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Powell Z-Bedroom Full Metal Loft Bed
Basic Facts
- Made of heavy gauge tubular steel
- Textured powder coated black finish
- Weight capacity: 300 lbs
- Dimensions: 81” L x 57” W x 73” H (with ladder 70” W)
- Space underneath the bed: 56”
- Built-in computer desk with functional keyboard drawer
- Includes suspended shelving unit
- Overall product weight: 241 lbs
- Ladder cannot be installed on the other side
Introduction
The product description of Powell Z-Bedroom metal loft (branded Modoc at Wayfair) says that the bed features a unique cantilever design. I admit I did not know what that means so I looked it up: Wikipedia says cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is unsupported at one end. I’m not so sure the design of this elevated bed fits this definition to the letter, but let’s not split hairs here. What I am sure about is that we have something different here. This fresh, original Z-shaped design makes for an excellent choice for the modern, techno-oriented youth bedroom.
The bed is made of heavy gauge powder coated tubular steel end frames, so there is no question about the sturdiness of the structure. The manufacturer even labels the product ‘commercial grade,’ made to withstand the ‘everyday wear and tear that comes with operating a successful business.’ This definitely does not seem to be some flimsy metal bunk bed the likes of which you can see everywhere these days.
The lofted bedframe is full size and it offers sufficient comfort to a grown teenager or an adult. The desk work surface below is computer-ready, featuring a pull-out keyboard tray. The desk is pretty large; it is more than 25 inches deep and spans the entire length of the loft bed, so there is enough space for a computer and a studying/homework area beside it. Or, it can more than comfortably accommodate two kids playing a computer game together. The black hi-pressure laminated work surface is easy to clean — no worries about spilled liquids and such. The suspended storage shelf completes the picture; a nice addendum, both visually and practically.
The weight capacity for the Z-Bedroom loft bed is specified at 300 lbs. I got this figure from the product’s user manual. The specs on Amazon and Wayfair say 600 lbs, I’ve seen 400 lbs stated as well, but the manual says 300 and I’ll take that as the most reliable source. If the bed can withstand more, all the better.
I have not seen the exact height of the guardrail specified anywhere, but: the measurements image (down below) says that the guardrail and side rail together measure 17.75 inches. That side rail does not look to me to be more than 3 inches thick, and if so that would make the guardrail about 15 inches high. But that’s totally just my guesstimate.
Anyway, the manufacturer states that the thickness of the mattress should not exceed 6 inches. If my guesstimate above is anywhere close to the truth, then that’s a pretty conservative recommendation, since the regulations specify the top of the mattress must be at least 5 inches below the top of the guardrail. For what it’s worth, Wayfair says the bed fits up to an 8 inch mattress.
One more thing to note about the guardrails: they cover the full length of the bed on both sides. There is no opening to allow easier access to the lofted bed, and some smaller kids might struggle with it. Then again, one might argue this is not really a bed for smaller kids.
The ladder on this loft bed features grooved and pretty wide rungs (you can sort of see that in the picture below), which is good to see for a change, considering that most steel loft beds and bunk beds come with uncomfortable ladders with thin tubular rungs. The ladder can’t be installed on the other side of the bed, though. There are two screw holes on one side of the bed only, which are needed to connect the ladder.
The bed is finished in textured black powder coating which is considerably tougher than conventional paint and offers a much better resistance toward scratching, chipping, UV damage and rust. It also looks great, in the future / sci-fi / techno kind of way. The brushed chrome trim and machined aluminum decorative caps offer a nice contrast to the black finish and complete the contemporary appearance of this loft bed.
At 73 inches this bed is pretty high, so make sure your room has a high enough ceiling. It is recommended that there remains at least 3 feet of space between the top of the bed and the ceiling. That said, I’ve seen a buyer make a comment that they put their Z-Bedroom loft in a room with an 8 foot ceiling and there was plenty of room left to sit up comfortably even for himself who is 6’2.
See below for the bed’s measurements.
And here you can sort of check the welding quality.
What Users Say About Z-Bedroom Full Size Loft Bed
At the time of this writing there were some 50 ratings on the Z-Bedroom loft bed at Wayfair and about as much on Amazon. At Wayfair, the average rating was 4.8 stars, while on Amazon it was a mere 4.0 stars. However, looking at customer ratings by feature (on Amazon), the bed gets 4.8 stars for sturdiness and a lowly 2,8 stars for ease of assembly, which explains the lower rating.
The Pros
Build quality. This is one sturdy loft bed and almost every reviewer mentions that. Usually loft beds get at least a few complaints about being wobbly. Not this one. Here are just a few excerpts from the buyers’ comments:
great quality / rock solid / great sturdy bed / VERY stable / structure is stiff and stable / super sturdy / very sturdy and well designed
Looks. Z-Bedroom loft bed gets plenty of praise for its appearance as well. One buyer called it ‘stylish for a young man’s room’ and another one labelled it a ‘super cool bed for a teen.’
Unsurprisingly, the bed’s space saving capacities received many a favorable mention as well. It’s been called ‘terrific for smaller rooms’ and said to have ‘opened up the small room beautifully.’ The spacious desk area gets quite a few thumbs-up too.
Ease of assembly. Well, this is where things get a little murky. While some had no problems with assembling the bed and called the process straightforward, others disagreed. Read on to learn more.
The Cons
As mentioned, it is the ‘ease of assembly’ category that got this bed most of the lower ratings on Amazon. However, looking through the comments, I couldn’t help but notice most of the negative ones seemed to be aimed at the shipping service more than the actual assembly process. Which made me realize the real problem was the bed’s heaviness.
The bed ships in two boxes and both are pretty heavy and difficult to handle and I think that incited most of the ‘hard to assemble’ comments. Even buyers who loved the whole experience commented that two people are required and a third is helpful on occasion during the assembly process. For example, to put in screws while the other two are holding heavy things in place.
Now, while it’s certainly legitimate to hold the bed’s weight against it, I will allow myself here to remind everyone that it is actually this heaviness that makes this bed so sturdy and solid. Can’t have one without the other. It may be a bit of a pain to bring the thing into the house and put it together, but once you’ve done it you’ll have a sturdy, solid piece of furniture that will serve you for a long time to come.
The only other complaint about this bed I have noticed being expressed repeatedly has to do with the lack of an opening in the guardrail at the top of the ladder to facilitate access to the sleeping area. Hard to say why there isn’t one. It seems too obvious to be an oversight. Perhaps the manufacturer simply prefers the structural integrity of the guardrails to the ease of access.
Bottom Line
The Z-Bedroom full size loft bed is a tall, robust and well thought-out piece of furniture. The only real downside to it is, it’s not the easiest to assemble due to its heaviness. This comment left by a buyer on Wayfair describes the situation perfectly:
I pulled a muscle putting it together, but it was worth it.