Building Your Own Vs. Buying A Bunk Bed
by Patrick Oakley
There's a lot of reasons that might convince you to build a bunk bed, rather then buying one. The obvious one, of course, being that it is simply cheaper to build one yourself then to buy one new. However, if you get the bed second hand, you could find one for as little as $150. Actually, you might well be able to get one new for that price, but I wouldn't recommend it. As I'm sure you're aware, if something is cheap there's probably a good reason for the low price tag, and it's worth spending the extra money to get a better bed.
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.
Firstly, as I've said already, they are easy to build. Not effortless, of course, but they require very little in the way of woodworking skill. You can use standard tools that you have around the house, such as a hammer and screwdriver, without needing to buy anything exotic. If you only bought the plans and instructions, then you'll need to get wood as well. This shouldn't be a problem as you can use off the shelf lumber. The plans to construct them, moreover, are always easy to understand- after all, a bunk bed is not a complicated device.
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.
After the cost, the next most often cited reason for building rather then buying is for pleasure. I'm sure you've noticed that building something can be fun, a lot more so then simply ordering it. More then that, you can expand it to a full family project and get your kids involved as well. If you don't want to have your kids involved in building the bed itself (maybe their too young, or just not very good with hammers), you could do it as a surprise gift. Children will love that you put so much effort into building something for you, and will be proud to announce to their friends that their parents built their nice new bunk bed for them.
Another reason, which I've already said something about, is that only when you build something yourself can you be sure it works as you intend it to. Whatever you're looking for in a bed, you know that when you put it together yourself you can make it exactly what you want it to be. When you buy it, you have no such guarantee. Be careful not to change the designs too much, though, as you could end up reducing the structural stability. This is really not something you want to do, especially where your children's safety is potentially concerned. On the other hand, even keeping to the plans for construction exactly, there is a lot more opportunity to alter the designs with the use of pain, stencils, stickers, or whatever else you want to use. This is especially useful if you need to match some other furniture, or just not clash with your carpets. Think about it.
There are a lot of plans available for you to choose from, so it shouldn't be too hard for you to find an appropriate one for you. The range available does not just cover the different types of bed itself, but also all sorts of accessories and alterations. For example, you could get one with some storage space, such as drawers underneath it, or in the case of a loft bed even a full closet! There are hundreds of variations, so just pick whichever you like the most, and then figure out what changes you want to make to it.
In conclusion, you may want to buy a low cost bunk bed in some situations, particularly if you just need it for a short time, or you need it very quickly. If you're not comfortable using basic tools, then building a bed is not for you, although I'm still not sure I would advise buying one.
Building a bed, though, is not just about the cost. It's also about bringing you together as a family, and making a home that you can be proud of. It's about stamping your own personality and individuality as a family onto your furniture, so that you can look in your kids bedroom and think, I made that... no other child has a room quite like mine.
Author Patrick Oakley is a professional carpenter who specializes in designing furniture to make efficient use of space. He has recently begun selling bunk beds and loft beds over the internet. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.
|
