The cost of manufactured furniture is rising all the time. Building your own is relatively easy, costs little and lasts a lifetime. You choose the materials, colors, and the style. https://www.hugoandsons.co.uk/beds/ gives you the custom furniture offer. Custom furniture often becomes a family heirloom. Even furniture considered “fad” or “chic” at the time turns into “vintage,” “heirloom,” or “collectable.” Remember the unique potato- chip shaped chairs of the 1960’s? They cost an arm and a leg now. Go figure.

Many people do not understand the difference between a loft bed and a bunk bed. The bunk bed has a bed on top and one on the bottom. The loft bed has one bed on top and the bottom space is utilized differently.

This loft bed is inspired by a design I saw on the HGTV website. My design is a little different and works beautifully. It will not tip over as it can be anchored to the wall for security. The original design is built against the wall, but in a rental property that is unacceptable.

Place or build a desk, wardrobe rod or other items under the bed to utilize the space. This makes the bed perfect for children’s rooms, dorm rooms and small apartments.

Intermediate woodworking skills are needed for this project.

You will need:

• Four 4-by-4 posts or decorative porch posts, 8 feet long
• Five 2-by-6 boards, 8 feet long
• Eighteen 5/8″ lag bolts and washers
• Four 2-by-4 boards
• One sheet ¾” furniture grade plywood
• One sheet ¼” MDF hardboard
• Primer and paint or stain
• Measuring tape and markers
• Saw, drill and bits, ratchet set
• Box of #10 wood screws, 1 ½” long
• Wood filler or plywood edge tape
• One box #8 wood screws, ¾” long

Nothing is written that says only a single bed can be a loft bed, or that only a child’s bed can be a loft bed. If building something larger than a twin bed, more support will be needed for the extra weight.

Step One:

Begin by determining how tall the bed will be. The top of the post does not have to be the bottom of the bed. You can saw off the posts level with the bed base, or have the posts rise above it. This allows you to attach safety railings; important for a child’s bed.

Step Two:

Ensure all the lumber is straight before beginning to cut. Allow it to acclimate to the room for a couple of days first. Never try to build furniture from green lumber.

Line up the posts and ensure all the bottoms are even. Mark all four posts where you want the bed platform to be.

Measure the mattress and add four inches all the way around. This allows space for bedding, safety rails and the posts.

Step Three:

Cut the 2-by-6’s to the measurements. Attach to the marks on the posts by utilizing two lag bolts on each board. Drill a pilot hole, place a washer over the lag bolt and insert using the ratchet.

The posts will be to the inside of the rails. At this point, decide whether the posts will be cut level with the rails or left above it.

Cut and attach a 2-by-6 to the back side and both ends of the bed posts, four inches from the floor. This will stabilize the bed so it will not tip over.

Step Four:

Measure the top of the bed from railing edge to railing edge. Cut the plywood to fit and attach to the rails with the 1 ½” wood screws. Drill pilot holes to make driving the screws in easier.

Sand the edges smooth. Use wood filler or plywood edging tape to finish the edges.

If the posts will be higher than the bed platform, cut the corners from the plywood to fit.

Step Five:

Raise the bed up and move into place using help. It is going to be heavy. Access the bed by building a ladder at the end, on the side or purchase a commercial ladder.

Build stairs to access the bed and attach the top to the bed rails.

Build safety rails from 1-by-4’s. They can be decorated by using stair railings, cast iron or other items. When building for children, follow current codes and make sure the rails are close together so little heads can’t get through.

Measure and cut the MDF to fit under the bed and make the look more attractive. Attach with ¾” screws.

Step Six:

Place the mattress on the platform and check the look.

Stain, or prime and paint.

Place a dresser, desk or other items under the bed. The space can be utilized any way the user desires.

For around $100 or less, you can have a loft bed customized to fit your mattress, your décor and your personal style.

Build one for a dorm room, child’s room, spare bedroom, or a studio.

Warning: this is going to be heavy. Get help to lift or move it. When moving, remove the lag bolts. The bed platform will remain intact. The plywood bed platform is not attached to the posts.

Notes:

• Attach the posts by using mortise and tenon joinery for a nicer joint. Bed bolts through the posts into the 2-by-6 boards are attractive.
• Set the mattress inside the rails by attaching an inside railing and bed slats. This does take more materials, time and woodworking skills, but the effect is beautiful.
• Add extra railings underneath the bed and build a desk or media center.
• Add a closet rail and hang a wardrobe under the loft bed. In rooms without a closet, this makes wonderful use of space.
• For an interesting use of space, place railings across the bottom of the 2-by-6’s and build storage boxes from the MDF hardwood. Slide the boxes into place between the slats.
• Do not cover the entire underneath of the 2-by-6’s. Leave space at either end or in the middle for more storage space.
• Decorate the sides with wrought iron panels painted to match the décor.
• Dress up the posts and rails with decorative moldings.

