Quick Answer: Mattress Miracle in Brantford sells five twin-size bunk beds, from $400 for a twin over twin with a ladder to $1,795 for a stair step bunk. Each one takes standard twin mattresses. Health Canada says no children under 6 on the top bunk, and guardrails at least 5 inches above the mattress. We deliver bunk beds within Ontario.
Twin over twin bunk beds: sizes and prices
A twin over twin bunk bed stacks two twin mattresses on one frame, one above the other. In Canada a twin is also called a single, so a single over single bunk is the same bed. The Sleep Foundation measures a typical twin mattress at about 38 by 75 inches, and the twin mattresses we sell are listed at 39 by 75. Any of our twin mattresses, from $86, fits that footprint. The top bunk has a thickness limit, though, and the safety section below shows how to work it out.
Bunk bed
Layout
Colours
Price
Mattresses needed
Childrens Twin Over Twin Bunk Bed
Twin over twin, ladder
Gray, white, black
$400
2 twin
Bunk Bed Layouts (Convertible)
Twin over twin, sold as convertible
Black, gray
$530
2 twin
Single Over Single Bunk Bed with Guardrails & Ladder
Twin over twin, ladder
Brown, gray, white
$800
2 twin
Triple Bed Bunk Bed
Three twin tiers
Black, gray, white
$825
3 twin
Stair Step Bunk Bed
Twin over twin, staircase
White, espresso
$1,795
2 twin
All five come from IFDC, the supplier behind every bunk bed in our store, and mattresses are sold separately. The lowest price for two beds in one footprint is the $400 Childrens Twin Over Twin Bunk Bed. The Stair Step Bunk Bed with a staircase in place of a ladder costs $1,795, and the staircase needs its own floor space, so measure the room for it. The Triple Bed Bunk Bed sleeps three for $825 and has two raised beds to check against the rules below.
If an older child or a visiting adult needs the bottom bed, a twin over double (also called twin over full) puts a 54 by 75 inch double underneath. Our twin over full bunk beds start at $440, and double over double bunk beds start at $690.
Bunk bed safety rules in Canada
Bunk bed safety in Canada rests on one law and one set of guidance. Canada has no product-specific regulation for bunk beds: Health Canada's Industry Guide to Second-hand Products lists them under products not subject to product-specific regulations. The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act still applies. Section 7 bars manufacturers and importers from making, importing, advertising or selling a consumer product that is a danger to human health or safety. Section 8 bars anyone from advertising or selling one they know is a danger. Health Canada's bunk bed and loft bed safety page recommends a bed certified to a standard such as ASTM International F1427, the consumer safety specification for bunk beds. It lists these checks and rules:
No children under 6 years old on the top bunk at any time.
Guardrails on all four sides of the top bunk, even when the bed stands against a wall.
The top of the guardrails at least 12.7 cm (5 inches) higher than the top of the mattress on all sides.
Corner posts and ladders that do not extend more than 5 millimetres above the guardrails or end panels. Health Canada's second-hand products guide gives the reason: to prevent snagging of clothes.
A mattress that fits snugly against all four sides, with no gaps between the mattress and the bed.
A ladder that stays securely attached. Health Canada says never remove it, for any reason.
One person on the top bunk at a time. Always use the ladder to get on and off, and don't jump off the bed or the ladder.
Stay fully inside the guardrails. Don't lean over the edge or sit on the guardrail.
No playing or jumping on the bed or the ladder. The space under the top bunk is only safe for play if the manufacturer designed it as a play area.
Never tie anything to the bed. Cords, sashes, scarves and ropes can cause strangulation.
No large toys or heavy objects on the top bunk.
Screws and bolts checked regularly to make sure they are tight, and the ladder checked to make sure it is still securely attached.
Health Canada's Is Your Child Safe? Sleep Time guide gives the same limit as 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) for corner posts and ladder uprights. The Sleep Time guide also says children should not be allowed to play on the top bunk. Before you buy, look for ASTM F1427 certification on the label or the manufacturer's website. If you can't find it, ask us and we'll check with the maker before you buy.
