After reading the reviews and taking notes on how to avoid the Step 3 Mistake, I carefully followed the otherwise clear instructions and got the bed put together curse-free in under 3 hours - I did have to enlist the help of my husband when it came to popping those blasted little plastic tabs into the crossbars, which he didn't have much trouble doing. He wondered if those who said they did have trouble were trying to push them straight in or one side at a time like he was. We also put the top crossbar/slats section together before attaching it to the frame, so maybe that made it easier. Anyway, the plastic tabs definitely make the slats feel nice and secure.
Here's the rundown: (items marked with * are reasons for the 4/5 star rating)
About the construction:
-Okay, first the packaging. Couldn't have been happier. Nothing was bent, scratched, or misshapen. The packing was nice and padded and tight. None of the metal pieces rubbed against other metal. While it might seem a little wasteful, each of the 44 metal slats was in its own individual plastic sleeve, so none of them were marred at all. I didn't think to check, but the sleeves felt like recycled plastic. I'm not sure if you know what I mean, but there you have it. Come to think of it, the cardboard for the "O" parts may have been recycled, too. Pretty sure the rest of the packaging wasn't, though.
-One of the holes in one of the end posts (A or D) must have been slightly off, as one of the assembled [head or foot] pieces (step 2) wasn't quite straight after I assembled it. This didn't make a difference after the bed was completely put together, though.
-*The ladder could be a little better constructed. The horizontal metal pieces that attach to the top bunk aren't exactly flush with the edge of the crossbar it attaches to. If you have the right dremel attachment, you can widen the screwhole a little bit and push the ladder inward as you tighten the bolts. Otherwise, you may have a tiny bit (like, a cm) of a sharpish edge sticking out at the top of the ladder, either from the rectangular horizontal piece or from the top of the hollow tube. (Kind of hard to explain.. sorry!) Not a huge deal, and pretty easily fixable. Also, if you change your mind about where to put the ladder, it's really easy to move.
-*The posts are definitely not as flush as the picture would have you believe. No surprise, of course. It would be nice, though, if there were some kind of sleeve that slipped over the tubes where they connect, kind of like a curtain rod..if that makes sense.
About the finished product:
-The extra little legs in the center of the bottom crossbars are nice and make the bed feel extra sturdy.
-The ladder might take some getting used to. While the design does make it more compact since you don't have a ladder sticking out diagonally and taking up 2 or 3 feet of extra space, it is a little trickier to climb up a perfectly vertical ladder, at least for a 7-year old. The inclination is to lean back as you climb, which would loosen the joints and eventually make the bed wobbly. I'm sure we'll get the hang of it, though.
-It really does seem sturdy. There is very little jostling on either bunk when someone gets on or off the other one, as tested by myself (115lb on top bunk) and my husband (170lb on bottom bunk). Just remember to check and tighten the bolts periodically.
-Another reviewer mentioned the height, saying it's taller than most bunks. This almost turned me away, as I was nervous enough having my rambunctious 7-year old boy on a top bunk. I was relieved to find that this isn't actually the case - it's the bottom bunk that is a bit lower than usual. As the other reviewer also mentioned, this gives you plenty of headroom on the bottom bunk, which is true. Unless you're freakishly tall, any adult could sit comfortably on the bottom bunk (which could be important for bedtime reading and storytime). The top bunk almost seems lower than normal..I'm 5'3" and I can almost see over it. :)
-I think someone mentioned the mattress size. We used two regular twin mattresses, and with bedding on them, they fit perfectly. A naked mattress would have space on the sides, but I think it's meant to allow for comforters and such. If you don't use fluffy bedding, you can always fill in the space with stuffed animals!
All in all, I'm happy with my purchase, and I'd recommend it to someone who is looking for a sturdy bunkbed and doesn't want to settle for the cheap one that goes by many names but gives itself away with the same photo everywhere you see it...here on or at the Big Stores. If you've been shopping around for bunkbeds, you know what I'm talking about.
