Best Bunk Beds with Mattress Under $200

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If you’re a parent of two or more kids, you know that space is at a premium in your home. That’s why bunk beds are so popular. They offer the best of both worlds: they provide extra sleeping quarters without taking up too much floor space in the bedroom.

And if you purchase bunk beds with mattresses underneath, then it saves on bedding costs as well! There are many different types and styles to choose from, but for this blog post we’ll focus on those that are under $200.

Best Bunk Beds Under $200 (2022)

Bunk beds can be expensive if you go for ones that come pre-built from a furniture store, but there are many sets available online that cost less than $200 and include everything you need in the set including mattresses and bedding. Here is a list of 7 bunk beds that cost less than $200 if bought online.

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1. Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bed

bunk beds under $200

Bunk beds in the bedroom can provide extra space in a small room or provide “sleepover” bedding for a friend.  Most children can’t wait to get their first set of bunk beds.

Parents have not necessarily been as fond of the idea of bunk beds.  Children can fall from the top bunk or off the ladder. The Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bunk Bed design goes a long way to alleviating parents’ concerns over safety.

Safety was a major concern in the development of the Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bunk Bed. The tubular construction has a lead-free powder-coated finish that gives a dramatic accent to any room. The ladder is down the right front side of the unit and it can not be removed – also for added security.  The upper bunk has full-length guardrails while the lower bunk is without guardrails.

The Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bunk Bed is a good choice for a family concerned with value as well as quality.  The frame is a beautifully geometric design with an integral ladder.  The style is Contemporary and can compliment many different furniture types and the white color fits in most decors.

The beds can be used as two individual beds as the children grow and want more privacy.  The Contemporary design can flow easily from a “kids” room to a “teens” room.  The tubular design provides for a number of different decorating options.

The Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bed takes up less floor space than many other bunk bed units.   It has an attractive design as well as being very durable.  The bed provides good support as long as the weight limit of 175 is taken into consideration.

The Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bunk Bed unit in white also conforms to the latest consumer product safety standards.  It is well made with sturdy construction and has an integrated ladder and full-length guard rails for added safety.

The mattresses and bedding are not included with the unit. Mattresses can be a maximum of 9 inches thick.  Standard twin mattresses fit both the units and standard twin bedding can be used on both units also.

What people are saying about the Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bed White:

Although the majority of the reviews are very positive on the Twin over Twin Bunk Bed unit by the Walker Edison company, one of the main complaints involves the assembly of the unit.

The bed unit comes in one large box that weights approximately 90 lbs.  One main complaint was that the instructions were complicated and didn’t do a good job of “going from A to B to C – sometimes B was missed and then brought back in later when it was too late.”

Two people are best when trying to assemble the unit and, although tools were included with the unit, a number of people said that it was best to have a flat-ended metal rod for putting in the plastic clips that hold the slats.

There are 22 slats and a plastic clip is needed for each end so putting these together can be very time consuming and a major hassle.  The use of an electric screwdriver with Allen’s head can also make construction easier.

Other people said that assembly instructions were missing and vital information was left out.  On a positive note, since the slats are so close together, boards are not needed to hold the mattresses.  There is also online support and a telephone number to call for additional help in constructing the unit.

Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bed Conclusion

The Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bed has very good reviews, except for the assembly issues.  It is rated with four out of five stars on Amazon with over 20 reviews. Many reviewers said that, once the unit was assembled, it was very sturdy.  Overall the reviews have been positive with the bed called “very sturdy and longlasting” and “a great value” for the price.

If you need additional sleeping space either for at home or in a vacation home or cabin, the Walker Edison Twin over Twin Bunk Bed in white can be an excellent solution.

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2. Stork Craft Caribou Bunk Bed

bunk beds with mattress under $200

Stork Craft has gone a long way to eliminating many of these safety hazards in their Caribou Twin Bunk Bed unit. The Caribou Bunk Bed has many safety features built into the design to provide added protection to children and peace of mind to the parents.

Here are just a few of the safety improvements in a Stork Craft Caribou Bunk Bed unit:

  • Solid wood construction
  • Non-toxic finish in a beautiful Expresso color
  • Sturdy ladder to the upper bed
  • Full-length guard rails on the upper bed
  • Full-sized slat mattress support
  • Unique fastening system for added stability
  • Meets current United States Safety Standards
  • Meets current Canada Safety Guidelines
  • One Year limited warranty

The full sized slat mattress support and full-length guard rails help to minimize the safety concerns of parents about children sleeping in bunk beds.

