# Need Help With Ideas



## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Hello all, James is getting big enough that we would like to try him in th ebottom bunk. BUT we need to mak sure he doesn't fall. Any ideas?

Would like it to be easy to put up and down. Maybe even be able to break it down for storage and not real permanent so we are not drilling holes all over the OB. But not out of th equestion if the end result outways the means. A great idea would actually hel p resale one day.

All I have so far is maybe a little 1x3 wood setup or maybe something out of PVC pipe. FIL actually suggested some kind of cargo net.

DUNNO?? Anybody do this to there's and have pics??

Thanks for the help.

Jim

Here is a pic of what we are dealing with:


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Might be able to use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FZNIUI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001FZNIL2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0VYZR763E0B2732HY4WW
I was thinking that you could attach it to the bunk and then to a dowel rod that will hook into a couple of metal or plastic clothing rod to hold it. Should work.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

The idea of pvc sounds good to me Jim. get a bunch of elbows and tees add the straight pieces and your golden. just side the L shape under the mattress side it up tight. Also don't glue the elbow at the L so it can be rotated flat. a word of caution keep the rail pieces very close together.

Kevin


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

swanny said:


> The idea of pvc sounds good to me Jim. get a bunch of elbows and tees add the straight pieces and your golden. just side the L shape under the mattress side it up tight. Also don't glue the elbow at the L so it can be rotated flat. a word of caution keep the rail pieces very close together.
> 
> Kevin


Think I get what you mean and thats a good idea. Make and L but slide part under the matress and the other side will go up. Even if he did go to the bbottom of the bed to push out he couldn't because he would be on the other end under the mattress.









Oh an dthey will be clsoe together. Little sneak will definately try to stick his head thru.

Thanks, Kevin. I see your brain is 100%, hope you are healing well.

Jim


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## Gbadmc (Jun 14, 2009)

The pvc sounds like a fun project but quick and inexpensive, we used a bed rail for our daughter in the upper bunk - similar to this one. 
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2309634&CAWELAID=107506531

It slides under the mattress and folds down/flat when not in use. It doesn't cove the whole bunk but we blocked the space with pillows


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Gbadmc said:


> The pvc sounds like a fun project but quick and inexpensive, we used a bed rail for our daughter in the upper bunk - similar to this one.
> http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2309634&CAWELAID=107506531
> 
> It slides under the mattress and folds down/flat when not in use. It doesn't cove the whole bunk but we blocked the space with pillows


Now that's a cool idea also. Hmm some good ideas comin here. Not that's a surprise. I knew I was tapping into a wealth of knowledge on Outbackers.

Who else???

Jim


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## Patty (Mar 4, 2010)

Gbadmc said:


> The pvc sounds like a fun project but quick and inexpensive, we used a bed rail for our daughter in the upper bunk - similar to this one.
> http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2309634&CAWELAID=107506531
> 
> It slides under the mattress and folds down/flat when not in use. It doesn't cove the whole bunk but we blocked the space with pillows


This would be my vote! I think I will get that for anyone who sleeps in the top bunk in my 23rs. It is very narrow. I'm thinking of widening it to make it more usable like someone did here. I still think the bed rail is a good idea for us. If someone fell off they would fall on the person sleeping in the queen bed below. A rude awakening for both!!


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

Go down to your local furniture store. Look in the scratch and dent section for a bunk bed rail. Might have to attach it with some L brackets. The fold down one is cool though.
crunchman


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## Michael1 (Apr 2, 2010)

We are using the ones listed above from Toysrus. Of course my daughter wanted the pink version! These rails work well, are easy to put together and are lightweight.

Michael


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

Jim,
We used and still use those bed rails...... but if you are worried about them being stubborn and climbing over consistently







like maybe







some of mine were......

We used a couple of these expandable gates, if your bunks fold up, a bungee will be sufficient to hold them together........ they serve double duty as a gate at the camper door and at home for rooms and stairs......

once they get the concept of not staying in bed and sleeping......then we went to the expandable bed rails...

We used them on both our daughters for a short time.... first was pack and play built in, then stair gates and now bed rails.

hope that helps, now i am back out to splitting wood







and hopefully getting the camper out.....haven't had time to clean it up.....may be bringing a dirty camper next weekend ;-)

CLarke


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## kemccarthy (Apr 19, 2009)

Joonbee said:


> The pvc sounds like a fun project but quick and inexpensive, we used a bed rail for our daughter in the upper bunk - similar to this one.
> http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2309634&CAWELAID=107506531
> 
> It slides under the mattress and folds down/flat when not in use. It doesn't cove the whole bunk but we blocked the space with pillows


Now that's a cool idea also. Hmm some good ideas comin here. Not that's a surprise. I knew I was tapping into a wealth of knowledge on Outbackers.

Who else???

Jim
[/quote]

This is what we have used at home when we moved our kids from the crib to their big boy beds, works great!


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Cool. These are definately some good ideas here for now and the future. Gonna do some shoppin now.

