I started making bunkbeds for the Mary and Kate today. (Only started, I ran out of critical materials, and didn't get them until 9:45pm) Their existing bunk bed is very space inefficient, and the top bunk is fairly high.
The bed has 2 cases for the mattresses, and will have 2 "endcaps" for stability and stairs. The endcaps are a problem. I want to fasten them to the casings with either lag bolts or carriage bolts. Carriage bolts would be nice, because I could always tighten the things down if the bed loosens from the all-night-every-night funtime party zone that the girls make out of their rooms. The problem is that I am connecting 2 2x6's, and the carriage bolts come in 3' or 3.5' sizes, what I really need it 3.25". (Or I need to recess the bolt, but that would require a new drill bit...)
Lag bolts seem like a good idea, I could by 1/4" wide and 2.5" long lag bolts, and sink them trough both boards. The only problem there is I'm not sure if they will loosen over time, or if too much rough play would loosen them.
So, audience voting time. Do I go with carriage bolts, recessing the bolts so they don't stick out and poke things, or do I use lag bolts, and just be done with it. Keep in might I'm also not 100% sure that my design will be stable enough for children to use at this point, we won't know until I have it fully assembled.
Now, this isn't like voting for your mayor. If you are unclear as to what a lag bolt and carriage bolt is, you shouldn't vote. (Or at least your shouldn't be picking the 'nicer looking' one...) Anyone with prior experience or knowledge of the subject matter got an opinion?
3 comments:
I would go with the carrige bolts, the lag bolts could (would)
strip out over time with the type of play you are talking about
I would go with the carriage bolts so that they could be recessed.... ask Uncle Randy about what an extending bolt did to his leg.....
go with carriage bolts and get a recessed bolt that actually goes into the hole .
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