Why choose a Caribou Bunk Bed?

Bunk beds provide the extra sleeping space needed without taking up a lot of floor area. The Caribou Bunk Bed by Stork Craft is a great addition to any child’s room. It is stylish and practical and can be used for both boys and girls.

The Expresso color and clean-lined design make the Caribou Bunk Bed a nice addition to any room and color scheme. The design brings to mind the open spaces, mountains and blue skies of Canada.

Assembly and Dimensions:

The Caribou Bunk Bed comes in a compact package using only one box. The box weighs approximately 120 lbs. Assembly instructions are included in the package as well as all components necessary for assembly. It may take more than one person to assemble the unit, however.

The final dimensions are:

  • D: 78.4 inches
  • W: 42.6 inches
  • H: 58.2 inches

The Caribou Bunk Bed by Stork Craft has less height than most bunk beds so it can be used in a room with a lower ceiling. This is an advantage to homeowners who have gabled ceilings and less height to their bedrooms. The unit is designed with a smaller stature than a regular size bunk bed so it also takes up less floor space.

Mattresses are not included. Caribou Bunk Bed uses a standard size twin mattress and standard Twin size sheets.

What people say about the Stork Craft Caribou Bunk Bed.

There are very few reviews on the Stork Craft Caribou Bunk Bed. One of the few negative comments was that the guardrails could not be used if the beds were separated – the rails are attached to the side rails. Due to this, once the bed was separated into two separate singles, the bed could not be used for a toddler who still needed side rails for safety.

The Stork Craft Caribou Bunk Bed can be used to provide additional bedding in a small room or even as part of a “bunkhouse” in a vacation home. It will give parents peace of mind and still give the kids that sense of adventure bunk beds can bring!

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3. ACME Homestead Full Bunk Bed

cheap bunk beds under 200

When space is limited and extra bedding is needed either in a smaller home or at a vacation home, the Acme 2290 Full Over Full bunk bed is a great solution! It can be a good option for a child’s room with the lower bunk being available as additional play space or as a “sleepover” bed for a friend. The upper bunk is full size with attached guardrails while the lower bunk is full size without guardrails. It has a single ladder of sturdy construction.

The Acme 2290 Full Over Full Bunkbed features a metal Arch bed design for added strength and durability. It has metal bolt connections and a triangular base construction that also contributes to the strength of the unit. The rustic wood design is clean and functional and can be a focal point of any room. It is a great way to provide extra bedding in a small room!

Dimensions:

Overall dimensions Acme 2290 Full Over Full  Bunkbed are not available on the website – an oversight that should be addressed by the Acme company!
There is also no indication if these two beds can be separated and used as free-standing full size beds. The mattresses are not included. There is also no room for box springs so the mattresses sit directly on the support boards.

Assembly:

The shipping weight for the Acme 2290 Full Over Full Natural Pine New Wood Bunk Beds Bunkbed is approximately 92.8 lbs. Some assembly is required. One reviewer says the Acme 2290 Full Over Full Natural Pine New Wood Bunk Beds Bunkbed is “easy to assemble” and “very sturdy” although there were a number of complaints about the lack of screws and bolts being missing from the package. One reviewer said he “didn’t think it would come in so many pieces.” but “fortunately it wasn’t hard to assemble.” Many people said that you need at least two people to assemble these bunkbeds.

Tips for Choosing Cheap Bunk Beds for Kids

The following is not a complete list, but it gives you an outline of some of the important things to look for when buying a bunk bed.

Visit the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) web site for a complete list of bunk bed requirements. Find a reputable dealer, one you can trust and who sells a good quality bunk bed, and who will guarantee the product.

Ask the dealer for information about the weight limits and maximum thickness of the mattress. The requirement is a minimum of 5″ from the top of the mattress to the top of the guardrails. Look for the attached safety sticker (required by law) and bunk bed instructions outlining safe usage. The bed should be made of sturdy resilient materials with smooth rounded edges.

Shake the bed forcefully to test it for its firmness and stability.

