Saturday, January 15, 2011

Bunk Bed

Our CostCo currently sells a great staircase bunkbed for about half the normal price.  We got one for Smiley.  Once he graduates from sleeping in a crib (which he likes, and is in no hurry to leave) he can sleep up high to have plenty of floor space.  Instead of a mattress, we'll use a piece of plywood and a 3" mattress topper so the guard rails seem extra high.

I searched for a picture online, but could only find similar products made by other companies.

I did discover that the company that made our bed, Mountain Furniture LCC, is located in Washington state, and apparently has only two employees and a revenue of $160,000 per year.  The bunk bed says it was made in China.  Those two guys must subcontract everything: buying northwest lumber, shipping it to China, having it made and varnished, and shipping it back.

Their company was established in 2009.  I wonder if the recession prompted them to find new work, and so they started a little business?

5 comments:

Julie Karsten said...

My husband and I just saw this bunk bed at our Costco in Grand Rapids, MI for $700. It's the last one, a slightly abused display, and we are really debating whether or not to get it for our daughters. Can I ask how much you paid? Is it worth it?

davidvs said...

Ours was $799, I guess since it was unopened and unabused.

Before making the purchase I looked around online, and a nice staircase bunkbed seems to be worth twice that amount.

Is this model also "nice" and worth twice that? No. It is sturdy and evenly stained. It looks nice and should last for years. But its woodworking is plain, and the side-access cubbies may not be as useful as the models with a drawer in each step.

But I certainly think it is worth what we paid for, which is why we bought it!

Be aware:
(a) It initially stinks. The stain is really smelly for over a week.
(b) The instructions are unclear. For example, be aware that the upper side rails and lower side rails are different, which the instructions don't tell you until you have perhaps installed them mixed up.
(c) The Ikea-like assembly pieces might be flawed. We had one "well" that a bolt screwed into with some bit of sawdust or something inside it -- cranking that bolt all the way in was causing the wood to creak and buckle until we fixed it.

doug said...

Hey by chance does anyone still have the assembley instructions for this bed? Mine accidentally got trashed. Please email me at bobcallmedoug25@ymail.com. Thanks!

davidvs said...

Sorry, Doug. I checked my folder of instruction manuals and we didn't keep that one.

-David V.S.

Anonymous said...

FYI - I saw this bunk bed in the HOM Furniture ad for 11/17-18/2011. They might have instructions they could copy for you...