When we speak of "cheap" we are not talking about cost but construction. When buying wood furniture it is important to know that it is not necessary to pay too much for a good quality piece of furniture.
When it comes to purchasing furniture for the kids bedroom there are infinite options available that are far less expensive than purchasing an entire bedroom suite for the little one. Of course, one of the best ways to save money when it comes to the youngster's bedroom is to start out with a convertible baby crib. However, most of us did not really have that option several years ago. In fact, if your child is seven or eight years old and in need of a bed convertible crib beds were not even a consideration when he was an infant.
Without the option of a convertible baby crib many parents spend lots of time and money trying to select the perfect bed for the child who is just getting ready for his first "big bed." Unless bunk beds are an option because of an older child sharing the bedroom, one of the best options for the big move from the crib or toddler bed to a "real bed" is the twin bed.
Twin beds are rather few and far between in today's market. If you do find a twin bed in a retail furniture store chaces are it has a mate. In other words, you have to buy two or a set and a dresser or chest of drawers. It is easy to run the tab up to a thousand dollars without even trying. The other option is to pay too much for a cheap piece of furniture.
Before I go on, let me say that when I say "cheap" I am usually talking about pressed wood furniture made from wood chips or particles that are glued together and pressed into the shape of a piece of wood. Let me give you an example of why purchasing furniture made of make-believe wood is not always a good answer to saving money.
Excuse the personal reference, but when my younger son was leaving for college he needed a chest of drawers for his dorm room. He said he could find something. He did. It was pressed wood and while it did not look too awfully cheap on the front, it was easy to see that it was not going to last for long. Actually, it didn't make it to the dorm. Loaded onto the back of a friend's truck, the two boys headed out for the university. Somewhere along the way it started raining. Of course, the boys were young and not paying attention. When they arrived at the dorm, the bed was still in place, just a little damp. A few other small pieces were damp enough to need a wipe down. The particle board chest of drawers had all buy disappeared. The rain, apparently a rather hard rain, had wet the chest and during the several hours of being wet had disintegrated --- literally disintegrated.
Here's the answer to saving money when buying kids beds. Go to a thrift store or an auction. Look for a good solid wood twin bed. They are all but a dime a dozen at most thrift stores these days. Adults want nothing smaller than a double bed. Often when buying an estate or trying to get rid of stray pieces at an auction, a good solid twin bed will be available. Sure, there may be a few scratches in the finish. But, the bed is solid and will last as many years as you will need for it to and then some.
Don't worry about the finish. The bed can be brought back to its wood finish with a can of Howard's refinisher. There is no stripping or anything most of us think of when we talk about refinishing. Just rub the liquid onto the surface and let is sit. It is remarkable. The results will be, too.
On the other hand if the bed is for a young one's room painting the bed may be the best answer. Parents and kids love the look of cheerful colors in the kids room. After all if you shopped wisely you didn't pay more than $50 for the bed. An afternoon of painting will give the whole bed a new and fresh look for less than $10 extra dollars.
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