Modify midbunk built in ladder?

[Skip12]

Has anyone modified their interior bunk ladder? My sabre 36bhq has a ladder for the loft over the mid bunk. The steps are made of ~1 inch round. Its painful on adult feet and as my son gets older, it's getting painful on his feet too.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

[chaps2018]

Watching.

Mine has flat steps but they are only flat if the ladder is perfectly vertical.

When the ladder is properly deployed (leaning at a 70ish degree angle leaning on the bed. The steps dig into your feet.

On our previous BH the wood ladder was very comfortable since the steps were flat when the ladder was deployed. Also I think they were about 3” wide.

That is the solution if you can find it—would be easy to build out of hard wood I suspect.

Since yours is round steps would thick foam pipe insulation be safe enough? It might be enough padding.

[SydKad]

I had the same issue, I just built a new one using 1x4 oak purchased from big box store. The rungs are perfectly flat when the ladder is deployed.

[Skip12]

Thanks Chaps and SydKad. I think that gives me both a short term and long term solution.

SydKad, how did you attach the steps to ensure they're secure enough not to break? If they are recessed, what tool did you use to make such a clean slot?

Thanks again!

[cmysstailights]

Originally Posted by Skip12

Thanks Chaps and SydKad. I think that gives me both a short term and long term solution.

SydKad, how did you attach the steps to ensure they're secure enough not to break? If they are recessed, what tool did you use to make such a clean slot?

Thanks again!

Looks like he dadod them and used a mechanical fastner

[SydKad]

Originally Posted by cmysstailights

Looks like he dadod them and used a mechanical fastner

That's correct. 1/4" deep dados cut with a router and 1/2" straight bit.

[Skip12]

I don't have the woodworking skills of SydKad and can't even try to fake it on the road, so Chaps idea of foam pipe insulatation made me think of pool noodles. I cut them a bit wide to stop them from rotating. So far so good.

Thanks to both Chaps and SydKad and CmySSTaillights for the help!

[merrykalia]

Originally Posted by Skip12

I don't have the woodworking skills of SydKad and can't even try to fake it on the road, so Chaps idea of foam pipe insulatation made me think of pool noodles. I cut them a bit wide to stop them from rotating. So far so good.

Thanks to both Chaps and SydKad and CmySSTaillights for the help!

This is what we did for ours, but ours are pink!! Daughter picked out the pool noodle at Dollar Tree......for $1. One noodle was all we needed. If they rip after a few uses, we will just replace them with another.