I bought this for my guest bedroom. I would not purchase it for rambunctious children that like to jump on furniture, for everyday use for myself, or for very amorous adults. However, for the occasional visitor and my cats, it is perfect. This is not high end furniture and probably would not hold up for 20 years of use (unless you are like me with need only for a few days out of each year).
It is laminated MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard = glued sawdust). Off gassing will occur. It did have some minor flaws, so I placed the flawed pieces in the least noticeable position in the room. Count your pieces before you start and READ the directions. If you are familiar with the materials and the instructions, you will save time. It is unlikely that you will have extra pieces.
It was easy to put together and I did most of it myself. Im an accountant, not a contractor (but my Dad taught me a lot about construction and power tools). I did recruit some assistance in making sure the frame was squared off, but that was it. The only remotely challenging part was getting the bolts to go in correctly when attaching the headboard and foot board to the side supports. Patience and diligence paid off.
Helpful hints - You will need a screw driver, hammer, and a drill. I used a drill with a driver bit for the screws (there are between 200 and 300 of them). Make sure that the frame is square before and after you attach the foot board (To do this, measure top right to bottom left diagonally, and measure top left to bottom right diagonally. When both measurements match, the frame is square). This will REALLY help the drawers line up correctly when installed. Buy some extra screws! I put 78 total extra screws in this bed and it wont be squeaking or moving in any direction. Screw the slats down to the center supports (18, 1 8 screws). This will keep them from moving or making any unnecessary noise. Seriously consider adding ? plywood over the slats. This will keep things in your drawers nice and clean. I sanded, primed and painted the plywood before I screwed it down to the slats and caulked around the edges (12, 1 8 screws). No slivers for this girl when changing the linens. I also used L brackets to attach the plywood to the headboard and foot board for additional support on the ends (six L brackets, 24, ? 6 screws - make sure not to use anything longer or they may poke through the laminate). Lastly, I used screws (instead of using the nails provided) when attaching the bottom of each drawer to the backs (24, ? 8 screws). I put stick on plastic bumpers on the top corners of each drawer to keep them from banging on the bed frame.
Once made up, you wont see much of the bed. It is functional, adds some extra storage (and who doesnt need that), and looks nice. It allowed me to put a Queen sized bed in a relatively small room due to the small foot print of the bed. Im going to make my own upholstered headboard and will attach it to the wall. Im quite happy with this purchase.
Perfect for My Needs
I bought this for my guest bedroom. I would not purchase it for rambunctious children that like to jump on furniture, for everyday use for myself, or for very amorous adults. However, for the occasional visitor and my cats, it is perfect. This is not high end furniture and probably would not hold up for 20 years of use (unless you are like me with need only for a few days out of each year). It is laminated MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard = glued sawdust). Off gassing will occur. It did have some minor flaws, so I placed the flawed pieces in the least noticeable position in the room. Count your pieces before you start and READ the directions. If you are familiar with the materials and the instructions, you will save time. It is unlikely that you will have extra pieces. It was easy to put together and I did most of it myself. Im an accountant, not a contractor (but my Dad taught me a lot about construction and power tools). I did recruit some assistance in making sure the frame was squared off, but that was it. The only remotely challenging part was getting the bolts to go in correctly when attaching the headboard and foot board to the side supports. Patience and diligence paid off. Helpful hints - You will need a screw driver, hammer, and a drill. I used a drill with a driver bit for the screws (there are between 200 and 300 of them). Make sure that the frame is square before and after you attach the foot board (To do this, measure top right to bottom left diagonally, and measure top left to bottom right diagonally. When both measurements match, the frame is square). This will REALLY help the drawers line up correctly when installed. Buy some extra screws! I put 78 total extra screws in this bed and it wont be squeaking or moving in any direction. Screw the slats down to the center supports (18, 1 8 screws). This will keep them from moving or making any unnecessary noise. Seriously consider adding ? plywood over the slats. This will keep things in your drawers nice and clean. I sanded, primed and painted the plywood before I screwed it down to the slats and caulked around the edges (12, 1 8 screws). No slivers for this girl when changing the linens. I also used L brackets to attach the plywood to the headboard and foot board for additional support on the ends (six L brackets, 24, ? 6 screws - make sure not to use anything longer or they may poke through the laminate). Lastly, I used screws (instead of using the nails provided) when attaching the bottom of each drawer to the backs (24, ? 8 screws). I put stick on plastic bumpers on the top corners of each drawer to keep them from banging on the bed frame. Once made up, you wont see much of the bed. It is functional, adds some extra storage (and who doesnt need that), and looks nice. It allowed me to put a Queen sized bed in a relatively small room due to the small foot print of the bed. Im going to make my own upholstered headboard and will attach it to the wall. Im quite happy with this purchase.