Dear Friends,
In a bus with just 6.5 feet of floor to ceiling height, is a three-level bunk doable? I am even considering making a cutout with a welded steel pan for the bottom mattress, leaving the top of the mattress at floor level. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance!
Dr. Steve, central old Mexico
Dr Steve -
The PO of my 4106 built six bunks, three per side, into the front section of the coach, after the first two rows of OEM seats.
They used simple twin bed frames available anywhere, bolted to the fabricated end bulkheads.
First frame was 4" off the floor, second was 21" above that, top bunk was 21" above the 2nd. All measurements based on the horizontal portion of the frames.
No cutout/pan needed, 4" under bottom frame gave a little bit of storage for shoes, etc.
Plywood "box spring" to support non-pillowtop mattresses, with appropriate cross braces.
Worked for them. . . I ripped it all out & recycled the metal.
Be sure to ride "feet forward!"
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
This is where I slept for a couple of years.
I have two stacked bunks in our coach for the Kids.
Unless you really enjoy being a sardine ::) I wouldn't do three.
Of course you may need to for your situation.......
Cliff
Quote from: Len Silva on August 18, 2010, 04:02:46 AM
This is where I slept for a couple of years.
Me too! But we had storage underneath and it felt more cramped.
Didn't ya love when the guy on top had to go get down for watch while you where trying to sleep
Don't want that arrangement again... ;D
Cliff
My ongoing life of mocking up interiors saved my A$$ a bunch of years ago.
I figured stacking the kids three high was a great idea....
We had a kid's bed set that put the top close enough to the ceiling to be the same space for three high. One kid tries it one night and declared it unfit, one other tried a few minutes and bailed, the 3rd wouldn't even try and said "get stuffed".
Understand, too, this was when they were all elementary school aged!
Needless to say, all future mock ups have been two high, and that's it!
Maybe best if you mock up a space in that 21" size, and try it out for a night under real camping conditions, as well as trying to sleep going down the road with someone else driving.
If the family declares a revolution, you, and the converted coach, are doomed.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Thanks to all of you for your ideas! We were inside a for-sale music group bus a few days ago, and they had two triple bunks followed by double bunks where the floor rises up twice toward the axle and then the engine compartment. (Sleeps ten band members!)
Vertical separation on this bus (in case anybody is interested) was approximately 24 inches (61 centimeters), with the bottom mattress on the floor. (See picture.)
So after seeing this in person, I can see (as the most honorable Mrs. Florida Cliff and Buswarrior said) that adolescents or older people will NOT enjoy such tight sleeping arrangements over a several-week long trip. Plus a double bunk may allow me to but drawers under the bottom bed, plus use that bed as a sort of a sofa during the day, with upper bunk raised against the wall.
These mattresses were 28 inches wide by 72 inches long. Those dimensions appear o. k. What do you think?
Thanks again for your answers!
Another option is a double-bunk, but make the drawer under the bed mattress-sized on sturdy rollers. You then have the option of putting a mattress in there and using it for a third person in the open position. Sure, it'll block the aisle and make anyone else step over the person sleeping there, but it may be a practical solution for you.
My first bus, years ago, a schoolie had pipe frame bunks with the canvas stretched and tied with rope. But it had eyes on the side towards the wall and chains from the ceiling. These were put up to the ceiling during the day and moved down to sleep on at night. This way you get dual use of the space.
Art