Albion College Office of Residential Life

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Loft Bed Policy and Guidelines

Lofts are only allowed in the fraternity houses. The Albion Department of Public Safety requires the College to maintain fire and safety standards; consequently, inspections of lofts by the Offices of Residential Life and Facilities Operations are required to ensure that these fire and safety standards are maintained. For a loft to meet inspection standards, the regulations outlined below must be met.
[ Single Loft Bed ] [ Double Loft Bed ]

Buildings
Lofts are only permitted in Fraternities. Lofts are NOT permitted in all other College residential facilities.

Size and Height of Lofts
Only lofts that meet the attached College specifications will be allowed. The top surface of the loft and/or mattress must be at least 30 inches from the room ceiling. No platforms of any kind may be constructed.

Proximity to Windows, Doors, and Heating Systems
Windows must have either 1) an unobstructed area with a minimum width of 36 inches and a minimum height of 48 inches, in no cases with the loft extending more than 12 inches from any window edge, or 2) a clear space between the loft and window of at least 36 inches. Lofts cannot obstruct the room door in any way. The door must be operable at all times and must be usable as a means of exit or entry to the room. Loft placement must not interfere with the proper operation and maintenance of room heating systems.

Ladders
Ladders for loft access are optional, but consideration should be given to exit in the event of emergency or fire situations. When used, ladders must be constructed to support weight in excess of maximum anticipated loads and be securely attached to the loft.

Smoke Alarms
Each loft must have a battery-operated smoke detector mounted directly on the structure. It is the residents' responsibility to provide the detector and keep it in working order at all times, including having charged batteries.

Decorative Materials
The remodeling and/or attachment of electrical fixtures and electrical outlets to the loft are prohibited. Flammable decoration materials such as paneling, fish nets, curtains, posters, etc. are not to be attached to the loft or hung above the loft. Lofts may not be enclosed in any way.

Furniture
No Albion College furniture is to be removed from your room or stored in any common area or other College space.

Mattress Dimensions
The dimensions of the mattress are built into the design of the loft. Mattresses are 80 inches long and 36 inches wide.

Construction and Materials
Lofts must be free-standing, follow the attached diagrams for a single/double loft exactly , and not be attached to or wedged against any room wall, ceiling, or door. The loft must be thru-bolted or lag screwed together, not nailed or glued. All building materials must be of good quality, relatively free of knots, splits, and imperfections. College bed springs must be used in loft construction, but the loft may not be supported in whole or part by any college furniture. REMOVAL OR MODIFICATION OF EXISTING ELECTRICAL FIXTURES, LIGHTING, OUTLETS, COLLEGE FURNITURE, OR THE TELEPHONE TO ACCOMMODATE LOFT PLACEMENT IS NOT PERMITTED.

Registration and Inspection of New and Reused Lofts

Residents wishing to build lofts must notify the Office of Residential Life in advance and obtain the Loft Bed Policy and Guidelines. Loft Agreements may be obtained from the Office of Residential Life.
Once permission is obtained to erect the loft, you have five days in which to install the loft and schedule an appointment with the Office of Residential Life and Office of Campus Safety. Residents should be present during the inspection, but the loft may be inspected in their absence by a College official.
Residents with a loft that does not meet loft standards will be given a written list of violations and 48 hours to correct the violations or remove the loft. Residents who fail to correct loft violations will lose the privilege of having a loft in their room.
Any time a loft is disassembled and/or moved from one room to another, the owner(s) are responsible for notifying the Office of Residential Life and Office of Campus Safety and scheduling a new inspection. Failure to do so may cause penalties as described in 3. Passage of previous inspections does not guarantee a loft will pass subsequent inspections in different semesters or different rooms.

Storage of Lofts
Based on the Statement of Relationships between Fraternities and the College, previously approved lofts may be left in the Fraternity rooms or an approved location designated by the Fraternity House Manager.

Loft Bed Dimensions for Residence Halls

Fraternities Room Height - 7 feet, 10 inches
Maximum loft frame height: 4 feet, 9 inches.

Notes:
A 30 inch clearance height between the mattress and ceiling is required by fire code. The appropriate dimensions for loft maximum height should be substituted for "X" in the loft bed frame illustration which will provide the proper clearance. This number was derived by subtracting the 7 inch mattress thickness and 30 inch code requirement from the room height.

The 40 inch minimum clearance width shown in the loft frame illustration is based on our widest spring frame, which is 39 inch. We also have spring frame widths of 38.37 inch and 36.25 inch. Therefore, the 40 inch clearance will allow any spring frame to be recessed within the loft frame so that it can be attached (screwed or bolted) to the 2 x 6 header ends through the slots in the spring frame flanges. The spring frame top surface shall be flush to or below the top of the 2 x 6 loft frame members.

The 82.25 inch clearance length needed to recess the springs is based on our longest spring frame of 82.12 inch. Other spring frame lengths are 81 inch, 80.87 inch, and 76.75 inch. Adjustments in length can be made once the spring frame dimensions have been determined. Options for reducing length include cutting the side rails shorter, insetting the existing 40 inch header end and cleat, or shimming with a solid board to make up the difference. Use of the shim is recommended so that the loft can be reused accommodating all size spring frames. The shim should be a solid board(s) of various thicknesses with the same 40 inch x 6 inch nom. dimensions as the header end. The shim should also have a cleat attached similar to the standard design, and this entire assembly should fasten to the header end.

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Albion College
Albion, Michigan
517-629-1000

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