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Bunk bed rails for young kids

phenrichs
Explorer
Explorer
Wondering what some have come up with for a solution for a safety rail for the bunk beds for young kids. My kids are ok for bunk beds but all the ones you get for the stick house have rails. None of the TT bunks have rails. I would like to find a nice solution. I have considered building my own but I was hoping someone may have already come up with a good solution.
2006 Ram 3500 Megacab Cummins
2012 Keystone Sprinter 311BHS
35 REPLIES 35

HeyJude
Explorer
Explorer
monica4patience wrote:
Who would have thought that DS13 would fall out of his bunk in the bunkhouse. He did the first night out and he knocked off the "college-dorm" bed tray and his fan. Landed on top of them! He was a mighty sore boy the next day. Says he won't sleep up there again without a rail. Funny thing: he never fell last summer.

Anyway, the Ikea bed rail looks like it could work. We live a few miles away from a store so it'll be easy to get.

Question: is the rail easy on - easy off? I'd like to have one available for the drop-down bunk to put on when we have guests. I don't think it would work if it was a permanent install.


It is a very easy install. I did it myself and I'm short and old:B
I put it together and put it on with very little help (he had it backwards). The do include a crank thingy to put it together and tighten it up on the bunk.
2 DD both grown.
2 GC-loves of my life!
Campground lot in Harrison MI.
looking for good used 5th wheel.

StaceyE
Explorer
Explorer
monica4patience wrote:
Who would have thought that DS13 would fall out of his bunk in the bunkhouse. He did the first night out and he knocked off the "college-dorm" bed tray and his fan. Landed on top of them! He was a mighty sore boy the next day. Says he won't sleep up there again without a rail. Funny thing: he never fell last summer.

Anyway, the Ikea bed rail looks like it could work. We live a few miles away from a store so it'll be easy to get.

Question: is the rail easy on - easy off? I'd like to have one available for the drop-down bunk to put on when we have guests. I don't think it would work if it was a permanent install.


In our bunks, it just slips on and off whenever we need them. I always take them down and lay them across the bunks when we travel.
Tom and Stacey
DD Nikki (14) and Kate (9)
Wrigley, our big black dog

monica4patience
Explorer
Explorer
Who would have thought that DS13 would fall out of his bunk in the bunkhouse. He did the first night out and he knocked off the "college-dorm" bed tray and his fan. Landed on top of them! He was a mighty sore boy the next day. Says he won't sleep up there again without a rail. Funny thing: he never fell last summer.

Anyway, the Ikea bed rail looks like it could work. We live a few miles away from a store so it'll be easy to get.

Question: is the rail easy on - easy off? I'd like to have one available for the drop-down bunk to put on when we have guests. I don't think it would work if it was a permanent install.

HeyJude
Explorer
Explorer
StaceyE wrote:
HeyJude wrote:
StaceyE wrote:
I wanted to add a bedrail to our new trailer because the bunks are open all along one side. We didn't use one in the old trailer because the bunks were tucked next to the bathroom. Our girls are older, so the baby section at Walmart is out because they would NOT want to sleep on those bars under the wimpy bunkbed mattresses. We found this at ikea and it works perfectly. It's just big enough to keep from kids from rolling of the beds but doesn't get in the way of anything. Probably not the best solution for a younger child but works really well for our girls.

Those are great, how do they attach to the bed? Are those clamps?


They are clamps, our bunks have a wood lip that hold the mattress in place. They aren't big rails that block off the whole bunk bed area - my girls are 15 and 10 so I just wanted to add something small because the bunks felt so open. I'll take a picture with them installed if I can later today.


I put mine in myself. Takes about 5 minutes per rail to put together and it holds great. I got them for my 6 and 8 y/o grandchildren. For the price, and since you don't have a bump under the thin mattress, I think these are great.
2 DD both grown.
2 GC-loves of my life!
Campground lot in Harrison MI.
looking for good used 5th wheel.

StaceyE
Explorer
Explorer
HeyJude wrote:
StaceyE wrote:
I wanted to add a bedrail to our new trailer because the bunks are open all along one side. We didn't use one in the old trailer because the bunks were tucked next to the bathroom. Our girls are older, so the baby section at Walmart is out because they would NOT want to sleep on those bars under the wimpy bunkbed mattresses. We found this at ikea and it works perfectly. It's just big enough to keep from kids from rolling of the beds but doesn't get in the way of anything. Probably not the best solution for a younger child but works really well for our girls.