Clarke we don't mind if the camper is dirty just as long as you guys are there. Dirty campers camp just as well. Although I have a hard time believing that your camper or TV will be anything but shiny when they show up this weekend.

Jim


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

I'm late to the party, but have 2 suggestions. For our OB bunk rails we did those toys-r-us ones, but with a twist. The bar under a foam matress is not real comfortable plus they tell you the minimum matress to use (I think mainly because they are relying on a rigid mattress to keep them from tipping. My mod to the mod was to remove the bars running under the matress and then screw the plastic bracket the bars clip into right in to the wood beneath the mattress. That made it very secure AND didn't have uncomfortable bars under the mattress.

For the 5'er I build bed rails but didn't want anything permanent, you know just in case I were to sell it or something.....








Anyway, for that one, I pulled off the buttons on the front padded face board which exposes the screws that hold it on. Remove that board and then build a rail system that screws to the same front face. Then if you want to return to original, you can always remove the rails and re-install the factory front to the bed.


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Nathan said:


> I'm late to the party, but have 2 suggestions. For our OB bunk rails we did those toys-r-us ones, but with a twist. The bar under a foam matress is not real comfortable plus they tell you the minimum matress to use (I think mainly because they are relying on a rigid mattress to keep them from tipping. My mod to the mod was to remove the bars running under the matress and then screw the plastic bracket the bars clip into right in to the wood beneath the mattress. That made it very secure AND didn't have uncomfortable bars under the mattress.
> 
> For the 5'er I build bed rails but didn't want anything permanent, you know just in case I were to sell it or something.....
> 
> ...


Yet another set of good ideas. Guess I need to get over to the trailer tomorrow and take a look see and figure out waht I want to do.

Jim


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

Well, if Nathan was late to the party, I guess I missed it all together.... When our two lil ones were in the RQS's lower bunks, we just rolled a couple of towels length wise and jammed them under the matress. They would have to roll up hill to get to the edge, and kept them to the inside automatically. Up side was we had extra towels stored, without having to take up any space!


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## dhdb (Dec 14, 2009)

Joonbee said:


> Hello all, James is getting big enough that we would like to try him in th ebottom bunk. BUT we need to mak sure he doesn't fall. Any ideas?
> 
> Would like it to be easy to put up and down. Maybe even be able to break it down for storage and not real permanent so we are not drilling holes all over the OB. But not out of th equestion if the end result outways the means. A great idea would actually hel p resale one day.
> 
> ...


I just saw this post. I just finished the same thing check it out: "New Mod-Top Bunk Rails" http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29706&pid=380467&st=0&#entry380467


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

That looks like a nice setup for the future, but at this point (17mths) James could only manage to fall out, so I just need to keep him in. But this is a good idea for th efuture. I am seeing the trend here. "L" shaped and one section un der the bed.

Thanks again to everybody so far.

Jim


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## matty1 (Mar 7, 2005)

Get or build one that folds down easily...try lifting a sleeping kid up and over a permanent one and you will see why. Our look like the ones in the picture above, press on the two buttons (kid proof, on the bottom outside) and it flops down, easy to put them up there after they fall asleep at the fire. Also makes it easier to change the sheets, etc..if it is easy to take down.


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## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

Nathan said:


> I'm late to the party, but have 2 suggestions. For our OB bunk rails we did those toys-r-us ones, but with a twist. The bar under a foam matress is not real comfortable plus they tell you the minimum matress to use (I think mainly because they are relying on a rigid mattress to keep them from tipping. My mod to the mod was to remove the bars running under the matress and then screw the plastic bracket the bars clip into right in to the wood beneath the mattress. That made it very secure AND didn't have uncomfortable bars under the mattress.


we did the same thing. Who knew that was a mod. Liked having something low enough we could reach over. Good thing is in our model there are actually two beds on the floor one being a trundle. Just make sure to use the right size screws or you might end up with some metal stalactites for the bottom bunk.


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## Jelly Donut (Apr 13, 2009)

Check these out:

http://magicbumper.tripod.com/PHOTOS/magiccosleeper.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://magicbumper.tripod.com/PHOTOS/fourpackmagicbumpersjpeg.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cgi.ebay.com/Infant-Baby-Co-Bed-Sleeper-Co-Sleeping-Safety-Bed-Guard-/120536614842&usg=__D2iN7rHHNWRRNqU8CzfrZXVIrgE=&h=1125&w=2392&sz=454&hl=en&start=59&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=IHly9kRUu3SsrM:&tbnh=71&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DL%2Bshaped%2Bbed%2Brails%26start%3D40%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1

One of these might work....


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

Think I am gonna do the "L" shaped thing. But I am going to make it so I can slide it back and forth. Kinda pull the door closed thing and then to get him out or load his things for travel. I can push it forward in the bunk and it will be out of the way. Will get some pics after I do it.

Jelly I am not worried about him rolling around. I am more worried about the little inmate trying to escape before or after he sleeps.

Thx, Jim


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