Updated at: 08-03-2023 - By: Sienna Lewis

It didn’t take me long to realize that my college dorm room needed a major upgrade when I saw how cramped everything was. Nonetheless, I was aware that the only way for me to gain extra room in my dorm would be to loft my dorm bed. The only catch is that I went into this completely clueless.

I was able to maximize the space in my room by using a loft kit to raise my bed with the assistance of some savvy friends who had done it before me, as well as by conducting some online research.

Here is how I did it if you want to loft your dorm bed! Along the way, I had a few more questions that I hope will be useful to you.

SHOULD I LOFT MY DORM BED?

The first and most obvious consideration is whether or not you want to loft your dorm bed. For the most part, I believe the answer should be yes.

College dorm rooms are notoriously cramped, and sharing with a roommate only makes things worse. Lofting your dorm bed may seem unnecessary at first, especially if you don’t plan on bringing anything bulky like a mini-fridge or a study desk with you to college.

Easy Dorm Room Hacks

When you first move into your dorm, lofting your bed is a great way to make the most of the limited space available to you.

It’s fantastic to have all that extra room under your bed once you’ve raised it. Make it into a quiet place to study, or use it to store your favorite drinks and snacks in a mini-fridge.

Lofting your bed is one of the few ways to increase the amount of usable floor space in your dorm room without sacrificing your sleeping arrangements.

HOW TO LOFT A DORM BED

The housing office provided me with a lofting kit that I used to elevate my existing dorm bed. Just make sure to inquire about the cost of these lofting kits beforehand.

If your dorm bed is one of the many that can be used with a lofting kit, then raising it will be a breeze.

A ladder and guard rail will hopefully be provided to ensure that you don’t hurt yourself climbing up and down from your lofted bed. If not, you can always buy one separately if you really want one.

This was a two-person job, and I needed assistance, so make sure you have a friend or roommate nearby to help you loft your bed.

Following these instructions, you can loft your dorm bed with ease.

  1. The first step is to pick up a lofting kit from the relevant housing department. Your dorm room bedding needs will be met with these.
  2. Remove the mattress from the bed and set it somewhere out of the way.
  3. The bed frame must be tipped on its side to give you any room to work. You’ll have to experiment with the layout of the room to find the ideal placement for the bed frame.
  4. Anchor the wooden pegs into the underside of the bed’s four legs, one in each corner.
  5. Bed frame extension legs have pegs that can be used to secure them to the original legs. There should be enough of a match between the holes in the new legs and the pegs in the old frame for the whole thing to stay put. Stand on one side of the bed to guide the legs while your friend does the same on the other side to make sure everything fits perfectly.
  6. Test that the bed’s frame is level and that all the pegs are firmly inserted into their holes by placing a person on each side of the bed and turning it over to the right side.
  7. Put the mattress back on the bed frame and roll it back to its original location in the room.
  8. Put the ladder against the wall of the frame and secure it in any way that works. If you have a bed rail, put it up for extra protection.
  9. Make use of the extra floor space in your dorm room by moving your belongings under the bed now that the frame has been raised.

ARE BED RISERS GOOD FOR DORMS?

Bed risers can be used in place of a loft on dorm beds that aren’t suitable for that purpose.

Although bed risers are a great alternative for dorm beds that cannot be lofted, it is important to remember that you will not be able to raise your bed as high as you could if you were able to loft your bed. Bed risers don’t do much more than elevate the bed off the floor so you can slide a mattress or box springs underneath for extra storage.

How To Loft A Dorm Bed (In 5 Simple Steps) - College Savvy

In any case, you’ll gain more square footage than you would otherwise have in your dorm room thanks to this. You’ll have to fork over your own cash for risers, but they’re simple enough to track down at a hardware store or even on the web.

You’ll also need a friend to help you lift the bed and position the bed risers under each leg so that the bed is elevated to the desired height and level on both sides.

HOW TALL IS A DORM BED WITH RISERS?

Despite the availability of bed risers, you still won’t be able to raise your bed to that lofty an elevation. If you use too many bed risers, the bed will become wobbly and unsafe to sleep on.

Typically, bed raisers will be either 3 inches or 5 inches in height. They can be stacked to create an 8-inch lift, but any higher than that is probably unsafe.

Bags and other items you won’t need very often in your dorm room can be stored in the 8 inches of space available under your bed. The lack of storage space compared to a loft bed is offset by the additional space you’ll have in your bedroom.

Bed risers should not be any higher than 8 inches. A bed of this height is the best you can get for reasonable support and security in a college dorm.

HOW HIGH CAN YOU RAISE A DORM BED?

The height to which a dorm bed can be raised is a function of both the type of bed you have and the method you employ to elevate it.

I lofted mine to a height of 58 inches, and I recommend you do the same. This is a comfortable height that allows you to store a mini-fridge or desk under the bed without feeling like you have to climb Everest every time you get in.

Loft beds typically range in height from 58 to 60 inches; however, at least 33 inches of clearance is recommended between the top of the mattress and the ceiling. You should not have to squeeze into a small, uncomfortable bed.

It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with your college’s loft bed regulations and safety guidelines before building your own to make sure you’re building it properly and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

CAN I LOFT WITH A ROOMMATE?

The best solution is to loft the beds of you and your roommate. Think of all the floor space you’ll gain by elevating both of your beds in your dorm room.

Turning your beds into bunk beds is one option when you and your roommate need to maximize the space in your bedroom. You can save a lot of floor space by converting your loft bed into a set of bunk beds if the housing office will allow it.

You and your roommate should discuss this idea before making any final decisions or arranging the space.

WHAT CAN I PUT UNDER MY LOFT BED?

The area beneath a loft bed can be put to many different uses. I relocated my desk, chair, and mini-fridge there to use as a study area while I was in college. It made the rest of my dorm room feel less cramped, and I was able to unwind there without feeling like I was living in a closet.

How To Loft A Dorm Bed (In 5 Simple Steps) - College Savvy

A bean bag, a small couch, or a hammock slung from the ceiling would make for a great chill zone. In addition, you could make it a truly relaxing spot by installing a television under there.

Prior planning of your dorm room layout, including consideration of loft beds and other space-saving options, is a must.

Conclusion

Our article comes to an end here.

We trust that you will be successful in lofting your dorm bed with the help of these instructions.

Teamwork makes even the most difficult tasks seem simple, so call on your pals to pitch in.