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Step 1
Think about the future before setting foot in the store. Consider your child's age right now and how many years of use she's likely to get out of a bunk bed. Often, children grow much faster than you anticipate, and whether it's because the bed seems too childish, or the child grows too large, you may be back at the store before you know it to buy a new, more mature bed.
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Step 2
Look at all the options. Before you buy the standard bunk bed set, take your child with you and shop for all the choices available. Depending on his age, you can probably find sets that are fashioned after castles or car garages or that have desks built in. Be creative and go with a theme.
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Step 3
Check the bed for guardrails. Some bunk bed manufacturers construct bunk beds with a guardrail on one side only, assuming that the other side will be pushed against the wall. Even if this is the case, that's still a safety hazard. The bunk bed set you buy should have guardrails on all four sides.
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Step 4
Mind the gaps between the guardrails. Once you've done some shopping and have a few models in mind, check the product information or measure for yourself that the distance between the bed frame of the upper bunk and the lowest guardrail doesn't exceed three and a half inches.
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Step 5
Measure the distance from mattress to guardrail. In order to prevent falls from happening, the upper bunk should be made with guardrails that expand a minimum of five inches over the surface of the mattress.
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Step 6
Inspect the ladder. A bunk bed set should include a ladder so that the child doesn't have to rely on the end of the bed to climb to the top bunk. Be certain that the ladder secures to the top bunk portion of the bed frame and won't dislodge when a child climbs up or down.
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Step 7
Select the right size mattress. The mattress that you buy should be top quality and leave no more than one inch around each side from its edge to the bed frame.
