What Is a Stair Bed?

Construction

• The construction of stair beds makes it possible for you to build upward instead of outward. The stairs themselves are normally positioned at one end of the bed, and depending upon the style of bed, they can be full stairs or just stair slats. Additionally, sometimes the construction of the stair bed allows you to choose which end of the bed will have the set of stairs.

Advantages

• Stair beds provide a more secure method for the person who sleeps on the top bunk to reach his bed. For little kids who sometimes experience balance issues, the stairs attached to the bed provide a solid solution. In some models of bunk and loft beds, a person reached the top bunk by climbing a ladder to get to the bed. It is also the case that some models don't come with ladders at all, forcing the person sleeping on the top bed to climb up using the frame of the bed or some other means. Additionally, as loft beds become more popular among adults, the stairs give the bed an adult appeal that beds with ladders lack.

Bunks

• Traditional bunk beds offer a viable option in kids rooms because they provide space for more than one child to sleep. Kids who do not have siblings benefit from having a bunk bed, because it gives their friends a place to sleep during a sleep over. Even with twin bed-size bunks, it's possible to find a set that includes stairs. These often feature designs that put the stairs at the foot of the bed and are no wider that the width of the footboard of the bed---an important consideration for people who've chosen bunk beds to save space in a bedroom.

Lofts

• Adults who need to consider using a bunk-style bed in their rooms often gravitate toward the loft bed, and besides including a set of stairs, some of the newer designs add features such as a closet or desk that's built in as well. The design of loft beds vary in greater degrees than bunk beds, which typically feature two beds of the same size stacked on top of each other. Loft beds designs include bottom beds with larger mattresses than the top one or feature a top mattress with the space underneath used as a closet or for a desk.