Choosing Ladders or Stairs for A Bunk Bed

If you’re shopping for a bunk bed, it can be tough to narrow down the options, but after years of working with many different families, we’ve found that the best place to start is with one question: Ladder or Stairs?

In our opinion, the short answer is: if you have the space and budget, go with stairs. Stairs are the better option for most kids for several reasons:

Stairs are safer. They come with a handrail that surrounds your child as they climb up, and the larger tread makes it easier for kids to balance.
Easier to climb (for both kids and adults). Not only are stairs easier for little kids to climb, but they give parents easier access to the top bunk, in case you need to make the bed or just want to join your child for a bedtime story.
Extra storage. Each stair acts as an extra storage drawer for toys, books, clothes or whatever you need a place for.
Multi-functional. We often see kids use the stairs of their bunks as a sitting area as well.

Although stairs are the better option in our opinion, ladders do have their advantages as well.

Space-saving. Ladders take up less room than stairs do.
Cost-saving. Since they're smaller than a stair unit, they cost less.
Can be removable. Some of our bunks have removable ladders, which are helpful if you don't want your kid to access the top bunk until they're older.
Placement options. Ladders can be on footboard or the side of the bed, which is sometimes helpful depending on the configuration of the room.

In addition, we fit all of our ladders with side handles, a unique feature that makes our ladders more ergonomic than most.

Here are some other factors to consider when deciding between a ladder or stairs on your child’s bunk bed:

Age of child:

A boy in a white t-shirt stands by a storage unit; adjacent image shows a desk cluttered with toys and a bunk bed above.

As always, safety is the first priority when it comes to bunk beds. The recommended age for bunk beds according to theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics is 6 and up. If you child is between the ages of 6 and 8, stairs might be the better option in order to prevent any accidents. However, stairs are popular with kids of any age, so there’s no reason to worry about your child outgrowing them just because they’re not in that range anymore.

Space in the Room:

Collage of images: a blue room with a loft bed and desk underneath, featuring a boy reading a book.

The main reason for choosing ladders over stairs is that they save a lot of space. If you’re trying to conserve floor space in the room, this might be the way to go. However, if you want the bunk to be the centerpiece of the room and fill more floor space, stairs is a great way to achieve that. Staircases can also be used as storage solutions, so that when they take up space, you get more use out of it.

Kid’s Preference

A workshop with a series of unfinished wooden children's bed frames featuring playful cutouts and built-in ladders.

We always recommend the “try before you buy” method. Schedule a showroom visit and bring your family in to view and test out the different options available. It’s always good to have each kid that will use the bunk bed try climbing into our showroom models using both ladder and stairs before you take them at their word about preference between the two. There are many different types and sizes of stairs available, so it’s important to know what is comfortable for your child, specifically. This way, you’ll not only choose the correct climbing option, but can request any modifications that are needed to make it perfect for your family. Casa Kids creates handmade, custom kid’s furniture so we’re able to craft the perfect ladder rungs, handles, stairs, and storage options for each family’s needs, and will even make suggestions based on our decades of experience.