It’s very likely that at some point, your child will want a bunk bed. Understandably, this can be a daunting prospect for parents who may be concerned about safety, so we’ve put together some helpful guidelines you can follow for peace of mind that your child is safe and sound in their new bunk bed.
Recommended Age
Whilst the bottom bunk is of course safe for younger children, current guidelines advise that the top bunk should only be used by children aged 6 years and above.
Assembling Your Bunk Bed Safely
To ensure your bunk bed is solid and secure, it’s important you follow the manufacturer’s instructions very carefully and only use the hardware your bunk bed is supplied with. Boori beds are supplied with a step-by-step guide that’s easy to follow for fuss-free assembly. If you discover you’ve misplaced your assembly guide, you can download a digital replacement from our website.
Where possible, try to place your bunk bed on a carpeted floor to avoid any slippages and provide a softer surface for any falls. You should also ensure that your bunk bed is placed away from any window sills or ceiling fixtures such as fans or lighting.
Attaching the Guard Rails
Whether you’re positioning your bed in the middle of the room or alongside a wall, you must make sure to use all side rails for the top bunk to keep your child safe and secure. When attaching the rails, ensure there are no large gaps (more than 7cm) between the rail and the mattress.
Bunk Bed Mattress Depth
For the top bunk, the mattress’ depth should be no more than 14cm to ensure the guard rails offer optimum safety. If you convert your bunk bed into two single beds and choose to remove the guard rails, you can of course purchase a mattress that is deeper than 14cm.
Make sure your child can sit up safely in their bed, there should be sufficient space between the ceiling and the top bunk so that your child can sit up without risk of bumping their head.
Ladder Safety
To meet current standards, your bunk bed requires an entrance/exit gap of 30cm to allow your child to get in and out of bed safely. When assembling your bunk bed, think about where you want to place your ladder for easy access, Boori bunk beds have the option to have the ladder at either end to suit your space.
Before your child sleeps in their bed for the first time, it’s a good idea to teach them about ladder safety. The area around the ladder should always be kept clear and children should never play on or around it. Only one child should use the ladder and top bunk at a time and the ladder should be the only means of climbing into the top bed – no chairs or climbing other areas of the bunk bed!
General Safety Tips
Bouncing on any bed should be discouraged due to the possibility of your child falling, but bouncing on a bunk bed also risks your child bumping their head on either the ceiling or the underside of the top bunk. Although sleeping in a bunk bed is of course a very exciting prospect for children, it’s important your child sees this as a place to sleep and not a play area.
You may want to consider installing a night light somewhere close to the bunk bed on a bedside table or chest of drawers so that your child can see the ladder more clearly at night. Bunk beds with side trays and pockets offer a great way to keep story books and favourite cuddly toys close by to reduce trips up and down the ladder.
If you’re still concerned about bunk bed safety or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
