Once upon a time in a far-away land, crate style wood furniture was trendy and fashionable.

So, maybe not a far-away land but certainly crate style furniture was popular in a past time. I recall the first time I saw crate style living room furniture at my cousin’s house in the 70’s. The boxy seating pieces were intriguing to me; clearly born from practical & rugged shipping crates but when outfitted with overstuffed cushions, the seating ensemble somehow achieved a comfy, homey look.

When it comes to selecting furniture for group living, treatment centers, or hospitality nothing comes close to the durability of classic wood-framed furniture or what is sometimes called “wood crate style” furniture

Searching the internet, it is easy to see that there are a vast number of sellers who offer wood bunk beds. 

• Many less expensive bunk beds are mass produced by one manufacturer and distributed by many retailers like Wal-Mart and Target. 
• Often, no matter where you purchase your bunk beds they are made by the same source and just packaged under private labeling.
• These “commodity” bunk beds are made with a softer wood that is typically not dried to the highest moisture standards. 
• The more moisture in the wood the less durable the wood will be over time.  Kiln drying is the process used to make cut wood ready for manufacturing. Wood that is properly dried will have a lower moisture content and will have less chance of splitting over time.

 
Additionally, many inexpensive, imported bunk beds are made with low profile lumber. 

• Instead of using more durable lumber to create 4” posts (2x4 construction), import bed posts are made of 2” posts (1x2 construction) which create a far less beefy bed. 
• For example, most wood bunk beds that are sold and distributed from overseas weigh in at a slight 120 lb. versus a high quality durable bed designed for group living that weigh in at 180 lb.!!  The difference between those two weights is a great example of how two things can look similar but be entirely different. 

• Durable, high quality bunk beds designed and manufactured for colleges and camps are available from contract furniture providers who specialize in high-use environments.
• Don’t be fooled by claims of quality from mass produced, mass distributed beds primarily sourced from the same overseas manufacturer. 
• The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) tracks injuries and complaints from products like wood bunk beds has recalled over 445,000 bunk beds due to consumer injury. 
• In addition, CPSC has had complaints of harm or injury from many other bunk bed manufacturers. 

In recent months, members of our Furniture Concepts team have had the privilege of attending some of the premier national and regional summer camp conferences.  

Conferences like the CCCA National Conference and the ACA National and Regional Conferences gather the leadership of many of the country’s most successful camp and conference centers.  Administrators we have spoken to have been teeming with optimism and have been sharing their excitement for the year-round opportunities many camp and conference center are experiencing. 

Many camp and conference centers have been expanding their capabilities to include adult programs, worship programs and family programs that allow them to be open 10 – 12 months a year.  Traditionally, camps were a place where parents dropped their kids for a week or two over summer, now those same parents are becoming customers of these same camps. 

Facility managers and housing directors have been making an old trend new again.

When looking for quality furniture that is durable and budget-friendly, many buyers have discovered that crate furniture has re-emerged as an industry must-have.

• Solid as a rock, crate style seating and lounge furniture has stood the test of time as a tried and true workhorse that delivers beauty and comfort.
  

Crate style furniture might have been inspired decades ago by excess shipping crate inventories, but what has evolved is an enduring style that is far from its utilitarian roots.

School is winding down and summer camps are gearing up.

A primary appeal of the Ladder End Bunkbed is that it:

• Eliminates the need for separate ladders that take up valuable floor space and can become playthings with campers. Campers literally use the end of the bed to climb in and out of top bunks.
  
• The ends are designed with the actual bed end itself acting as the ladder. 
  
• Years of safety testing and engineering have resulted in a super simple ladder end design that gets campers up and down a bunk easily.
• Ladder end bunk beds come in a variety of widths (including the space-saving 30” and more typical 39”) to fit cabins of all sizes.
  
• If your camp or conference center hosts adults or families at any time of the year, the single-double or single-queen bunks are excellent solutions for sleeping both adults and kids. The ladder end design still gets a person to the top bunk but a larger, double or queen bed on the bottom offers the space “mature” campers wants.

 Although residential furniture stores offer wood bunks, contract standard bunk beds are tested to meet safety standards and will last over time. Domestically made, solid wood bunk beds from reputable furniture suppliers are always the best choice for the money – you know that you are getting a dependable bed, not a cheap import that might not stand the test of time.