So far, so good!
After reading the reviews and taking notes on how to avoid the Step 3 Mistake, I carefully followed the otherwise clear instructions and got the bed put together curse-free in under 3 hours - I did have to enlist the help of my husband when it came to popping those blasted little plastic tabs into the crossbars, which he didn't have much trouble doing. He wondered if those who said they did have trouble were trying to push them straight in or one side at a time like he was. We also put the top crossbar/slats section together before attaching it to the frame, so maybe that made it easier. Anyway, the plastic tabs definitely make the slats feel nice and secure. Here's the rundown: (items marked with * are reasons for the 4/5 star rating) About the construction: -Okay, first the packaging. Couldn't have been happier. Nothing was bent, scratched, or misshapen. The packing was nice and padded and tight. None of the metal pieces rubbed against other metal. While it might seem a little wasteful, each of the 44 metal slats was in its own individual plastic sleeve, so none of them were marred at all. I didn't think to check, but the sleeves felt like recycled plastic. I'm not sure if you know what I mean, but there you have it. Come to think of it, the cardboard for the "O" parts may have been recycled, too. Pretty sure the rest of the packaging wasn't, though. -One of the holes in one of the end posts (A or D) must have been slightly off, as one of the assembled [head or foot] pieces (step 2) wasn't quite straight after I assembled it. This didn't make a difference after the bed was completely put together, though. -*The ladder could be a little better constructed. The horizontal metal pieces that attach to the top bunk aren't exactly flush with the edge of the crossbar it attaches to. If you have the right dremel attachment, you can widen the screwhole a little bit and push the ladder inward as you tighten the bolts. Otherwise, you may have a tiny bit (like, a cm) of a sharpish edge sticking out at the top of the ladder, either from the rectangular horizontal piece or from the top of the hollow tube. (Kind of hard to explain.. sorry!) Not a huge deal, and pretty easily fixable. Also, if you change your mind about where to put the ladder, it's really easy to move. -*The posts are definitely not as flush as the picture would have you believe. No surprise, of course. It would be nice, though, if there were some kind of sleeve that slipped over the tubes where they connect, kind of like a curtain rod..if that makes sense. About the finished product: -The extra little legs in the center of the bottom crossbars are nice and make the bed feel extra sturdy. -The ladder might take some getting used to. While the design does make it more compact since you don't have a ladder sticking out diagonally and taking up 2 or 3 feet of extra space, it is a little trickier to climb up a perfectly vertical ladder, at least for a 7-year old. The inclination is to lean back as you climb, which would loosen the joints and eventually make the bed wobbly. I'm sure we'll get the hang of it, though. -It really does seem sturdy. There is very little jostling on either bunk when someone gets on or off the other one, as tested by myself (115lb on top bunk) and my husband (170lb on bottom bunk). Just remember to check and tighten the bolts periodically. -Another reviewer mentioned the height, saying it's taller than most bunks. This almost turned me away, as I was nervous enough having my rambunctious 7-year old boy on a top bunk. I was relieved to find that this isn't actually the case - it's the bottom bunk that is a bit lower than usual. As the other reviewer also mentioned, this gives you plenty of headroom on the bottom bunk, which is true. Unless you're freakishly tall, any adult could sit comfortably on the bottom bunk (which could be important for bedtime reading and storytime). The top bunk almost seems lower than normal..I'm 5'3" and I can almost see over it. :) -I think someone mentioned the mattress size. We used two regular twin mattresses, and with bedding on them, they fit perfectly. A naked mattress would have space on the sides, but I think it's meant to allow for comforters and such. If you don't use fluffy bedding, you can always fill in the space with stuffed animals! All in all, I'm happy with my purchase, and I'd recommend it to someone who is looking for a sturdy bunkbed and doesn't want to settle for the cheap one that goes by many names but gives itself away with the same photo everywhere you see it...here on or at the Big Stores. If you've been shopping around for bunkbeds, you know what I'm talking about.