How Do I Choose the Best Trundle Bunk Bed?

Anyone with a handful of kids and too little space appreciates the double duty that trundle beds offer. Two beds in the space of one, the traditional trundle features one bed on casters that can be rolled away by light of day. Trundle pop-up beds and trundle day beds have been around for decades. The most recent addition to the trundle bed family is the trundle bunk bed, and the best ones are sturdily built, slide easily, and offer extras like storage cubbies or drop-down desks.

Bunk beds have long been favorites among the younger set. Sleeping in a bunk bed is a little like sleeping in a tree house. Parents love them for their space-saving designs, and transforming the bottom bunk to a trundle adds versatility.

Some trundle bunk beds have a fold-away desktop on hinges. When the trundle bed is rolled to the side, the desk swings down, and one or two legs unfold to support it. Cubbies on either side of the desk work as bookshelves or for other storage.

Unless the lower trundle bed is used only occasionally, the wise shopper knows to check the beds' construction. The trundle, as well as the bunk bed frame itself, must be very sturdily constructed, or it won’t withstand daily relocation. Cracked frames and loose hinges mean that even a very cheap trundle bunk bed is no bargain.

A trundle bunk bed can be a good idea even for families with enough space for each child to have his or her own room. When company comes, the lower bunk bed can be rolled into another room to give the guest a little privacy. By day, the bed can be trundled back and tucked away.

There’s no need to keep a trundle bunk bed locked into a single footprint of one bed stacked atop the other. Rolling the bottom bed into a perpendicular position below the upper bunk means extra play room while still saving space. For beds with built-in desks, semipermanent study areas are a bonus.

Parents of young children might want to look for a trundle bunk bed that has wheels that can be locked. Little ones are likely to consider the rolling bed to be a form of kid-friendly transportation and use it to wheel merrily around the room. While this might be harmless fun, it could also present dangers. Pinched fingers and damaged walls can be avoided by simply securing the wheels into a locked position.