Frequently Asked Questions Wooden Loft Bed
College Wooden Loft Bed Questions
How far in advance do I need to order and how long will it take to arrive?
Loft Bed Orders please contact us for current build times. Orders paid by check take a few extra days for the check to clear. Once it is shipped, it will arrive at your destination in 1-10 business days depending on your location, click here for a map of our transit times.
During our peak season (June - September) orders may take a little longer and we recommend you order your loft bed in advance and schedule it to arrive on a specific date or a range of dates. During checkout you will get a box labeled "Enter Custom Specifications", you may enter your date or range of dates of when you want your order to arrive. We will e-mail you to confirm your request.
Should I have it delivered to my home or directly to my college or apartment?
Move in day for most students is a stressful experience for both the student and parents. With many students all moving in at the same time, most moving away from home for the first time, getting everything organized, meeting new friends, parents leaving, etc., it would be very helpful if you can get the loft partially assembled before you arrive. We recommend having it shipped to your home early during the summer. Setting it up at home first will allow you to see how everything fits together and when you get to school setting it back up will be easy. While it's home you may want to paint or customize it to fit your personality. We know this is not always possible, so if you want it delivered directly to your college, you must first notify your college receiving department to let them know it is coming to have them sign for it. Check with your college's receiving department to verify whether they will accept packages before you arrive on campus. UPS Ground doesn't guarantee a specific delivery time and they don't deliver on Saturdays or Sundays. If you are moving in on a weekend we suggest you have it there before you arrive or have it shipped to your home and bring it with you to college.
I am moving in on a Saturday, does UPS deliver on Saturdays?
Yes,. UPS Ground delivers Monday - Saturday.
Can I use your Loft Bed in my college dorm room? Question: My college allows us to have Loft Beds, however we cannot remove any existing furniture from our room, can I use my existing bed on your loft bed frame?
Yes, our loft beds were specifically designed to be used in college dorms. Most college dorm beds can be disassembled and the metal frame and mattress used on our loft bed. For example, with the dorm bed below you can remove the headboard and footboard and place the metal frame and mattress on top of our loft bed slats. We provide four (4) bed slats with our lofts. You can store the headboard and footboard behind the loft against the wall and out of the way. Remember to save all hardware when disassembling the dorm bed as you will need it to reassemble the bed at the end of the school year.
Our college requires 4x4 corner posts, does your loft meet this requirement?
Our corner posts are 2x6's. A 2x6 is wider than a 4x4 and with our notched ladder rung design, it provides better support and stability than a 4x4. Most colleges will accept 2x6 posts as equivalent to 4x4 posts. Check with your college before ordering.
Do you provide Fire Retardant Lofts?
We recommend the use of Fire Retardant Paint. See Fire Retardant Paint for details.
What is the Dorm XXL 84" Length Used For
We created the Dorm XXL 84" Length loft for customers that want to put a futon or full size sofa underneath the loft. It is 4" longer than most lofts on the market and the extra length gives you enough room to place most futons or sofas underneath. The distance between the inside rungs is 84" and the distance between the legs is 76". Click here for more info.
Where can I purchase an 84" length mattress?
You can get foam mattresses cut to size, or use a standard mattress and put a small piece of foam at the head end.
Can I fit a 79" sofa or futon under the loft?
Yes, there are 2 options.
1) Buy the Dorm XXL 84" Length loft which has 84" between the rungs of the ladders, put the sofa where you want it and assemble the loft around it.
2) Buy the Dorm XXL 84" Length loft, assemble the loft, get 2 guys and lift the loft up and over the sofa.
Shipping Questions
I received the boxes, but they appear to be damaged, should I accept the shipment?
Yes, please accept the shipment. The boxes are very large and heavy, sometimes they do get torn during shipping, however in most cases, the wood inside is fine. If there are any damaged pieces we will get them replaced.
Do I have to be here to sign for it?
UPS requires a signature for all deliveries. If you have a secure drop off area and UPS has in the past delivered packages without requiring a signature then the driver may drop it off at the usual location. We will e-mail you the UPS tracking number when the loft ships. You can make arrangements with your local UPS driver on how you want it delivered. UPS guarantees delivery by the end of the day only.
Can I save the shipping costs by picking it up from you myself?
Yes.. Our warehouse does accept pick ups for this item. You must place the order first and once it is ready
What is the size of the shipped package?
We typically ship two boxes per loft, the first is 8" high x 12" wide x 84" long and weighs 80 pounds. The second box is 8" high x 8" wide x 46" long and weighs 60 pounds. Both will easily fit into the back of most station wagons, mini-vans and SUV's.
Ordering Questions
What is PayPal?
PayPal (an eBay company) is the world's largest online payment network, serving over 72 million members in 56 countries. With PayPal, you can pay anyone using your credit card or checking account.
Signing up for a PayPal account is optional. You may bypass the account setup steps and directly enter your credit card and shipping information into PayPal without setting up a PayPal account.
With PayPal, your credit card and checking account information is never revealed to the people you pay, ensuring your privacy and giving you the peace of mind that comes with knowing who has access to your financial information.
Easy and Fast: Send money instantly and securely with your credit card or checking account.
Private and Secure: Your financial information is not shared when you send money.
Free: PayPal is completely free for all U.S. buyers!
It only takes a few minutes to sign up and we accept orders immediately after you sign up. PayPal Help Desk 888-221-1161.
How will I know my order went through properly?
