Loft Beds And Bunk Beds - Buying Ready Made Vs. Building Your Own

There are a number of good reasons why you might decide to build a bunk bed or left bed rather then buying one. The most usual reason, of course, is cost. While there are plenty of very good bunk beds available on the market today, they tend to be extremely expensive. However, you can get a good sturdy bunk bed for under $150 is you buy second hand. I would really advise you not to buy one new for that price though, as you get what you pay for and the very cheap bunk beds are cheap because they are low quality. Second hand beds, on the other hand, can be an excellent investment.

On the other hand, if you would prefer not to buy a prebuilt bunk bed, it's not as hard as you might think it would be to build one for yourself. While you'll have trouble finding a cheap bunk bed new, it is easy to get hold of a bunk bed kit. Not only are they easy to find and cheap, but they are also easy to put together, and you can either buy the materials to make them yourself, or get a kit which comes with them.

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 popular reason, after the lower price, for building your own bed is that it's something fun for the whole family. A construction project, such as putting together a bunk bed, is an excellent activity to which both adults and children can contribute to. Of course, if you think your kids might not be interested, or you just don't want them involved, you can always build it yourself. Perhaps give it to them as a surprise gift. I know they'll be proud to be able to say to their friends, when asked where the bed came from, that "my dad built it for me". Or even more so, "I built it- with my dads help"!

As I've already mentioned, the only way to guarantee that you are getting exactly what you wanted is to put it together yourself. Whatever it is that you want in a bed, you may or may not be able to find for sale, but there's a good chance that whatever it is will not be perfect for you as it has to appeal to many different possibly customers. Of course, you need to be careful not to stray too far from the designs you've got, as a mistake made in constructing your bunk bed could result in a dangerous instability. So unless you really know what you're doing, it's best to choose a plan that is close to what you want and then alter it only slightly. Nevertheless, there is still plenty of room for imagination. When you build it yourself, you can color it how you like, using paints or stencils, and give it an appropriate pattern. Or even allow your kids to design how they want it to look, adding yet more fun to the construction.

The number of plans available, as well, is extremely large, so you can easily find something that closely matches what you want and then adapt it to your specific designs. You can not only choose different shapes for the bed itself, but also find whatever extra features you want. For example, you might want a bunk bed with storage lockers or drawers underneath it. Or a loft bed with something larger, perhaps a desk, or closet, under it. any of these (and more) are available.

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.

However, building a bunk bed has a large number of advantages that go beyond just the money saved. Building a bunk or loft bed can be a fun family project, that serves to bring parents and children closer together. You can customize the bed as much as you wish, changing the color and design to fit whatever you wish it to, and there are a huge variety of kits and plans available for you to get started.