty’s when he was about 5 or 6. I live in VA so don’t know if you’d be interested, but thought I’d let you know! Jan
Gosh Jan, thanks so much for thinking of us and offering! You’re very sweet and it sounds really great. Since you’re in VA and we’re hoping to get this all set up by Saturday, it probably won’t work out…In fact, I’m off today to take a look at one from Craigslist!