Often, the layout of standard living quarters does not allow all tenants to be accommodated with decent comfort, especially if the family has many children. A multi-level sleeping place will come to the rescue, allowing you to save space and ensure normal sleep for users. In order for the design to last a long time, we will learn how to assemble a bunk bed correctly. It is worth noting that the installation principle of factory and home-made models is almost identical, although they have their own nuances.
General assembly principle
Wooden elements used in the construction must be sized and have a smooth surface. To fix the transverse slats, lateral stops (drawbars) are used. During assembly, special glue is applied to them, the boards after installation are fixed with clamps. After the adhesive has dried, the clamps are dismantled, and the screws are flush in place. If desired, the screw head can be masked with furniture plugs or putty. Particular attention is paid to the stability of the device. It should be designed in such a way as to withstand not only the weight of the child, but also his possible pranks or outdoor games. In addition, if a sleeping place is being prepared for a preschooler, it should be built taking into account that the child will grow.
Special requirements for arranging a bunk bed made of wood are placed on the legs on which the side panels are mounted. These elements are best made from hardwood bars. Additional stops are attached to the parts or grooves are cut out. To give the appearance of an aesthetic design, patterns from thick cardboard are used. It is desirable to make grooves by means of a jigsaw, which provides the most accurate cut line. All roughnesses and places of cuts are processed with sandpaper.
How to assemble a bunk bed: recommendations
After the preparation of the component parts, control measurements are carried out, after which marking is applied. If all the parts match the drawing, assembly can begin. As connectors use special dowels. Sockets for their installation are marked with a pencil, then holes of the desired diameter are drilled. After fitting, carpentry glue is applied to the protrusions and final assembly is carried out.
The bunk bed, the drawing of which is shown below, is assembled in several stages. The glued base is fixed with clamps. After drying, it seizes completely on the screws. It is worth noting that the correct fitting of parts is the key to the success of the erection of the entire structure, so disassembly and assembly in the process can alternate many times. With factory elements is somewhat simpler, as they are adjusted in advance at the factory.
Classic model
Assembling a traditional bunk bed from wood begins with the manufacture of the base. Tsars are made, to which two boards are fixed at a right angle. The current task is to make a box of a rectangular configuration. Support bars are screwed to the ends using self-tapping screws. In the resulting box, planks are placed, on which the mattress will subsequently lie.
At the next stage, installation of the backrest is started. Take three boards whose width is identical to the dimensions of the bed, complete them with racks in one block. Dowels are also used for this purpose. These details can be made independently or purchased in a specialized store. In details they drill holes for dowels, boards are tried on to the bed stands, the corresponding marks are made with a pencil. Elements glue on glue only after repeated fitting.
Having made the back, proceed to the manufacture of legs and associated parts. The construction of these elements is not much different from the creation of the head. The main difference is the number of crossbars. It is important that the upper boards of the back and legs are at the same level, as they will serve as a support for the upper floor. How to assemble a bunk bed further? The second level is done on an identical principle, only it is mounted on horizontal bars and fixed with dowels. After installing the top floor, the bed is reinforced with end racks from the boards.
Final stage
After assembling the entire structure, a ladder is installed. The easiest option is to attach horizontal rails to a pair of vertical racks. At the very end of the operation, decoration is performed. For this, a water-based paint coating is suitable. It is harmless to health, which is the key factor in favor of his choice. If the bed is made of natural wood, colorless varnish is quite suitable, preserving the natural beauty of wood patterns.
Bunk bed with drawers
For work, you will need shields of plywood, wooden blocks, wood glue, a drill, bolts, screws, a hacksaw or a jigsaw.
The beginning of the assembly is traditional: two mattresses are prepared with wooden boxes, supporting sides, a ladder and a masking sidewall.
The erection of the supporting walls is carried out from plywood panels, which are filled with nitro-varnish. If the height of the partition is 1.5 meters, then in thickness it should be at least 20 mm. The width is selected depending on the size of the boxes. On the supporting walls, mark the places where the mattresses are fixed, and then drill holes. Wooden frames are bolted with chrome-plated bolts.