After you place your order, you will receive an e-mail from PayPal confirming your order within an hour. You will then receive an e-mail from us confirming your order within 1 business day. When the loft ships we will e-mail you the UPS Tracking Number.
Are discounts available?
Yes. Lofts are a great fundraiser and we offer discounts on group purchases.
Do you sell mattresses?
Yes at additional cost. Mattresses, box springs and plywood platforms are not included in the price. See Product Specs for more information.
Do you rent lofts?
No. You purchase the loft, it is yours to keep and customize it any way you want. When students graduate, many sell their loft, they maintain their value very well.
Do I need a Box Spring?
You do need some sort of a foundation to support the mattress. A box spring, existing college bed frame or plywood platform will do. We supply 4 bed slats with the loft that the mattress foundation will sit on. We recommend using a plywood platform instead of a box spring, you will save space and gain more headroom above and underneath the bed. Note, we do not supply the plywood platform, this can be purchased and cut to size from any Home Depot, Lowes or local lumber yard.
If I add 4 sets of slats, is there any reason to use a plywood platform?
It may work but it depends on the quality of the mattress. Most newer mattresses have innersprings and should not fall between the slats spaced about 3" apart. If you have an older mattress or a foam mattress, it may squeeze between the slats. Another thing you can do is place the cardboard packaging on top of the slats and underneath the mattress, it will give you a little additional mattress support.
Where do I enter my custom specifications information?
During checkout you will get a text box to enter a message to us. Enter the custom specifications into this text box.
I am an AOL user and can't access PayPal, why?
You must use your internet browser to access our site and PayPal.
How do I get the Loft Bed Plans?
If you selected Download Immediately, after successfully completing your payment, click on "RETURN TO MERCHANT" button and you will get a screen to allow you to immediately download the plans. If you selected Download At A Later Time, within one hour you will receive an e-mail with a link to download the plans. If you selected Mail Hardcopy 3-5 Days, you will receive a hardcopy in the mail in 3-5 business days.
Please Note: If you use multiple e-mail addresses please remember which one you used. Also, many e-mail systems will place new mail into a BULK or SPAM mail folders. If you don't get the e-mail within one hour check your bulk and spam mail folders.
Downloading requires that you have the free Adobe PDF Reader. If you don't have the Adobe PDF Reader you can click here to download it. If you get a blank screen after downloading the Plans, you need to download the latest PDF version.
Setup Questions
What tools do I need to set this up?
All wood comes pre-cut and pre-drilled. You will need a power screwdriver/drill with a phillips #2 medium head bit, an adjustable (or 9/16") wrench and a hammer. Setup takes roughly 1 hour.
Does the wood frame have a surface finish?
No, our lofts are made from unfinished softwood construction grade dimensional lumber, 2x4, 2x6, plywood, the safety rail is made from MDF. You are free to customize it any way you prefer. Many students paint them before bringing it to college. Note, the MDF safety rail will not take a stain and will need to be painted. If you want to stain the safety rails, we suggest you purchase the safety rail pieces at your local home improvement store.
Can I leave the loft unfinished?
We do recommend finishing the loft as unfinished softwood will absorb moisture and surface cracks will appear over time. Surface cracks do not affect the stability of the loft. Our experience is most college students don't paint them, most home users do paint them.
Are the beds likely to need sanding to remove rough edges and splinters?
We try to find smooth wood, however they will require some sanding. Our experience is most college students leave them as is, most home users sand them.
If I decide to paint it, should I do so before or after assembly?
We recommend painting after assembly. The rungs of the ladders sometimes are a tight fit and the paint may get marked up during assembly. Also, if you plan to use wood glue in the rungs, it adheres better to unfinished wood. It is also much easier to paint when it is set up as opposed to all the individual pieces on the floor.
What size Plywood Platform do I need?
We recommend using a 1/2" 4-ply plywood platform. The plywood platform needs to be the same size as the mattress. For example, if you ordered a 39x75 loft, you need a 39" x 75" plywood platform. For the Full (54" wide) and Queen (60" wide) mattress sizes, you will need 2 sheets. For the Full size, the first plywood sheet will be 48" wide and the second sheet will be 6" wide. For the Queen size, you will need a 48" wide and 12" wide sheets.
The loft rocks a little when I climb up, how can I correct this?
The loft should be very tight and not rock in any direction. If it does move, try the following: Did you use an electric screwdriver or drill? Make sure your drive the screws nice and tight. With the 1 1/2" thick wood, the screws should be recessed about 1/4" to make a tight fit. Try un-screwing them one at a time and re-tighten. What direction does it move? When standing at the front (long side) does it move left to right or front to back? If left to right then the screws in the front and back rail should be tightened. If it moves front to back then the rungs in the ladder need to be tightened. You can also place some wood glue inside the notches before inserting the rungs. This should give you a nice tight fit.
What is the best way to dismantle the loft?
When you are ready to take it home for the summer we recommend you dismantle the front and back bed rails and leave the end ladders intact. This will give you a package that is 7" high x 45" wide x 75" long.
Can I change the height on my own?
Yes. Using a 3/8" drill bit you can re-drill holes for the front and back rail at any position you need. If you want to go higher though, you will need to order the custom size loft with extra tall legs.
Do you have bookshelves for the full/queen lofts?
Sorry, but no. The shelves on the full/queen are very long and need to have a center support. Without knowing the exact height of your spring/mattress and without knowing exactly where you want to place it, it would be very difficult to make it work properly.
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