by A bunk bed is a type of bed configuration wherein one bed is stacked or placed over another. The bunk bed design is most commonly used to create two functional beds; however it is possible for three beds to occupy a single floor space when it is properly reinforced and secured in place. There are also unconventional bunk beds where at least one of the multiple beds is attached perpendicularly in an L-shape instead of just being stacked flush on top of another. Some bunk beds even have a third bed called a trundle bed hidden inside a drawer underneath the bottom. Instead of a trundle bed, other bunk beds may have a set of drawers for clothes. Even though there are slight variations in the aesthetic features incorporated, the basic structural design remains unchanged.
So, for a quick answer…
The size of a Standard, Single or Twin bunk bed is 75 in. x 39 in. x 65 in. The size of a Full bunk bed or Double bunk bed is 75 in. x 54 in. x 65 in. Other sizes of bunk beds also exist such as short bunk beds, triple bunk beds, and bunk beds with trundles. Queen and King bunk beds are rare.
Much like ordinary platform beds, bunk beds come in different sizes. And in many cases the top bunk and the bottom bunk are different sizes. Usually the top bunk is smaller (usually a Twin) while the bottom is larger (usually a Full or larger). To make bunk beds sturdy enough to withstand the weight of two or more people, they are usually constructed out of strong wood, metal or a combination of both. We also have tips for making bunk beds more sturdy.
Since bunk beds save a ton of bedroom space, they’re quite popular for shared rooms that are used by two or more people. Typically bunk beds are used in communal sleeping quarters such as youth hostels, ships, military barracks, student dormitories and summer camps. It’s also a good bed setup for siblings. So, if you’re a parent and you’re saving on bedroom space for your kids, then get them bunk beds instead of single beds! You might also enjoy our article on making bunk beds look cuter or how to hang curtains on a bunk bed.
What are ‘shorty’ bunk beds?
A shorty bunk bed is a bunk bed that is – short. Because the thought of having young children sleeping several feet above ground is terrifying for parents, the shorty bunk bed was invented. In short (pun very much intended), this type of bunk bed is made especially for younger children.
Make sure to check out our article on how to make bunk bed ladders safer too.
What size are bunk beds?
The first two measurements of the bunk bed dimensions below correspond to the lengths and widths of the accepted standard dimensions of mattresses with a third measurement corresponding to the height of the bunk bed as assembled. ‘As assembled’ means that the size includes the full height of the bunk bed to the top of the posts.
The size of a Standard, Single or Twin bunk bed is 75 in. x 39 in. x 65 in. Other sizes of bunk beds also exist. The size of a Full bunk bed or Double bunk bed is 75 in. x 54 in. x 65 in. The size of a Queen bunk bed is 80 in. x 60 in. x 65 in. The size of a King bunk bed is 80 in. x 76 in. x 51.5 in. Remember that a ‘King’ bunk bed usually indicates that the bottom bunk is a king while the top bunk is a twin. It’s rare to see a bed larger than a full size bed on the top bunk.
Some of the other standard mattress sizes below are unusual for ready-to-assemble bunk beds but are still possible options for custom-made bunk bed projects.
The size of a Narrow or 3-ft mattress bunk bed is 36 in. x 75 in x 65 in.. The size of a Twin Extra Long or Twin XL bunk bed is 39 in. x 80 in. The size of a California Queen bunk bed is 60 in. x 84 in x 65 in. The size of an Expanded Queen bunk bed is 66 in. x 80 in. x 65 in. The size of a California King bunk bed is 72 in. x 84 in. x 65 in., and finally the size of a Grand King bunk bed is 80 in. x 98 in. x 65 in. These sizes are very rare. To further make use of your bunk bed room, add some accessories to your bunk bed.
We have summarized the sizes of bunk beds in the following table: (The table displays both the standard mattress length and width in parentheses as well as the length, width and height of the specific bunk bed example from Amazon as assembled.)
| Bunk Bed Size | Length | Width | Height | Example on Amazon |
| Twin /Single | Mattress (75 inches) Bed 80 inches |
Mattress (39 inches) Bed 42 inches |
Bed 65 inches |
Link to Amazon |
| Double / Full |
Mattress (75 inches) Bed 82 inches |
Mattress (54 inches) Bed 60.8 inches |
Bed 65 inches |
Link to Amazon |
| Queen | Mattress(80 inches) Bed 83 inches |
Mattress (60 inches) Bed 63 inches |
Bed 65 inches |
Link to Amazon |
| King | Mattress (80 inches) Bed 88 inches |
Mattress (76 inches) Bed 77 inches |
Bed 51.5 inches |
Link to Amazon |
| Twin over Full | Mattress 1 (75 inches) Mattress 2 (75 inches) Bed 79 inches |
Mattress 1 (39 inches) Mattress 2 (54 inches) Bed 69 inches |
Bed 65 inches |
Link to Amazon |
| Triple Twin Bunk Bed |
Mattress (75 inches) Bed 79 inches |
Mattress (39 inches) Bed 78.2 inches |
Bed 74.2 inches |
Link to Amazon |
| Twin Bunk Bedwith Twin Bed Trundle | Mattress (75 inches) Bed 70 inches |
Mattress (39 inches) Bed 42 inches |
Bed 65 inches |
Link to Amazon |
| Twin over Twin Shorty Bunk Bed | Mattress (75 inches) Bed 81.5 inches |
Mattress (39 inches) Bed 57.8 inches |
Bed 50 inches |
Link to Amazon |
How long are standard bunk beds?
Standard bunk beds are about 80 inches long as assembled and can accommodate standard mattresses 75 inches in length based on the table above.
