How to build a ladder

[tfischer]

So I'm getting close to being ready to build the ladder for my bunk bed project. The plans I'm using mention that you can build 2 copies of their twin bed plan and bunk them, but they don't go into a lot of detail on the actual extra parts for the bunk bed (ladder and rails) other than showing them in a sketch and describing a few hints.

Should I angle the front and rear faces of the rungs to match the angle of the ladder? This way I could place the rungs in dados without having any extra gaps in the sides. I've also considered using sliding dovetails because I think it would look cool and be super sturdy without any additional hardware...

Any advice or shared experience (or pointers to relevant plans) would be welcome.

Thanks!

[Kristofor]

The detachable bunk ladder I had as a kid (4-12ish) had a bull nose type front profile on each step which was set back perhaps 1/4" from the front of the edge which had smaller radius round-overs on each corner.

The back of each step was angled and did align with the back of the ladder (making orientation an important point when using the ladder to secure a blanket for a fort) however I do not recall the specific joinery.

[capncarl]

I would not do a lot of dovetailling on the ladder rungs because it will reduce its thickness. An adults weight may snap it off.

[JimD]

Years ago my son had bunk beds I made quickly out of softwood. The ladder was attached to the side of the bed by screws and was 1x pine glued and screwed together. It was vertical. It was partially to keep the top bunk occupant securely in the bed. It worked. Later the ladder got removed and he would use the ends of the bed to climb up there.

[cwsmith]

Our son had a bunk bed with ladder. When he went off to Cornell he took one of the beds and left it there when he graduated.

We still have the other, and more important to the subject, the ladder is now dedicated for use in my wife's cookbook library room.

So, I just ran upstairs to refresh my memory and this particular ladder is basically made of 2 x 4 stock, with the four rungs rabbeted into the runners. Each step has been center-cut across it's length on the underside so that a metal support rod can be inset. (As was typical with many wood ladders.) There are button 'caps' on the outside of the runners which, I imagine, cover retaining nuts for those support rods)

The ladder is 50-1/2 inches high by 16-1/2 inches wide, the leading edge of the steps are angled to mate with the runners, and the runners are angle cut at the bottom to sit flat on the floor (with the ladder tilted against the bed). The top of each runner is rounded.

This particular bunk bed is early American pine, made by the Kling factory in Olean, NY just before Kling was purchased by Ethan Allan. We purchased it in the late 70's.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[LCHIEN]

Our son had a bunk bed with ladder. When he went off to Cornell he took one of the beds and left it there when he graduated.

We still have the other, and more important to the subject, the ladder is now dedicated for use in my wife's cookbook library room.

So, I just ran upstairs to refresh my memory and this particular ladder is basically made of 2 x 4 stock, with the four rungs rabbeted into the runners. Each step has been center-cut across it's length on the underside so that a metal support rod can be inset. (As was typical with many wood ladders.) There are button 'caps' on the outside of the runners which, I imagine, cover retaining nuts for those support rods)

The ladder is 50-1/2 inches high by 16-1/2 inches wide, the leading edge of the steps are angled to mate with the runners, and the runners are angle cut at the bottom to sit flat on the floor (with the ladder tilted against the bed). The top of each runner is rounded.

This particular bunk bed is early American pine, made by the Kling factory in Olean, NY just before Kling was purchased by Ethan Allan. We purchased it in the late 70's.

I hope this helps,

CWS

Probably be helpful to the OP if you measured the angle of the rungs/steps to the runners. In degrees so he knows the angle of a commercial (and presumably safe) ladder.

[Bill in Buena Park]

When I made the bunkbed for my kids, having learned from my experience climbing the ladder on the bunkbed of my youth, I rounded-over both the front and back of the rungs (not quite a full bull-nose but close). IIRC, rungs were at least 2.5in wide from 3/4 stock, and 15" long (narrow for strength, not using support rods under the rungs). Oak or maple I believe. Set in slight mortise, which was angled up 10 deg off perpendicular to rails, and fastened with glue and these. The underside top of the rails were also cut 10 deg off parallel to the rail to mate to the top bunk, via angle brackets, and bottom of the rails cut 10 deg off perpendicular in plane of the rung mortises, so the bottom angled away 10 deg for "lean" (I think you get the picture.) Rails also had slight roundover on all four edges for grip comfort (although kids preferred to clamber up on rungs only).

Survived multiple children, and still intact long after the bunks were no longer in use.

[radhak]

I would question the angling the ladder itself.

We bought a bunk bed for daughters that they used till 2 months ago, and it looked somewhat like this



As you can see, the ladder does not take any extra foot print, and by my experience, was sturdy enough to withstand all sorts of usage for 8 odd years.

The wood used was pine, regular thickness. The joinery was connector bolts. Best of all, all the angles are square, for easy build.

You could still use dovetails or whatnot; just a bit simpler than angled.

[leehljp]

I made a set of bunk beds for my girls when in Osaka. The ladder was made from 2x4s including the steps; dado joints, steps angled at 15 degrees, IIRC. LOML didn't want me making straight up/down steps as she was afraid one of the girls would slip in the middle of the night and fall. Our thinking was that the angles offered better balance when sleepy and needing to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. We never had a problem with it or them falling.

The beds and ladder were brought back with us from Japan, and my youngest daughter owns it now. My daughter and her family have been in Brazil for two years but will be coming back this summer. It will be used again.

[cwsmith]

I'll post a picture of the ladder and the angle late tomorrow morning.

CWS

[tfischer]

Thanks for the info. Yeah a straight ladder would be preferable for conserving space, but I figured a slight angle would be more comfortable (and safe) to climb. But that's all up for discussion...

[cwsmith]

Okay, here are two pictures of our 're-assigned' bunk bed ladder. This is now about 40 years old and has been re-painted.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Checking the angle at the bottom of the of runners, they are cut at 76-degrees.

I mentioned yesterday that there was a support rod, running under each rung, but on closer observation, that isn't true (sorry I should have looked). There is a groove cut under each step, as if to use such a rod, but on flipping the ladder over this morning, I see nothing is there. Perhaps those button plugs are used for screws into the ladder rungs, unless they're just decorative.

In any case, I hope the picture helps.

CWS