Loft beds?

[She]

Hi there ....newbie here. I'm not very handy in building things and I notice a lot of you build beds. Ain't going to happen with me. So I looked and I saw these beds.<BR><BR>&nbsp;<A href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Junior-Metal-Loft-Bed-Black/14932121" target=_blank target=_blank>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Junior-Metal-Loft-Bed-Black/14932121</A><BR><BR>I didn't check the size and all but it looks high enough to go over the wheels but I wonder if its too wide or would I have to put it length wise. I plan to get an extended van(hopefully) Does anyone go this route?<BR>

 

[butterfly]

<FONT size=3 face="Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">What I have is&nbsp;an 8 passenger&nbsp;Chevy Express Cargo van.&nbsp; It came w/ 2 bench seats &amp; lots of cargo space behind those.&nbsp; Seats have been removed.&nbsp; It measures 10ft from the back doors to just behind the passenger/driver seats and aprox 5 ft wide.&nbsp; </FONT><br><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma></FONT>&nbsp;<br><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>Looks like that loft bed would be too tall to fit inside even a hi-top van.&nbsp; Another thread mentioned that some hi- top vans sway in the wind going down the highway...something to think about.</FONT><br><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma></FONT>&nbsp;<br><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>I've just taken up this vandwelling idea in the past few months...kinda jumped the gun on buying a few things that turned out to be useless or a bad idea.</FONT><br><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>so my best advice is to read what&nbsp; lots of others have done, sift through that info for what suits your situation.</FONT><br><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>Welcome and best wishes.&nbsp; Judy</FONT><br>

 

[She]

<P><FONT size=3>Oh OK see that's why I'm here to learn.&nbsp;<IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"> So the measurement of that bed (height) is 4ft and that includes the mattress. Pics can be so deceiving really. So 4 ft is pretty high? How high is a van with top usually?</FONT></P>

 

[She]

<P><FONT size=3>Guess thats not going to work LOL I wont be able to turn....and I will forget and bang my&nbsp;head each and every time. Back to the drawing board.<IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/idea.gif"> </FONT><BR><FONT size=3>And thanks for the help <IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif"></FONT><BR></P><P><b>Edit* I may be able to find a shorter one. Hopefully.</b></P>

 

[She]

<b>I think I found something.</b><br><b>http://www.collegebedlofts.com/order_platform_bed.html</b><br>

 

[She]

<P><b>Thats a good idea blkjak. <IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif"> I do have a friend who could help me with that&nbsp;or maybe get lucky and find a bed with long legs. Thanks so much for your help <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></b></P>

 

[MK7]

<b>I think I found something.</b><br><b>http://www.collegebedlofts.com/order_platform_bed.html</b><br>

<br><br>That's an interesting find right there, although a bit pricey at $189 and w/o the mattress.&nbsp; Also the width is pretty wide and space is limited in a van. I'd want something as narrow as possible, like a cot sized one.<br><br>I was thinking about a plastic folding table at Costco for $50, to sleep on (500 lbs capacity). It's narrow and table height so you're maximizing storage space underneath. Then I would cut up a piece of memory foam mattress to sleep on that's relatively thin &amp; stiff. The stiffness will aid in using it as a work table with maybe some kind of thick cardboard or thin piece of wood on top.&nbsp; And being table height, you can just pull up a chair to it.<br><br>I was also thinking about buy used, low-height, file cabinets and stack them as a platform for a bed + memory foam on top. I would have the cabinets for storage. Main issue is lots of weight. <br><br>

 

[Seraphim]

<P><FONT size=3>OP - before you kill the original idea, you realize you can cut the legs down on that unit, and it may give you the space you need. Might make the unit more stable, as well.&nbsp;There are also different types of raised tops. I'm 6'&nbsp; and have about a foot of clearance in my unit because it has a VERY high top. They can be added to a regular van.</FONT></P>

 

[She]

<p><font size="3">OP - before you kill the original idea, you realize you can cut the legs down on that unit, and it may give you the space you need. Might make the unit more stable, as well.&nbsp;There are also different types of raised tops. I'm 6'&nbsp; and have about a foot of clearance in my unit because it has a VERY high top. They can be added to a regular van.</font></p>

<div><br></div><div>I was thinking that too (about cutting the legs a bit)and I &nbsp;might still go that way because the price is right. Im 5'4 so Im assuming it&nbsp;doesn't&nbsp;have to be that high? I have not been in a van with a high top so I really don't know a thing about them.</div>

 

[Seraphim]

I have not been in a van with a high top so I really don't know a thing about them.

<br><br>Go out and look at a couple: there are various sized 'high tops'.&nbsp; You really have to know what height you're getting before you can plan.<br>

 

[WanderingRonin]

If I purchased that loft bed, yeah, I would definitely follow some tips here and chop off a bit of the legs... and if you have a passenger van like mine, I was thankful to keep the seatbelt brackets installed. A few twisties on those and around the bed frame should keep your bed from toppling. I think it is very possible to install a bed that size on a large van... you won't be chopping anything off if you installed it in a box truck (like a uhaul type). I can already eyeball the size and I reckon it'll fit in nicely if you do.<div><br></div><div>Yeah, like some of y'all, I did get too excited and buy a wooden table that did not fit my van. Since it only cost $10, I donated it to charity and chalked it up to experience. So far, that was my only bad buy. I move in in 4 days' time. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></div><div><br></div>

 

[spainish moss]

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