Make sure the beds are made of solid woods. Beds made of veneers over particle board are not as structurally well-built; they are cheaper to build and are not as satisfying to own.

The width of the ladder should be adequate and attached securely so that it cannot be removed by a child. The guardrails should be full length on one side, and not less than 15″ shorter on the opposite side.

The guardrails must be attached so that they cannot be removed without releasing a secured device or applying forces sequentially in opposite directions. The structure surrounding the upper bunk should have openings which are 3-1/2″ or less (spaces between bed rail and guardrails and on the end units).

Find a bed that has adequate room on the bottom so that both you and your kids can sit on it comfortably. This may lessen the desire for kids to want to play on the upper bunk. Note that shorter beds will allow younger kids to stand on the upper bunk.

Cheap bunk beds are often the first option for kids’ rooms. Cheap bunk beds will only occupy one side of the room, which allows the rest of the space to be used as a play area for kids.

Bunk beds for kids are designed to withstand some degree of roughhousing so they are ideal for boys’ rooms. Some cheap bunk beds come with storage areas underneath which are great options for toy storage.

There are some things to consider when choosing cheap bunk beds. No matter how affordable cheap bunk beds are they still have to pass the quality control standards of the US Consumer Product Safety Regulations. This means that the bunk bed has to be made of durable material, with parts that are securely attached to the main frame of the bed.

Cheap bunk beds should be designed to accommodate the height of the child when sitting or standing and should not have any sharp corners and rough areas, which can cause accidents. A good way to check if the bed is sturdy enough is to perform a simple shake test to see if it can withstand rough uses by children.

Also, you will have to decide if you want a twin over full style, full over full, triple bunk beds, futon bunk beds or loft bunk beds.

You can get some great discounts on cheap bunk beds for sale when shopping on special days of the year, such as the Black Friday holidays, summer sales and closing out sales.

Most stores slash prices on their bunk beds when closing to get items sold faster. Look for notices of fire sales in bedroom and furniture stores in the area and time purchases of large items of furniture like bunk beds around these times to get bunk beds for cheap.  The best deals I have found tend to be online though and those are available all year round.

Cheap Bunk Beds:  Wood vs. Metal

Most cheap bunk beds are made of either wood or metal. Wooden bunk beds have a certain log cabin style charm to them and are perfect for homes with a traditional or country feel.

Metal bunk beds often look sleeker and modern, perfect for modern and contemporary rooms. Metal twin over twin beds also have the advantage of being lighter and more flexible compared to their wooden counterparts.

Metal and wooden beds offer the same performance in safety and durability but some people prefer metal bunk beds because these often last longer. In addition, wooden bunk beds may fall prey to termites when not treated properly, which can turn the bed into an accident hazard later on.

Metal beds are also cheaper compared to wooden bunk beds and they are lighter, which means that they can be easily moved around the room when the redecorating bug hits. Metal bunk beds also come with metal stairs and ladders, which seem sturdier compared to wooden steps.

Most parents prefer metal bunk beds because of their flexibility and the ease with which these beds can be assembled. Metal is lighter compared to wood, which makes the beds easier and more affordable to order online and ship across the country.

Most mattresses are not included in most cheap bunk beds, which is actually preferred by most buyers since this allows them to choose the kind of mattress that they want.

Other cheap bunk beds may also have storage and/or drawers built into the beds, either on the bottom of the lower bunk or as hanging headboard cabinets, while some beds come with trundle bed options for additional sleeping space that is very easy to store when not needed. Some cheap bunk beds can be used by both children and adults. Cheap bunk beds are perfect as guest room accommodations for adults.

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The bunk bed has been around for many years, historically used where there isn’t enough space for everyone to have their own floor space for a bed. They have been used in ships, submarines and prisons.

They are more often associated with children’s rooms especially when you have a large family and not enough bedrooms to go around.

Children seem to love them too as they easily transform into a fort or whatever the child’s imagination holds.

The top bunk bed generally has a ladder or stairs to reach it. Smaller children may feel more secure climbing stairs to reach the top instead of a ladder. Many bunk beds also have storage drawers underneath the bottom bunk. This is an added advantage and can help to keep the room free of clutter.

There are many styles of bunk beds. There is the traditional style of two twin-sized beds, one on top of the other. The loft style bed has the top bunk placed at a 90-degree angle from the bottom bunk, which opens up some space above the bottom bunk and below the top bunk.