Shorty bunk beds are also about 80 inches long since a shorty bunk bed will still utilize a single, twin or standard sized mattress that’s 75 inches in length even though it is several inches closer to the ground.
How tall are bunk beds?
There are no set industry standards with regard to the height of the bunk beds, so each manufacturer can make their bunk beds as reasonably short or tall as they want. With that said, the majority of bunk beds do fall between about 50 in. to about 65 in. tall with the tallest triple beds usually exceeding 77 inches tall.
Generally, you can say that most standard bunk beds are about 65 inches tall. This height measurement is based on the topmost part of the top bunk which is often the guard rail, but the top of the mattress will usually be a few inches lower than this.
Because the height of a bunk bed can affect how well it fits inside your room, you should be mindful of the total floor space available of the bedroom you’re going to install the bunk bed in. As a rule of thumb, bigger rooms can accommodate larger mattresses while smaller rooms will be best fitted with smaller bunk beds.
So, measure your available floor space as accurately as possible. Nonetheless, it is also a good idea to provide an allowance of an inch or so when measuring for some possible discrepancies in the company’s manufacturing specifications or in the accuracy of your manual measurement.
As for the ceiling height clearance, there is no standard manufacturer’s suggestion regarding the total height of the ceiling, but it is widely accepted that in order for an adult to comfortably sit in bed there must be between 33 inches to 38 inches of clearance from the top of the mattress on the topmost bunk to the ceiling. Using this suggestion, if you have a bunk bed that is 65 inches in height and the top of the mattress is a few inches under this, then a ceiling that’s 8 feet or 96 inches will more than suffice.
How tall are triple bunk beds?
Much like two-bed bunk beds, there are no set standards for triple bunk beds, however they generally exceed 77 inches tall for the stacked triple bunk beds. They range in height from a little over 77 in. to more than 78 in.
Triple bunk beds that utilize the L-shape configuration are a little shorter at just about 72 inches tall. As a rule of thumb it is best that you leave 33 inches to 38 inches of clearance from the top of the mattress on the top bunk to the ceiling. This will of course depend on the height of the person sleeping in the topmost bunk. So, if you’re considering a triple bunk bed, then you better have a ceiling clearance of more than 9 feet. A comfortable fit will most likely require a ceiling over 9 feet and 6 inches for a tall individual.
What size are bunk beds in a camper?
The size of a camper or travel trailer itself will depend on each manufacturer as there are no standard sizes. It would then follow that the size of the bunk beds for campers will also vary, but because space is an issue it is common for campers to utilize standard or full sized mattresses for their bunk beds. However, with an RV, camper or trailer the mattress sizes usually refer to RV mattress sizes which vary slightly from standard home mattresses.
The sizes of bunk bed mattresses for campers vary. The size of an RV bunk bed mattress could even be as small as 75 in. x 28 in. The size of an RV Twin or Standard could be 75 in. x 38 in. or 80 in. x 38 in. The size of double bunk beds for campers or the RV double is 75 in. x 54 in. So, it’s still best to refer to your manufacturer specs to know which size RV mattress you have.
As to the height of the top bunk, it would depend entirely on the total ceiling height of the trailer or camper. Campers can have lower ceiling heights of a little less than 7 feet to higher ceiling heights of 10 feet or more, so the bunk bed height will be lower in trailers with lower ceilings and higher in campers with higher ceilings.
What size are travel trailer bunk beds?
A travel trailer is another name for a camper, so the bunk bed sizes for trailers are the same as those of campers.
What’s the size of a shorty bunk bed?
While the term ‘shorty’ bunk bed is not an official name, it refers to a low bunk bed that’s made especially for kids. Most shorty bunk beds utilize a mattress that is a little smaller than a typical standard or twin mattress – the narrow or 3 ft. mattress. See the table above.
The first two measurements of the shorty bunk bed dimensions below correspond to the lengths and widths of the mattress utilized with a third measurement corresponding to the height of the bunk bed as assembled.
The size of a twin sized shorty bunk bed mattress is 75 in. x 36 in x 50 in. This is the 3-feet mattress that’s usually used for kid’s bunk beds. There are also shorty bunk beds that utilize the standard twin size mattress which gives it dimensions of 75 in. x 38 in. by 50 in. The height of the bed usually ranges between 50 inches to about 55 inches which makes a shorty at least a full 10 inches shorter than the usual height of standard adult bunk beds.
What’s the minimum size of a room for a bunk bed?
There are no set minimum dimensions for a bedroom since bedrooms and bunk beds can vary in size. According to the building code there is a minimum floor area for a room to be classified officially as a “bedroom” and that is 70 square feet. So in this sense, the minimum dimensions of a bedroom that can comfortably fit a bunk bed are 120 in. x 84 in. x 96 in.
Disregarding the official minimum building code standards of what constitutes a “bedroom”, the thing that you must first take into consideration is the size of the bunk bed that you prefer to install in your room. Then you should consider where the bed would be placed.
Is it going to be against the wall, against a corner or in the middle? The placement will depend solely on the preference of the owner of the room, and this placement will be the basis of the space you need to free up for each side of the bunk bed that you need to access.
A good estimate would be to leave at least 30 inches of space in front of the ladder so it would be easy to climb up or down. With this clearance in place, every other side could now theoretically be against a wall especially if the bedroom is designed and built with a niche that perfectly fits the bunk bed installed. All other spaces that you may want to add in your bedroom will depend on your needs such as a space for a dresser, a closet, a table or a chair. Make sure to also take a look at our bunk bed vs trundle bed comparison guide for some more ideas. Have more questions? Take a look at our comprehensive loft bed guide and our tips for making your ladder more comfortable.
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