Friday, September 24, 2010

Wood vs. Metal Bunk Beds

Metal bunk beds seem to get a bad rap. Apparently, there are more recalls with metal beds although I have seen some pretty flimsy wood beds too. Is one really better than the other? I think it depends on a number of factors.

Wood bunk beds are sturdy, durable, heavy, beautiful, and if they get damaged through wear, they can be refinished to look good again. Kids can abuse them, screws can be tightened, and they can almost be like new again. However, wood is more expensive and much harder to move if it's going to upper level apartments or dorms. Once a wood bed is assembled, you will probably want to leave it that way for awhile. If you want a bed that will withstand years, multiple children, and then convert to single beds as desired, wood is for you.

Metal bunk beds on the other hand are less expensive and easy to move around. They come in cool styles the kids love. On the other hand, they dent, bend, rust, and can become wobbly with less wear. Sometimes alignment is a problem. There are more recalls. But there are cheap metal beds and better metal beds.

All that said, I would make two points. One, all metal beds are not created equally. Some are good quality and can withstand more use. Others are not. Two, consider the amount of use, the duration of the need for bunk beds, and how often you will be moving them. If you buy a good quality metal bed, it can be the best choice depending on your needs. Buy a bunk bed that can be separated into two beds for even more versatility. Quality does matter in bunk beds so buy the best you can afford. If the choice is good quality wood vs. good quality metal - both are a good choice. If the choice is a cheap metal bed and anything else, I would go for the anything else.