I think at the beginning of this project I had envisioned bunks that were fixed, like little kennels or cubbies that the kids can hide in. Recently though, I’ve come to terms with the limited space inside the bus, and I think that foldable “murphy” beds are the best option.
This setup with a tall ceiling height allows a pretty comfortable arrangement I think. In the photos below, the bed is a full size twin frame, that allows a mattress up to about 12 inches thick without any spring support, or about a 7 to 8 inch mattress with a wood rib support.
Not shown on the dimensional drawing of the bunks is a cross support that the cantilever bunks rest on when open. That is a full 1×3 square tube (one for each bed) that both ties the ends together, and acts as a stop to keep the bunk from pivoting too far.
The hinge pins are simple weld-on pins. I am mulling over the idea of how to cause the top bunk to intentionally over-extend to facilitate making it up (like stretching the fitted sheet over the mattress. Not entirely sure yet.
It’s pretty clear there’s some significant space savings with folding bunks. I’ll use sliding pocket doors to access the bath and shower on the opposing side, so that should afford a little walk way in the night time.
I’m pretty excited about the design, I’ll be out to buy the metal tomorrow – hopefully I can start assembling this in the next few days.
