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I would caution against using something like this for a bunk bed or loft bed. It’s a potentially fatal accident waiting to happen. At the very least, you should

I would caution against using something like this for a bunk bed or loft bed. It’s a potentially fatal accident waiting to happen. At the very least, you should stick to a design that has been thoroughly tested and rated for load. Even so, the temptation to modify it is always there, especially for kids. And as a parent, it may not be obvious when it’s been modified because there are holes all over the place. As you can probably tell, I’m a parent with kids who have used bunk beds and loft beds.

brudgers 4y ago
There are two separate concerns here. Is the design adequate? Will children do something risky? "Yes," and "Yes" irrespective of how their bed is built. Conversation is the second best way to address the second "Yes." Play the best way.
- cjrp 4y ago
  That’s why designs of things like beds have to prevent them getting their necks caught, for example. There was a carpenter selling custom beds in the UK, but there were a number of fatal accidents because he hadn’t designed it properly.
  - ivanbakel 4y ago
    Source on this? Quick websearch didn't reveal anything.
    - cjrp 4y ago
      https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/toddler-almost-hanged-herself-bed-same-company-which-made-cot-where-seven-month-old-baby-died-leeds-court-told-44572 https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/toddler-almost-ha...
      - llanowarelves 4y ago
        Just saw a video the other day of people cutting a chair because a kid went through it legs-first and got stuck. It's a design consideration I hadn't thought that much about. It's like the image of getting stuck in one of those spiral "ladders"(?) on the playground, by climbing down the middle of it.
dtgriscom 4y ago
That bunk bed design looks pretty flimsy to me. Yes, there's a set of cross cables across part of the back and across one end, but the rest looks like it would parallelogram pretty easily.
hugs 4y ago
I generally agree, especially for kids' furniture, but the pre-drilled grid-beam compatible beams from McMaster-Carr[1] (which is likely just 80/20 Ready Tube) are incredibly strong. I've made a bunch of office desk & table structures and they are still going strong years later.[2][3] [1]: Aluminum Bolt-Together Framing https://www.mcmaster.com/product/8809T7 https://www.mcmaster.com/product/8809T7 [2]: Grid-beam office tables https://twitter.com/hugs/status/824028862753439744 https://twitter.com/hugs/status/824028862753439744 [3]: Grid-beam office tables https://twitter.com/hugs/status/1089303146533396481 https://twitter.com/hugs/status/1089303146533396481

brudgers 4y ago

There are two separate concerns here. Is the design adequate? Will children do something risky? "Yes," and "Yes" irrespective of how their bed is built. Conversation is the second best way to address the second "Yes." Play the best way.

cjrp 4y ago
That’s why designs of things like beds have to prevent them getting their necks caught, for example. There was a carpenter selling custom beds in the UK, but there were a number of fatal accidents because he hadn’t designed it properly.
- ivanbakel 4y ago
  Source on this? Quick websearch didn't reveal anything.
  - cjrp 4y ago
    https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/toddler-almost-hanged-herself-bed-same-company-which-made-cot-where-seven-month-old-baby-died-leeds-court-told-44572 https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/crime/toddler-almost-ha...
    - llanowarelves 4y ago
      Just saw a video the other day of people cutting a chair because a kid went through it legs-first and got stuck. It's a design consideration I hadn't thought that much about. It's like the image of getting stuck in one of those spiral "ladders"(?) on the playground, by climbing down the middle of it.

dtgriscom 4y ago

That bunk bed design looks pretty flimsy to me. Yes, there's a set of cross cables across part of the back and across one end, but the rest looks like it would parallelogram pretty easily.

hugs 4y ago

I generally agree, especially for kids' furniture, but the pre-drilled grid-beam compatible beams from McMaster-Carr[1] (which is likely just 80/20 Ready Tube) are incredibly strong. I've made a bunch of office desk & table structures and they are still going strong years later.[2][3] [1]: Aluminum Bolt-Together Framing https://www.mcmaster.com/product/8809T7 https://www.mcmaster.com/product/8809T7 [2]: Grid-beam office tables https://twitter.com/hugs/status/824028862753439744 https://twitter.com/hugs/status/824028862753439744 [3]: Grid-beam office tables https://twitter.com/hugs/status/1089303146533396481 https://twitter.com/hugs/status/1089303146533396481