Once room assignments have been determined, students in eligible rooms will be notified via email with the dates that we will be accepting applications and instructions on how to apply.
General Information
Lofted beds provide 4 feet 11 inches of space under the bed. Most students will put their desks or other furniture underneath to allow for more floor space in their rooms.
We usually recommend that students see their room before requesting a loft. Often, students do not realize how tall the lofted beds are, and Housing Facilities will end up removing it for the student. Depending on the residence hall ceiling height, students may also not be able to comfortably sit up completely in bed.
Lofted beds aren’t for everyone. You may want to consider whether a loft meets your needs before placing a request as the loft fee is non-refundable, even if the loft is ultimately taken down.
We are also often asked if lofts can be lowered to another rung on the frame, allowing more space for the student to sit up. Unfortunately, our lofts can only be set at one height, which is the highest position on the bed frame. We are not able to lower lofts because the safety rail can only be installed in one position and structural issues lower the amount of weight the loft can hold.
Eligibility & Criteria
Each room has been evaluated for loft eligibility by our staff. Only students in eligible rooms will be able to apply for a loft. The following loft criteria is used so that lofts can be used safely:
- Room ceiling height must be at least 8 feet tall.
- One long side of the bed must be up against a solid wall.
- Beds cannot be lofted against windows.
- Any soffits along the solid wall cannot be more than 4 inches deep
- Soffits are portions of the ceiling that are built lower than the surrounding ceiling. They typically conceal things like plumbing or ductwork. If the soffit extends too far over the loft, it limits how much bed space can be used comfortably.
- There must be at least 18 inches clearance from light fixtures, plumbing, or fire sprinkler heads.
- One short end of the bed must be easily accessible for students to climb up, with at least 2 feet clearance.
We are not able to set up lofts in Kittredge West, Willard, Bear Creek, Athens North, or Graduate & Family Housing.
Repairs & Removal
If your lofted bed needs repair (i.e., the safety rail has come off or the bed feels unstable) please call our Service Desk 24/7 at 303-735-5555, as we want to take care of the issue as soon as possible.
If you have requested a loft and would like to cancel your request or have your loft removed, please contact studenthousing@colorado.edu and put in a request with them.
Students should not attempt to remove lofts themselves, as this is a safety issue. If we do not have a record of Housing Facilities removing the loft, students could also be charged upon move-out for any loft pieces that are missing. Please allow our staff to do this for you.
Bunk Beds
Some students wish to have their bed bunked together with their roommate’s bed. If you would like to have your beds bunked, please make sure you meet the same lofting criteria listed in the bullet points above. If you do, please submit a Fix It! request. We must receive a request from both you and your roommate so that we have permission from both roommates to set it up.
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