The Origination And Use Of Bunk Beds

The origination and initial use of bunk beds can be attributed to the design of sleeping quarters for sailors at sea. It was necessary to make the most of space available on the ships and the berths were designed to attach numerous platforms to the walls. The person who designed this sleeping method should get recognition for the contribution he has made to getting the most out of a small area.

The slave trade presented a particularly unique need for the concept of multiple sleeping apparatus. In order to transport as many individuals as possible, the slave ships were equipped to capacity with stacked sleeping platforms to fulfill the desire to house hundreds of people while they made the trip to the Americas by water.

With the invention of the steam engine and railway, it was necessary to provide a method in which travellers could make their long journeys and be allowed to sleep comfortably on the train. The sleeping cars were built with planks attached to the wall which served as beds. Many people could sleep at night time as the train made its way through the area described as the United States territories.

The bunk bed found its way to other living environments. In situations where there were multiple persons occupying the same sleeping space, large rooms were built with rows of bunk beds attached to the walls. This sleeping arrangement was prevalent in slave quarters in the South, and after the Civil War, ranchers and farmers settling the Western area of the United States, who worked massive land grants and hired hands, utilized the "bunk house" which had rows of bunkbeds secured to the wall.

The original concept of providing sleeping accommodations for numerous people in one sleeping area attached to the wall can still be found on ships and trains in this modern era. As a stationery model, used in other settings, the structures here in the United States, are not usually attached the wall.

In the home, children's sleeping areas are often equipped with bunk beds. The design can now incorporate an array of components to satisfy the wants and needs of the individual. The design often includes a full sized bed on the bottom and a twin on top. There is the option of closets, chest of drawers and desks. You may even find a set of captain drawers attached to the lower bed.

Bunk beds can be found constructed with different materials. Some are made with painted metal while other, sturdier types are made of oak, pine or other hard wood. Because children sometimes can be quite zealous, the beds have a tendency to show signs of wear within a short time and you may have to get new ones. Many beds can be taken apart and two individual beds can be set up. Most sets have standard twin mattresses with a thinner "bunkie" underneath as the box spring.

A problem one might have with sleeping on a bunk bed, is that if the person on the top bed has a tendency to move around a lot at night or gets up frequently, the poor fellow on the bottom can anticipate a little shaking when feeling the slightest movement.