Bed layout question

[RankAm]

I have a 56 Flying Cloud that I have totally gutted (interior walls removed, windows removed, and belly pan off). My plan is to build two single/twin beds, one across the rear of the coach, and other running from the rear bed along the curbside of the coach. Beds take up so much space (floor space plus so much volume above the beds), and I am trying to regain some of that space by overlapping parts of the beds. My tentative plan is to build the rear bed low and the curbside bed higher so that they overlap where the feet meet (at the curbside rear corner).

I took some measurements yesterday, and now I am doubting whether I have enough height to do this. The problem, I think, is the escape window at the rear (above where the rear bed would be). The bottom of that window is about 28” above the subfloor (I have not installed the finish floor). The bottom of the window on the curbside is about 41” above the subfloor, so I have plenty of height on the curbside.

My rough measurement is that the curbside edge of the rear window is approximately 24” from the curbside wall (before the curbside wall starts the corner curve). The curbside twin bed will be wider than 24”, so the curbside bed would overlap the rear window unless I keep the top of the curbside bed below the bottom of the rear window (which is 28” above the subfloor). As I see it (1) I have to build the curbside bed so that the top of the bed is not much more than 28” or (2) the curbside bed may obstruct the rear window. I doubt that I can make (1) work, and (2) seems dangerous because it may limit use of the escape window.

Now that I am thinking about this, maybe I could build the curbside bed so that it tapers down to no more than 24” so that the rear window is not obstructed. My windows are stored away in the garage, and I do not remember how the rear escape window works. Does the rear window screen swing inside the coach or to the outside? If it swings to the inside, I might have to taper the curbside bed even more to permit a free swing of the screen.

I would appreciate any thoughts on how I might accomplish my goal of overlapping the twin beds. I am not interested in stacked bunk beds. Thanks, Hank

[FL Crackers]

How about a trundle concept. One bed is stowed under the other, and rolls out when needed. Would require more floor space than a queen tho.

[RankAm]

Originally Posted by FL Crackers

How about a trundle concept. One bed is stowed under the other, and rolls out when needed. Would require more floor space than a queen tho.

Thanks, FL Crackers. I do not think that a trundle bed will work, given my tentative floor plan, but you have given me something to think more about. Hank

[Condoluminum]

The rear window swings OUT from top, so all you'd need is to ensure access to the latches at the bottom for emergency safety..

You don't talk about mattress and thickness.. You might be able to get design to fit with air-bed mattresses, and you don't need box springs, so you only need to figure platform height, mattress thickness and then room for body (assume feet at corner with overlap) movement.. Another option could be skinny air mattress with foam mattress "topper" of 2 or 3" of high density memory foam... Should be almost as comfortable as real mattress.. You also don't mention need to clear wheel wells or storage areas on curb side, as those are often constraints as well... Wheel well might impose limit on how low curbside bed can go.. Could beds be designed on diagonal slides that fit together for towing and then slide into position and lock for sleeping?

Wally considered the problem a lot, and came up with gaucho style beds on sides, which get wider and slide towards center when sofa back is dropped down from day position into sleeping position.. Some were very skinny singles and some became doubles when folded down flat from one side..

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by hjlairf

My windows are stored away in the garage, and I do not remember how the rear escape window works. Does the rear window screen swing inside the coach or to the outside? If it swings to the inside, I might have to taper the curbside bed even more to permit a free swing of the screen.

I don't know about a 1956 model (because I don't know exactly when the rules covering emergency egress took their present form), but the whole concept of emergency egress is that openings open outward in the direction of egress, not inward against the flow. In other words, it would have to open by pushing, not pulling. Unless it predates the regulations.

You might still have to taper the bed, though, because emergency egress generally has a minimum number of square inches of opening size, and you don't want to reduce the area, even if the window and screen both open out.