Bunk Beds - Choosing the Right Mattress

Have you ever tried to sleep on a mattress that is not comfortable? We’ve all had those nights, sleeping in a hotel/motel bed, it seems like no matter which way you lay, you can’t find that sweet comfort spot. A mattress that is too hard or too soft can be straining on your back and will leave you tired and cranky all day! With kids bunk beds, it is very important to get them a nice mattress so they can avoid all back problems in the future. Back problems can be chronic and should be avoided even at early ages.

While there are all sorts of mattresses out there, finding the right mattress for your children’s bunk bed may be one step harder. Not only do you have to worry about the comfort factor in mattresses but measurement is very important with bunk bed mattresses! Every year, children become injured due to the wrong kind of mattress.

A bunk bed mattress that is too high can be very dangerous. If the mattress is too high, the guard rail really serves no purpose. The guard rail should protect your children from rolling off the side of the bed. The mattress should be roughly 4-5 inches below the top of the guard rail. This way, your children won’t be tumbling over the guard rail anytime soon!

Conversely, a bunk bed mattress that is too low can cause injuries as well. While the guard rail should rise above the mattress 4-5 inches, it should not exceed this! A low mattress can be very hazardous as a child may slip between the mattress and the guard rail, choking the child, falling through the gap, and other various potentially dangers. Bunk bed safety is very important and should be observed at all times.

Overall, make sure you check and double check all measurements with the mattress. A twin size mattress should always be used with a twin size bunk bed and a full size should stay with a full size bunk bed. Never interchange the two!

Once you’ve determined the exact measurements of your bunk bed, you can now begin to think about the comfort level of the bunk bed. Like stated above, a mattress that is too soft or too hard can leave you sleepless at nights. This is where personal preference comes in. You and your children should test all mattresses to feel what works and what does not work with your kids. They should pick what is most comfortable for them. While finding a nice comfortable bunk bed may not be as easy for children, the end result will be much more rewarding as your children will get a better nights sleep!

Find more on kids bunk beds.