Those are great, how do they attach to the bed? Are those clamps?


They are clamps, our bunks have a wood lip that hold the mattress in place. They aren't big rails that block off the whole bunk bed area - my girls are 15 and 10 so I just wanted to add something small because the bunks felt so open. I'll take a picture with them installed if I can later today.
Tom and Stacey
DD Nikki (14) and Kate (9)
Wrigley, our big black dog

Mickeyfan0805
Explorer
Explorer
I did the 1x4 thing as well. For our application, however. I mounted the rails to straight 8" brackets that slide into 'sleeves' I made out of 2" brackets screwed to the bed frame with spacers. It's allows the bed rail to slide in and out if we want to change bedding, etc... Hard to explain without pics, but it works well for us,

HeyJude
Explorer
Explorer
I ordered the bunk rails sold at Ikea, I just hope they work for my wiggly little grandchildren. They should be here before the Memorial weekend trip (I hope).
2 DD both grown.
2 GC-loves of my life!
Campground lot in Harrison MI.
looking for good used 5th wheel.

SynEpona
Explorer
Explorer
StaceyE wrote:
We found this at ikea


That looks great, our 6yo son might prefer it to the 'baby-style' one he's got now. Thanks for the link!

HeyJude
Explorer
Explorer
StaceyE wrote:
I wanted to add a bedrail to our new trailer because the bunks are open all along one side. We didn't use one in the old trailer because the bunks were tucked next to the bathroom. Our girls are older, so the baby section at Walmart is out because they would NOT want to sleep on those bars under the wimpy bunkbed mattresses. We found this at ikea and it works perfectly. It's just big enough to keep from kids from rolling of the beds but doesn't get in the way of anything. Probably not the best solution for a younger child but works really well for our girls.

Those are great, how do they attach to the bed? Are those clamps?
2 DD both grown.
2 GC-loves of my life!
Campground lot in Harrison MI.
looking for good used 5th wheel.

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
I picked up some nice looking (read gaudy) fishing theme fabric material and some padding at the fabric store. I cut a board to the size i needed for the bunk rail and stapled the material to it. I then screwed it to the backside of the board that keeps the mattress from sliding off the bunk. Has worked great for the last 6 years! I'll have to find a pic if i have one.
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

Thans
Explorer
Explorer
I have been looking around for bed rails for our trailer. I am wondering if anyone has tried sticking a pool noodle under the fitted sheet? After scouring websites I noticed that there were a few inflatable type bed rails, but I'm wondering if anyone has used a noodle and if it worked? We are getting ready to go on vacation this summer and I have told my 11 year old that he could sleep on the top bunk IF I could find a rail.... keeping this in mind he is 11 and doesn't want a rail that looks "babyish" (LOL).

I'm going to try it to see if it works and then will post again to let you know how it works I was amazed at how expensive some of the rails were. It makes me wish I hadn't been in such a hurry to get rid of their toddler bed rail.

T
:B Thans :C

toddb
Explorer
Explorer
I used shelving L brackets and a piece of 1" pine across the top for the bunk in our toy hauler. The kids sleep on a piece of 2" memory foam and it conforms around the brackets.

pappcam
Explorer
Explorer
We took this:



and screwed it solidly into the bed platform at the head end of the bed so it acts as a rail for about half the length of the bed. It works great and the bed is still accessible at the foot end. It works for us with our 4 year old daughter.

We found that none of the "safety bed rails" had arms that were thin enough to not create uncomfortable ridges under the mattress.
2023 Grand Design Imagine 2970RL
2011 F150 XLT 5.0

CarolinaHokie
Explorer
Explorer
Our son once fell out of a bunk bed and broke his arm (in a vacation house). So we are not going to take any chances with the RV. Purchased this one,

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sorelle-Bed-Rail-36/11712838


it seemed to be the only one that had "arms" flat enough to tuck under the thin rv mattress. I looked at baby stores all over town and nothing else really seemed right.

But this might also work for an older kid.

http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Bumpers-Portable-Child-Safety/dp/B003KEMMNG/ref=pd_sim_ba_5

I like the Ikea idea much better though!