The loft beds also come in standard and queen sizes. Then you have the futon bunk bed which has a futon couch instead of the lower bed. When the other bed is needed, the futon pulls out to become a bed. This gives versatility to one child room with extra seating but also a place for a friend to spend the night.

A trundle bed is not the usual bunk bed but has a pull out bed underneath a twin bed that pulls out when needed. This is also a bed that would be better used for a single child that needs an extra bed for sleepovers.

bunk beds with mattress under $200

Bunk beds are constructed of either wood or metal. The wood is larger and can be more clunky looking. The metal frames are just as sturdy as the wood or even sturdier and take up less room.

You might need to buy a second hand bunk beds. If you do, only purchase one that is made by a well known brand. Inspect it to see if it is sturdy and not shaky. Continue these inspections on a regular basis so that the bed does not become unsafe without your realizing it.

Bunk Beds Safety Tips

There are required safety standards for bunk beds issued by the US Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The reasons for these standards are to
prevent the risk of injury and death from children becoming entrapped in the
beds construction or wedged between the bunk bed and the wall. Bunk beds
manufactured or imported for sale in the USA on or after June 19, 2000, are
required, under the federal standards, to meet these requirements. You may
view a summary of these standards on the Consumer Product Safety Commission
web site (www.cpsc.gov).

ALWAYS SUPERVISE SAFE USE OF YOUR BUNK BED

The following are some rules and guidelines to follow:

  • Do not allow children under six years of age on the top bunk.
  • Both sides of the upper bunk must have guardrails.
  • Use only the correct size mattress, pursuant to the recommendations of the manufacturer.
  • The thickness of both the mattress and foundation combined must be at least 5″ below the top of the guardrails.
  • Do not allow more than one person on the upper bunk. Do not allow children to roughhouse on or under the beds.
  • Always use the ladder for getting up and down the upper bunk.

The biggest concern with bunk beds is their safety. Small children under the age of 6 should not sleep on the top bunk.

  1. Check the railing on the top and the ladder often to make sure they are attached securely.
  2. Know how much weight the top bunk can hold. Grab the top bed and shake it as hard as you can to see how stable it is.
  3. Another good idea is to have a larger bed on the bottom bunk. That way if anyone slips off the top bunk, they will hit the mattress instead of the floor.
  4. When replacing the original mattress you need to get one that is the same size, especially in thickness. Using a mattress that is thicker or wider than the original can interfere with some of the safety features of the railing and ladder.
  5. Do not let your children hang things on the bunk bed like belts or ropes that they could become caught in while playing. Playing on the top bunk is not safe either.

If a child were to fall off of the top bunk they could be severely injured, especially if there are toys on the floor. This did happen to my sister’s nephew when he fell off of the top bunk and landed on a Tinkertoy stick. Fortunately, he recovered from the injury but it was a very scary time that no parent wants to have to live through.

Having a bunk bed or two can solve many problems with limited space. Find the style and size that will work in your situation. Remember the safety precautions and you’ll enjoy the bunk bed for years to come.

Three Tips For Buying A Bunk Bed Under $200

Safety first

The first thing you need to consider when making a bunk bed purchase is safety. This is especially true when young children will be using it. Even if an older college student will be using the bed you still want it to be safe, because they might fall off for reasons we will not mention here.

Make sure the bed meets all safety standards and has strong attachments for the ladder and guardrails. Whatever you do, do not sacrifice safety for price.

Decide What Type You Need

There is a remarkable number of options available. When buying one for children the standard version or a twin over full usually works best.

There are all different styles and designs available, so just find one that matches the room. If you are going to be using it in a dorm or apartment the loft or futon styles are always a big hit. The online market has really opened up the different bunk bed options that are available. No matter what your needs are you should be able to find one to fit them.

Find Bunk Beds Under $200 Online

The first place I start looking whenever I need a new piece of furniture is the online classified market. Every day people are getting rid of nearly brand new stuff just because they are either moving or are rich and found something they like better.

If you search around a little bit you can almost always find one of these hidden gems. If that does not work out for you, or you prefer not to buy something used, there are literally hundreds of stores selling this type of bed online. They do not need to worry about showrooms, so they are able to give you much better deals.

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