This triple bunk bed is legit, I am happy to say. Here are the key takeaways:
1) The materials are quality. It looks just as advertised the wood is solid, and it's a pretty elegant design
2) This sucker is solid. There's enough hardware in this bad boy to keep this in tact for many years to come. I have zero concerns about it falling apart or breaking under the strain of twin 5 year olds (and their 3 year old brother's) antics. The weight limit says 165 lbs, but I'm pretty confident my 200 lb self could climb up there without incident (although, I haven't tested it, and not sure I will).
3) I put it together by myself, and it took 4 to 5 hours. That's not nothing, but it was one of the most thoughtfully organized, clear sets of instructions I've had the pleasure to encounter. There weren't any oops moments where you find yourself unscrewing sections because the instructions were vague. The diagrams and written instructions were perfectly clear and it went together easily. If you have an extra set of hands available, I highly recommend it--this is really more of a two person job, but I was able to assemble it solo with a little bit of ingenuity.
4) Safety. My kids haven't had any issues with the ladders (twin 5 year olds boy/girl). I guided them through the initial trial runs going up and down the ladders, and they got the hang of it quickly. I assembled the bed 5 nights ago, and last night each twin came to sleep in my bed around 3am and 4am--I note that to say that they made it safely down the ladders in the middle of the night, half asleep. The base on this is really wide, so it's not going to tip over--I don't think I could pull it over, let alone little kids. It's also pretty tall, so they don't have room to stand up on the top bunk, so you don't have to worry about jumping around and that sort of horseplay.
5) The kids love it. Like, it's a huge hit. I am the world's greatest father, and all is well in the world. There are also hours of play that happen in their bedroom now as a result of this bunk bed, so mom and I can catch our breath here and there while the kids play.
The only things to consider that aren't all sunshine and rainbows is that this is a tall bed.
1) I'm 6'1 and I can't really reach my kids at bedtime. I have to slide the movable ladder over and climb up a couple of steps to tuck my kids in.
2) The other thing is that it's hard to change the sheets. If you're less that 165 lbs, you can just climb up and make the bed. I have to pull the mattress down, put on the fitted sheet, and put the mattress back up. Not a big deal, but something to consider--at least as you consider what twin mattress to purchase--I love the ones I got, but they're a bit on the heavy side.
Final thing that dawned on me. I read a LOT of the comments and questions from folks on this product before purchasing, and I seem to recall there was confusion about what kind of mattress to get (i.e. foam mattress vs. coil spring mattress. I have no idea why it makes a difference. I got the kids gel memory foam mattresses, and they're great--no issues.
All in all, I'm super happy with the purchase and so are the kids. If that changes, I'll update the recommendation.
High quality and thoughtfully designed
This triple bunk bed is legit, I am happy to say. Here are the key takeaways: 1) The materials are quality. It looks just as advertised the wood is solid, and it's a pretty elegant design 2) This sucker is solid. There's enough hardware in this bad boy to keep this in tact for many years to come. I have zero concerns about it falling apart or breaking under the strain of twin 5 year olds (and their 3 year old brother's) antics. The weight limit says 165 lbs, but I'm pretty confident my 200 lb self could climb up there without incident (although, I haven't tested it, and not sure I will). 3) I put it together by myself, and it took 4 to 5 hours. That's not nothing, but it was one of the most thoughtfully organized, clear sets of instructions I've had the pleasure to encounter. There weren't any oops moments where you find yourself unscrewing sections because the instructions were vague. The diagrams and written instructions were perfectly clear and it went together easily. If you have an extra set of hands available, I highly recommend it--this is really more of a two person job, but I was able to assemble it solo with a little bit of ingenuity. 4) Safety. My kids haven't had any issues with the ladders (twin 5 year olds boy/girl). I guided them through the initial trial runs going up and down the ladders, and they got the hang of it quickly. I assembled the bed 5 nights ago, and last night each twin came to sleep in my bed around 3am and 4am--I note that to say that they made it safely down the ladders in the middle of the night, half asleep. The base on this is really wide, so it's not going to tip over--I don't think I could pull it over, let alone little kids. It's also pretty tall, so they don't have room to stand up on the top bunk, so you don't have to worry about jumping around and that sort of horseplay. 5) The kids love it. Like, it's a huge hit. I am the world's greatest father, and all is well in the world. There are also hours of play that happen in their bedroom now as a result of this bunk bed, so mom and I can catch our breath here and there while the kids play. The only things to consider that aren't all sunshine and rainbows is that this is a tall bed. 1) I'm 6'1 and I can't really reach my kids at bedtime. I have to slide the movable ladder over and climb up a couple of steps to tuck my kids in. 2) The other thing is that it's hard to change the sheets. If you're less that 165 lbs, you can just climb up and make the bed. I have to pull the mattress down, put on the fitted sheet, and put the mattress back up. Not a big deal, but something to consider--at least as you consider what twin mattress to purchase--I love the ones I got, but they're a bit on the heavy side. Final thing that dawned on me. I read a LOT of the comments and questions from folks on this product before purchasing, and I seem to recall there was confusion about what kind of mattress to get (i.e. foam mattress vs. coil spring mattress. I have no idea why it makes a difference. I got the kids gel memory foam mattresses, and they're great--no issues. All in all, I'm super happy with the purchase and so are the kids. If that changes, I'll update the recommendation.