What the injury data shows: a Public Health Agency of Canada study by McFaull, Frechette and Skinner (Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada, 2012) found that 6,002 people went to emergency departments for a bunk bed injury from 1990 to 2009. The records came from the 15 emergency departments (11 pediatric, 4 general) that report to the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program. Over 90% of injuries from the upper bunk were falls, and children aged 3 to 5 were injured most often. The study's authors concluded that prevention efforts should focus on children under 6.
This page summarizes Health Canada's published guidance. It does not replace the instructions and labels that come with your bunk bed. If your child has a condition that affects sleep, balance or night waking, ask your doctor before moving them to a top bunk.
How thick should a top bunk mattress be?
The top bunk mattress limit on a twin over twin bunk bed comes straight from the guardrail rule. Health Canada's bunk bed guidance says the top of the guardrails should be at least 12.7 cm (5 inches) higher than the top of the mattress on all sides. To turn that into a mattress size, measure from the slats up to the top of the guardrail or end panel at its lowest point, on every side, then subtract 5 inches to get the most your mattress should measure. A rail 12 inches above the slats leaves room for up to 7 inches, and a 10-inch rail leaves 5. Measure the mattress itself too, with any topper or pad on it, because its real height can differ from its name. Health Canada also says to check the bed's label for the suggested mattress size and thickness. Use whichever number is lower, the label's or your own.
We don't print one thickness for every bunk, because the right number depends on each frame's rail height. Call 519-770-0001 with the model name and we'll check it with you. For a thin top bunk mattress, our 5-inch foam twin mattress is $86 and carries no warranty. If your rail leaves 7 inches, the Premium Foam 7-inch twin is $173. The bottom bunk has no guardrail limit, so it can take a thicker twin as long as the sleeper can still sit up under the top bunk.
A bunk built to an unusual size needs a mattress cut to fit, and a gap at the edge breaks Health Canada's snug-fit rule. We cut custom RV, bunk and odd-size mattresses to order in two to three weeks. Every measurement is confirmed by phone before cutting. Custom cuts are excluded from the 60-Night Comfort Guarantee.
Ceiling height, room fit and assembly
A twin over twin bunk bed covers about the floor space of one twin bed. Height is the part to measure. Health Canada gives no minimum ceiling figure, so check it yourself: the child on the top bunk needs room to sit up without hitting the ceiling. Health Canada's set-up tips also say to keep the bed away from ceiling fans, windows, cords and other furniture. Add the height of the top bunk's slats above the floor to the top mattress thickness, then subtract that from your ceiling height. What is left is the room the child has to sit up. Ask us for a model's measurements if its listing doesn't give them.
Health Canada says to follow the manufacturer's assembly instructions, tighten every screw and bolt, and keep the ladder attached. Keep the instructions afterwards, since you'll need them to separate the bunks or replace a part.
Delivery and old mattress removal
Mattress Miracle delivers every bunk bed we carry within Ontario. An order under $500 that includes a bunk bed pays $80 delivery. When the whole order comes to $500 or more, white glove delivery and setup is free on most online orders within 200 km of Brantford. That covers Paris and St. George through to London, Toronto and Peterborough, and a longer drive may add a small distance fee that we confirm when you book.
On today's prices, the $400 twin over twin on its own pays $80. Add two 5-inch foam twin mattresses at $86 each and the order comes to $572, so delivery is free on most orders. Old mattress removal is $20, arranged with your delivery. To finish both beds, twin bed sheets start at $30, and the Healthguard Basic Protection twin mattress protector is $32.
Twin over twin bunk bed questions
What age is safe for the top bunk?
Six and older. Health Canada says no children under 6 years old on the top bunk at any time, and its guardrails are designed for children aged 6 and up. A Public Health Agency of Canada injury study found children aged 3 to 5 were the most often injured in bunk bed accidents.
Is it illegal for a child under 6 to sleep on a top bunk in Canada?
No federal regulation sets an age. Canada has no product-specific bunk bed regulation, and the under-6 rule is Health Canada safety guidance. Treat it as firm anyway: Health Canada says no children under 6 on the top bunk at any time.
How thick should the mattress be on a top bunk?
