Metal vs Wood bunk beds

seeker

Sun, Oct 01 2017, 1:55 pm

Still shopping for bed for my kids...

I'm looking at used or inexpensive beds. Wooden beds look nice but I'm wondering if metal is more sturdy/durable. Reviews online of various inexpensive wooden bunk beds make me think that the quality of wood can vary and if buying used maybe the wood is already stressed or worn out. Not sure if that happens to metal as well? I also visited Ikea to look at the beds on the floor, and it seemed like if you give the inexpensive wooden ones a good shake they don't seem as strong as the metal ones, but maybe that's just because the inexpensive Ikea wooden ones are made of thinner wood. I'm also thinking that if buying used, metal is probably easier to clean than wood. On the other hand I'm used to thinking of wooden furniture as a quality, in addition to looking nicer.

Please share experiences/opinions.

(on a related note, does anyone know if disassembled bed parts would fit in a large sedan or if I need to borrow a van? I can get inexpensive wooden beds of questionable quality with free shipping, but for better-quality wood I'd have to buy used which means picking it up from someone's house, and for metal it would probably be Ikea where shipping adds $99 unless I can haul it)

amother

Jade

Sun, Oct 01 2017, 2:30 pm

I suspect that more than metal vs. wood is good quality vs. poor quality. I had wooden beds from This End Up, pine wood I think, which is very soft, scratches and dings easily, but the beds were very sturdy. Thick, thick wood and heavy hardware holding it together. They werent the most expensive beds we saw, and they're not very elegant, but they were strong. and heavy. My kids, who tbh weren't all that hard on things but still were kids and not what you would call careful*, used them for about 15 years and then a few years ago I gave them to someone with very rambunctious kids who is loving them. I have no idea what they look like now, but sturdy they are. I used to rub baby oil into the wood every fall to keep it from drying out in the winter heating season. It wasn't completely unfinished wood but the finish, if any, was very thin. baby oil soaked right in. I didn't worry about dings but didn't want the wood drying out and splintering.

There were quite a number of episodes reported of metal beds collapsing because they were either spot-welded or riveted with weak rivets. I assume they were inexpensive beds to begin with but I don't know. I do know that anything riveted eventually gets rickety as the holes made by the rivets eventually get bigger from wear. The more wear, the faster they get rickety.

I cant tell you how to spend your $ but this is a matter of your dc safety and even life. Get the best frames you can afford, with two full-length rails on the top bunk. Mattress quality doesn't have to be super duper, in fact the most expensive mattresses are usually too thick for the top bunk because then the rail isn't high enough to keep a kid from falling out. But the frame should be the best you can get. Used is fine but flimsy is not and rickety is not. Seriously, I'm as tight-fisted as one can get, 90% of my clothing coming from Goodwill etc. but we didn't skimp when it came to the bunk beds. Check the Consumer product safety Commission website and search on bunk beds for some pointers of what to look for.

amother

Powderblue

Sun, Oct 01 2017, 2:40 pm

Dh got a concussion as a teen falling out of a dorm bunk with no rail- absolutely make sure the rails are long enough to prevent falls. (Probably a gap the width of the ladder, assuming it's not more than a foot, would not have been an issue for a teenager.)

We have plenty of Ikea furniture but I don't trust the sturdiness of their beds, certainly not for a bunk bed. Their cribs are great if you or anyone else is looking.

seeker

Sun, Oct 01 2017, 2:56 pm

Of course there will be a good, strong rail!

I guess my question is how to judge what would be good strong quality.

Thanks for the explanation of how rivets can wear out. I'm not familiar with any of these things. My previous bed was a solid metal hi-riser that has held up fine for ages.

I'm not going to get cheap wooden anything because I'm just not sure if it would be strong enough. But I have seen some people looking to pass on used wooden beds that were originally more expensive. I haven't seen any poor-quality reviews on the basic Ikea metal bed.

Basically I have no idea which way to look first, only that I have been waffling about this way too long and sharing beds with my kids is getting a little tiresome. I want to have a new bed by the end of yomtov at the latest, if not sooner.

Teomima

Sun, Oct 01 2017, 2:59 pm

I have a wood bunk bed for my kids, but I bought very, very good quality, made from heavy, solid wood. There are too many horror stories about bunk beds. We really needed it, we had no space for separate beds, but it's one item best not to skimp on. I waited till it was on sale, and bought a kind that can also be separated into two separate beds, should were ever have the space, so I figured it was a good investment for life.

I do have a metal bed from Ikea, and it's great and solid, but I don't know if I'd feel secure with one of their metal bunk beds. But I would trust buying the bunk bed I have, used off of someone else, if absolutely necessary (and obviously after checking to make sure everything is as it should be). But there's no way this bed would fit inside a large sedan.

Teomima

Sun, Oct 01 2017, 3:26 pm

seeker wrote:

All the wooden beds I saw are solid wood. How would I know which ones are good quality?