Features
If boxes or a wooden frame are not provided for the mattresses, a crate is made between the sidewalls. Wood bars are screwed to the walls with self-tapping screws, on which the boards are laid. On the finished crate, the sidewalls are fixed by means of connecting studs and sidewalls covering the mattress.
If the bunk bed, the drawing of which is shown below, has solid backs, it is advisable to install a removable staircase. To assemble it, a shield is attached to the box, connected to the sticks in the form of steps. For a model whose supports are made of a pair of boards, it is better to mount a ladder between them. 40 mm deep holes are drilled in the boards at a distance of 100 mm from each other. Glue is poured into the nests, after which wooden pegs with a diameter of 18 mm are inserted into them, which serve to connect the parts of the back. Drawers are made after measuring the space under the bed. They can be made of plywood, pulled together with self-tapping screws, equipped with castors in the corners.
"Attic" option
The assembly instructions for the bunk bed with the simplest drawers are given above. Next, we consider another popular option that can be performed with different levels of complexity, depending on the materials and carpentry skills available.
A typical model of this type is a structure that is attached to a wall or ceiling. The device consists of four supports 1500-2000 mm and a berth. First you need to create a drawing, carefully calculating the working dimensions.
Assembly
How to assemble an attic type bunk bed? Stages of work:
- Wooden elements are prepared (polished, treated with an antiseptic).
- According to the drawings, nests for mounting are drilled.
- The plank bed is made according to the standard scheme described above.
- The berth and support racks are assembled in one unit. The top edges of the uprights should rise 300 mm above the sunbed.
- The top and bottom strapping is done by screwing on the supporting posts of the board and the sides, providing additional rigidity and serving as sides.
- Mounted stairs.
After assembly, the structure is coated with clear varnish.
Model with a sofa
The assembly scheme of the bunk bed with a sofa allows you to save even more space than the classic counterpart. An ordinary sunbed on the ground floor does not allow you to comfortably just sit, read a book or watch TV, because there is no comfortable back. To ensure comfortable living conditions, you will have to additionally install an armchair or a small sofa.
The way out of this situation will be a bunk bed with sides and a sofa. At night, the lower part will serve as a comfortable lounger, and during the day - a comfortable sofa for sitting or lying down. When folded, the design will not take up extra space, when unfolded, turning into a full-fledged berth. For the independent manufacture of such a set, you will need to purchase a sofa, on the basis of which to build the rest of the structure, which is distinguished by stability, thanks to the massive lower part.
Modifications for large families
How to assemble a bunk bed in which the lower floor is a double bed? This design is suitable for a one-room apartment, in it the first tier is assigned to the parents, and the upper floor - to the child. The bed is made in the form of a trapezoid, its manufacture is no more complicated than the traditional version. Materials will not need so much, and stability will be more reliable due to the massive and expanded lower tier in the unfolded form.
Another option is a bunk bed with drawers of four sun beds. This design is perfect for large families. In the manufacture of this option is more complicated than all the others. Despite the complexity and cost of the material, it will be possible to preserve the usable space in the room as much as possible. In fact, these are two or three classic bunk beds, assembled in one set. Modify the device by creating drawers.
Production material
Children's bunk bed - furniture, which has strict environmental and fire safety requirements. Product quality largely depends on the material used. Most often, to create the structures under consideration, chipboard, MDF boards or wooden massif are used. The latter option is the safest and most reliable, as the wood breathes and meets all environmental standards. It is necessary to choose dried material without defects from ash, birch, beech.
However, wood has a rather high cost, so often pressed boards are used to make beds. Furniture from various directions is made from chipboard. However, for a child’s berth, this is not the best option in terms of environmental safety. An alternative is MDF, boards that are made from dried wood pressed mass. As a binding base, a natural, harmless resin obtained from trees is used.