Metal vs Wood Bunk Beds
Metal vs Wood Bunk Beds: Which Should You Specify?
For hostels, camps, prisons, labour dorms and worker accommodation, the bed frame material decides your 10-year cost, safety compliance and freight. This side-by-side breaks it down for institutional buyers.
| Factor | Steel (Zehao) | Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Berth load | SGS-tested 200 kg/berth (premium), 120 kg/berth (economy) | Typically 80-120 kg, varies by ply |
| Durability in shared use | Welded steel, 10+ year life, no warping | Joint loosening, screw fatigue, swelling from humidity |
| Pest and mould | Immune | Termite and mould risk in tropical dorms |
| Fire behaviour | Non-combustible frame | Combustible unless treated |
| Maintenance | Wipe-clean, no repaint required | Refinish, replace warped slats |
| Freight (KD) | Knock-down flat-pack, ~55-70 bunk cartons per 40HQ | Bulky, lower cartons per container |
| Cost | Lower lifetime cost at volume | Lower first-unit price, higher TCO |
Which Material for Which Project?
- Prisons and correctional: steel only - tamper-resistant, no concealment cavities, no protrusions.
- Hostels and labour dorms: steel - high-density, humid, high-turnover environments.
- Camps (mining, disaster relief): steel KD - survives shipping and rough use, fast to assemble.
- Low-turnover private rooms: wood can be acceptable where aesthetics dominate and load is light.
Why Institutional Buyers Choose Zehao Steel
Tianjin Zehao Furniture has supplied steel bedding to 100+ countries since 1999, from a 20,000 m2 plant with two production lines. Frames are EN 747-1:2024 and SGS 200 kg/berth tested, CE and ISO 9001 certified, and knock-down packed to maximise container load.
Get a Quote
Send your bed type, quantity and destination port to zehao@cntjzh.com or WhatsApp +86 15510908182. We return FOB/CFR/CIF with a carton-level loading plan.