Have you been wanting a GPS navigation system for your car, but can’t justify the high cost of equipment? Consider a laptop GPS system. These little receivers plug into your laptop for easy on the go directions. In this article, we’ll focus on Windows compatible devices and software, but other OS will be noted where available. But a best windows laptop for kali linux is a great match. GPS subscription service may be required, and prices will vary by model and service. While each of these GPS receivers have their own drivers, they all work extremely well with Microsoft Streets and Trips. This seems to be a bit more reliable and user friendly than the native drivers, but it will cost you and additional $39.99, and favors XP. Prices courtesy of Amazon.com

GPS USB Navigation Receiver By Ambicom – $46.99

This USB receiver is a fairly compact unit. It’s water resistant for the adventurous sort, and has a battery back-up. Vista users should proceed with caution, however as the driver seems to have software conflicts with the newest operating system.

USGlobalSat Serial GPS Receiver – $48.45

This laptop GPS uses a serial port rather than USB, and it’s been on the market a couple of years. However, it has the added benefit of a series of cable kits – available separately – for your PDA, PS2, or smartphone for ultimate portability.

Rikaline GPS-6010 USB GPS receiver – $39.99

This is the cheapest model on the list. Particularly handy here is the fact that this receiver is waterproof up to a one meter depth. This one won’t get killed in a summer storm. It also wins my personal approval award for being Windows, Mac, and Linux compatible. The low price point and high compatibility make this a versatile choice for laptop GPS navigation

USGlobalSat BU-353 WaterProof WAAS Enabled USB GPS Receiver – $79.99

This receiver is somewhat more expensive than some of your other laptop navigation options, but it does plug and play very well. It also seems to have a better time with Vista than others, making it a good choice for those users. Another good choice for those seeking a waterproof model as well.

DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-40 2009 – $69.99

Now here is a model to put one in a quandary. The receiver supports Vista and XP, as well as PDAs. It also boast support for “touchscreen phones” however. No word on if this includes iPhone Voice guided navigation and optional 3-D mode are nice touches. Also self corrects routes as you travel.

Cigarette smoking is now banned in most restaurants and bars, but a new type of smoking (juice for your vape) is taking its place – hookah smoking. Hookah smoking is especially popular among teenagers who use a water pipe called a hookah to inhale flavored tobacco called shisha. This tobacco comes in a variety of flavors including chocolate, apple, peach, mint and bubble gum – to name a few. How common is hookah smoking among teens – and are they putting their health at risk?

Hookah Smoking among Teens: How Common Is It?

Researchers surveyed a random sampling of college students from eight institutions of higher learning in North Carolina. They asked the students about their history of smoking – as well as how often they used drugs or alcohol. Slightly over 40% of the students had smoked hookah at least once, and 17% said they inhaled from a hookah on a regular basis. Students who smoked hookah were also more likely to drink alcohol, smoke pot and use drugs. Many college students justify their hookah smoking habit by assuming they’re safer than cigarettes. Are they?

Is Hookah Smoking Safer Than Smoking Cigarettes?

Shisha tobacco may be slightly lower in nicotine – and hookah proponents argue that the water in the pipe filters out many of the toxins in tobacco. But hookah smokers inhale larger amounts of smoke because the smoke is cooled  in the pipe before it enters their lungs, allowing a hookah smoker to take in more tobacco smoke with each inhalation. Combine this with the fact that a hookah session can last for an hour or more – and the amount of smoke a hookah smoker inhales is even greater. On the other hand, a hookah smoker may not “light up” as frequently as a cigarette smoker, which is a positive.

Even if you take in less nicotine with hookah smoking, which is still debatable, hookah tobacco contains other toxins such as heavy metals and carbon monoxide – and preliminary research shows that hookah smokers have the same risk of heart disease and cancer as cigarette smokers. There is no “good” tobacco smoke when it comes to the risk of heart disease and cancer.

The Bottom Line?

Hookah smoking isn’t a safer way to smoke. The only advantage to hookah smoking over cigarette smoking is people don’t smoke hookah as often – but from the results of this survey, too many teens are taking up this habit.