So mine at least are made from large square wooden beams (on the four corners), not planks, which to me makes it feel extra secure. The planks that go around the bed aren't simply 2x4s, they're larger and thicker. The bed doesn't wiggle AT ALL when I shake it.

reality mom

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 10:29 am

I have a metal Ikea bunkbed. It's super sturdy and safe, and has a light and airy appearance. Was able to fit in the back of my van (seats down) because it comes in a million parts. $149 without the matresses. There are posters saying that they wouldn't trust Ikeas bunk beds, but I'm wondering if they are basing it on mere assumptions, because from personal experience, (no guesses! ) its very sturdy and safe. In any case, I would much rather go with a big-name company such as Ikea which is known to practice safety, than go with some unknown, random online company trying to make a sale on their uncertified products.

HonesttoGod

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 10:35 am

We have IKEA wooden bunk beds.
Personally I feel that metal is more easy to seriously hurt yourself than wood, like bumping into it etc.
My kids love it and it is a natural wood so it blends in with the room and design etc.
It wasn't expensive but it is great quality and because it wasn't expensive I don't mind if they scratch it or color on it.

Personally I love ikea furniture and I find it pretty long lasting and sturdy but I know others feel differently.

HonesttoGod

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 10:51 am

amother wrote:

I posted about not trusting Ikea beds, but I'm not in the US. It's entirely possible the models other posters like are available in some countries but not others.

My parents and other family members have had ikea furniture and beds for years.
I have several different pieces of ikea furniture and I love it. It has been a few years and still in great condition. So no complaints and I would definitely trust it.

amother

Powderblue

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 11:14 am

HonesttoGod wrote:

Absolutely! Our table, chairs, crib, and bookcases are all from Ikea. But the one bunk bed model we saw on display didn't seem especially sturdy, and most of the twin beds were very wobbly.

seeker

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 12:06 pm

HonesttoGod wrote:

Which wooden one do you have? I only looked at the low-end one.

gold21

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 12:42 pm

Metal is safe and study.

Fully grown adult male yeshiva guys sleep on metal bunk beds in their dorm rooms.

The ladder is not as comfortable to climb though. The rungs are rounded, not flat like with wooden bunk beds. That, to my mind, is the main drawback.

Society has some random rules, like bunk beds should be wooden, but truthfully there's nothing wrong with metal.

yamz

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 1:00 pm

I don't personally have any bunkbeds yet, but I know lots of people who do. Everyone seems happy with what they have, no matter if it's wood or metal. The wooden ones do seem to take a beating after a while, in terms of looks, not durability. I don't know whether that will bother you or not. Another aesthetic concern: if you are dealing with tight quarters, I have noticed that wooden bunk beds take up a lot more visual space. So the bedroom might end up looking overcrowded and overwhelmed by the bunkbed. Of course, there are styles with a more streamlined look and thinner posts, but it's just something to be aware of.

I know two families who own the $150 IKEA metal bunk bed. They are both perfectly happy with their choice. They have not complained about stability at all. These beds take up a lot less visual space, and are a lot less likely to overwhelm the room. They can look a little too utilitarian and give the room a spartan appearance though. Again, it's (just) an aesthetic consideration. I will echo what a previous poster said though - some children are bothered by the rounded metal ladder rungs. It's uncomfortable to climb such a ladder in bare feet.

Lastly, whatever you buy, you might want to think about another important detail. Most bunkbeds (whether they are constructed from wood or metal) seem to have a relatively low weight limit for the upper bunk; some as low as 150 pounds. I don't know how long you plan on keeping your bunk bed, or if several kids might play up there at once in your house, but if you plan on keeping the bunkbed for a while, or if several of your kids and/or their friends might congregate up there, it is something to consider.

seeker

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 1:06 pm

Thanks for the tip about the possible discomfort of the metal ladder. I'll have to ponder that. At the Ikea store, they blocked off all the ladders - I guess I can understand why they don't want people climbing in the store but you'd think if they consider their beds safe for climbing in general, then they should feel safe enough to let you try it out!

I don't think I'm going to need it to last more than 150lb but it's definitely good to consider.

Interesting note: I went to look at a bunkbed someone was giving away due to moving out of town. They said they bought it at [name of AFAIK well regarded Jewish furniture store] about a year ago. I thought that's the kind of store that would only sell quality furniture, especially since they cater to the frum community which tends to need furniture that can stand up to a lot of kids, as well as having a discerning eye for quality. But it was at least as shaky and wobbly as the Ikea one! Even more so! I had to turn down the offer Sad

I'm surprised because I thought that if you buy it from a good store then you're more assured of good quality. Alas. To be fair, they had a different style bunk bed from the same store that seemed extremely stable, but that one was already claimed.

amother

Aqua

Mon, Oct 02 2017, 2:24 pm

seeker wrote:

Not sure what you saw but my Orbelle wood bunk bed from frum store is extremely sturdy. My friend is already on her third bunkbed from Wal-Mart.