A low bunk bed brings the top bunk much closer to the floor. Many standard bunk beds stand 150cm or more; our Nyla low bunk is 112cm. That changes three things at once: how far there is to climb, how far there is to fall, and whether the bed fits under a low or sloping ceiling. The age rule for the top bunk doesn't change at all.
On this page
Low bunk, standard bunk or shorty bunk?
| Low bunk | Standard bunk | Shorty bunk | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What's different | Lower overall height | Full height | Shorter: takes 75 x 175cm mattresses |
| Solves | A low or sloping ceiling | Most rooms | A room that's short on length |
| Top bunk age | 6 and over | 6 and over | 6 and over |
Low is about height and shorty is about length, and some beds are both. If the problem is the ceiling, you want a low bunk; if it's floor length, a shorty. If only one child needs a bed, a mid sleeper gives you storage underneath at a similar height instead of a second bed.
Who a low bunk suits
Low or sloping ceilings
A child should be able to sit up on the top bunk without their head near the ceiling. In a loft conversion or under a slope, a standard bunk often fails that test where a low bunk doesn't.
Siblings with an age gap
The older child, aged 6 or over, sleeps on top and the younger one below. The lower frame keeps the room feeling open rather than dominated by furniture.
Restless sleepers
Guard rails do the job, but less height above the floor is reassuring, and it's a big reason parents choose one.
Small rooms and growing families
Two beds in the footprint of one, without the bulk of a full-height frame. The older child can move up now, with the bottom bunk ready for a younger sibling later.
The trade-off. A lower frame means less space between the bunks, so the bottom bunk has less headroom. That's fine for a child lying down or sitting to read, but an adult may not be able to sit up straight on it for a bedtime story. A tall teenager on the top bunk will have less room too, so for older children a standard bunk or a high sleeper may suit better.
What doesn't change: the safety rules
Worth being straight about, because a low bunk is sometimes presented as a way round the age guidance. It isn't.
The top bunk is for children aged 6 and over, in line with BS EN 747, the British standard for bunk beds, and that applies to low bunks just as much as full-height ones. The bottom bunk has no such restriction.
- Guard rails fitted and secure on all sides of the top bunk.
- A mattress within the stated maximum depth. The guard rail height is measured from the top of the mattress on a low bunk too.
- Nothing hung from the frame: no ropes, bags, belts or fairy lights.
- One child on the ladder at a time, and no jumping from the top bunk, however low it is.
- Fixings checked every few months, and after moving the bed.
There's more on our safety advice page.
Our low bunks
Our main low bunk
Nyla Low Bunk Bed
Just 112cm tall, with guard rails around the top bunk and an integrated ladder. A clean, simple painted design in a warm cashmere finish that suits a younger child's room and still looks right years later.
Both bunks take a standard UK single mattress, 90 x 190cm.
See the Nyla
For rooms short on length
Tarn Shorty Bunk Bed with Drawers
Takes 70 x 160cm mattresses, so the whole bed is only 166cm long and 140cm high, and adds storage drawers underneath, so it can replace a bed and a chest of drawers at once.
Solid pine with a smooth lacquered finish, in white or natural, with an optional safety rail.
See the TarnOr see all our bunk beds and shorty beds.
Choosing a low bunk
- Ladder position. Check where the ladder sits, and that it won't block a door, a wardrobe or a window once the bed is in place.
- Storage. If the bunk is replacing a chest of drawers too, choose one with drawers underneath.
- Detachable or fixed? A bunk that splits into two single beds is worth having if the children may want their own rooms later. It's stated on each product page.
- Finish. A calm finish like cashmere, white or natural pine works at five and at twelve. Let the bedding carry the personality, as it's easy to change.
Other ways to fit two children into a small room
- A bed with a trundle: a single bed with a second bed that pulls out for a sibling or sleepovers. See beds with trundles.
- A bunk with a trundle: a full-height bunk that sleeps three. See bunks with trundles.
- A double bunk: a double below and a single above, which usually needs a standard ceiling. See triple sleepers.
- A detachable bunk: splits into two single beds later. See detachable bunks.
Mattresses: the bit people get wrong
- Depth. Most high-street single mattresses are 20cm or deeper, which eats into the guard rail's height on the top bunk. Our bunk bed mattresses, including the PocketRest 15, MemoryDream 15 and ComfortSleep 15, are made at 15cm for this reason.
- Size. A shorty bunk needs 75 x 175cm mattresses, not standard singles. We stock shorty mattresses in the right size.
- Quantity. You'll need two. It's the thing most often forgotten at checkout.
More in our bunk bed mattress guide.
Measuring up
- Headroom above the top bunk. Measure directly above where the bed will stand, not the highest point of the room. A younger child needs roughly 70cm above the mattress to sit up comfortably.
- Floor space, including the ladder, which isn't always in the headline dimensions.
- Access. Bunk beds arrive flat-packed in long boxes, even low ones, so think about tight turns on the stairs.
Assembly takes two adults a couple of hours, and our room-of-choice assembly is available on many beds, including the Nyla. Our kids' bed size guide has every size side by side, and if you're not sure, message us.
Common questions
What age can a child use a low bunk bed?
The top bunk is for children aged 6 and over, in line with BS EN 747, the same as any bunk bed. The bottom bunk has no such restriction.
How low is a low bunk bed?
It varies by model, so check the dimensions on each product page. The Nyla is 112cm tall overall, where many standard bunk beds are 150cm or more.
Will a low bunk fit under a sloped ceiling?
Often, where a standard bunk won't. Measure directly above where the bed will stand, and make sure a child can sit up on the top bunk without their head near the slope.
What's the difference between a low bunk and a shorty bunk?
A low bunk is lower; a shorty bunk is shorter, taking a 175cm mattress rather than 190cm. Some beds are both.
Can an adult sit on the bottom bunk?
Often not comfortably. A lower frame means less space between the bunks, so there's less headroom on the bottom bunk than on a full-height bunk.
What mattresses do I need?
Two, no deeper than the bed's stated maximum: standard singles, 90 x 190cm, for most low bunks, or 75 x 175cm for a shorty.
Two beds, less height
Low and shorty bunks for small rooms and sloping ceilings.
See the Nyla All bunk bedsBuying a bunk bed for the first time? Read our bunk bed buying guide.