Thin enough that the top of the guardrail stays at least 5 inches (12.7 cm) above the mattress on all sides, which is Health Canada's guidance. Measure the rail height above the slats at its lowest point and subtract 5 inches, then check the bed's label for the maker's suggested thickness and follow whichever is lower.
What size mattress does a twin over twin bunk bed take?
Two twin (single) mattresses. The Sleep Foundation puts a typical twin at about 38 by 75 inches, and the twin mattresses in our store are listed at 39 by 75. The mattress must fit snugly with no gaps at the sides, so don't use a smaller mattress than the frame was built for.
What does twin over full bunk bed mean?
A twin mattress on the top bunk and a full, which Canadians call a double, on the bottom. The double is 54 by 75 inches on our listings, so the bottom bed is 15 inches wider than the top. Our full range of bunk beds covers twin, double and triple layouts.
What is the weight limit for bunk beds?
The manufacturer sets it, and it can differ between the top and bottom bunk. Go by the rating on the bed's label or instructions. We haven't confirmed IFDC's ratings for every model, so call 519-770-0001 before an older teen or an adult uses one. Health Canada's rule of one person on the top bunk at a time applies whatever the rating.
How much should you pay for a bunk bed?
Mattress Miracle's twin-size bunk beds cost $400 to $1,795 today, and our lowest-priced bunk is the $400 Childrens Twin Over Twin. Mattresses are extra: a pair of 5-inch foam twins adds $172. Spend on what the safety rules ask for first: four guardrails, a fixed ladder and ASTM F1427 certification.
Are bunk beds a good idea for siblings?
For two children who share a room, yes, as long as the top bunk goes to a child aged 6 or older. A twin over twin gives both children the same size bed in the floor space of one. With a big age gap, a twin over full gives the older child the wider bottom bed.
How do you convert two twin beds into a bunk bed?
Only with a bed the manufacturer designed to stack. Never stack two ordinary twin bed frames: they have no top bunk guardrails, no fixed ladder and no way to lock together. Our convertible twin bunk bed is $530 and is sold as a convertible model; ask us to show you how it separates.
Can a twin over twin bunk bed be separated into two beds?
Some can. Health Canada's advice on separating bunk beds says not every one can be separated, so check the instructions or ask the manufacturer or retailer first. Remove the top bunk guardrails before using the pieces as two beds, because those rails can trap younger children. Health Canada also suggests, where the maker allows it, setting the top bunk next to the lower one until a child is old enough to sleep up high.
Can a child under 6 sleep in the top bunk if it's on the floor?
Health Canada's child sleep safety guide says that if the top bunk is used on the floor for a child under 6, the guardrails should not be used. They are designed for children at least 6 years old, and a younger child could become trapped.
Do the safety rules apply to a triple bunk bed?
Health Canada's guidance is written for the top bunk. On a triple bunk, treat both raised tiers as top bunks. That means guardrails on all four sides, 5 inches of rail above each mattress, a fixed ladder, and no children under 6 on either. Check the maker's label for its own age and height guidance, including on our $825 Triple Bed Bunk Bed.
Is a used bunk bed safe to buy?
It can be, with checks. Health Canada says to get the original assembly instructions and replace missing parts only with the manufacturer's own parts. Avoid homemade fixes, and look for loose bolts, cracks, rust or bent parts. On metal bunks, check the welds. Search Health Canada's recalls and safety alerts for the model first.
Who makes the best quality bunk beds?
Quality shows in the details, so judge the bed in front of you. Look for ASTM F1427 certification, guardrails on all four sides of the top bunk, a ladder that is securely attached, tight joints and solid welds. Our bunk bed safety and buying guide walks through what to check in the store.
Visit our Brantford showroom
Our family has sold beds in Brantford since 1997, and Mattress Miracle has been on West Street since 2010. The advisors who help you pick a bunk are not paid on commission. You can park free right at the store. For the wheelchair entrance on the side of the building, call ahead and we'll be there to open it. If Brantford is too far to drive, call while the store is open and an advisor will take you around the floor by phone.
Mattress Miracle | 441 1/2 West Street, Brantford, ON | (519) 770-0001
Hours: Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thu-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm.
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