Lea Furniture Austin Twin over Twin Bunk Bed

Review

The Austin Twin over Twin from Lea Industries is a bunk bed intended primarily for boys -- which, of course, is merely a suggestion from the manufacturer and does not mean you shouldn't get one to your daughter if she takes fancy of it and no other. The bed is simple in design and strong and sturdy in construction. Full bodied headboards and footboards give it a sort of traditional look, while warm Medium Oak finish and brass bolts add just a touch of rustic southwest appeal. The soft, unobtrusive finish enables this bunk bed for kids to fit nicely into almost any kind of environment. Various optional items and matching furniture from Lea's Austin collection make it easy to put together a setup that will work best for your children and fit well in your space.

Lea Furniture pays especial attention to the quality of build and safety; here are a few construction-related features taken out of the Austin group catalog.

Solid Posts and Metal Dowels -- solid hardwood posts, joined by thick metal dowel pins where necessary, provide superior strength and stability of construction.

Secure Attachments -- ladders and guard rails attach to bed rails with screws or bolts. Bed rails are fastened through posts with steel bolts.

Stable Bed Rails -- the bed rails are made of multi-ply construction instead of solid. This prevents warping or splitting in an area where beds need the most strength.

Safe Spacing -- all components are properly spaced to prevent children from dangerous pinch-points and help protect from entanglement.

Bed Slats -- the provided bed slats are located using predetermined slots in side rails preventing unsafe spacing; these are fastened with screws, adding integrity to the bed.

It is worth noting that the Austin bunk beds are also quite expandable. The 618-980 Extension turns the twin/twin configuration into the twin/full bunk bed. The 618-936 Tri-Bunk Extension is really a separate loft bed that attaches to the bunk bed, while the 618-909 Dual Function Underbed Unit can accommodate either storage drawers or an 8" mattress. Note that all of these extensions can be used together for a maximum amount of sleeping space that can comfortably meet the needs of four people.

That's all nice and good, you might think, but what do the buyers say? There aren't really that many user reviews on the Austin line out there yet, however, some patterns have emerged and here they are.

Attractiveness -- this is an attractive looking bed and almost everyone who has taken the time to post an opinion comments on that first. Expressions such as: nice looking; very cute; clean lines; attractive color scheme -- are used to convey its appeal. Users seem also to be quite impressed with the finish; it would appear that the bed's subtle rustic appearance has won many a supporter. Descriptions range from nice to beautiful; it is also said to be nice to touch and easy to clean.

Durability -- from the scant number of reports out there, there is no reason to doubt this product's quality of build. Very solid, good construction, is how one user put it. It was also accented that nearly all the parts are solid wood and that the bed turned out to be very sturdy once the assembly was completed.

Among the few reviews out there, there is nothing yet that would indicate at a serious flaw inherent to the Austin line of bunk and loftbeds. There was a user unhappy with support for a full size mattress and had to buy additional board to resolve the issue, while another complained that some of the screws did not line up properly and had to be re-threaded.