Trundle Frame: Three Trundle Beds Compared

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Quick answer

If you need a whole bed with a trundle, the Max and Lily twin bed lists 79 by 42.75 by 42.25 inches and 400 pounds per sleeping surface. If you already have a bed, the HomeStock Twin XL trundle lists 79.25 by 38.75 by 10.25 inches and a 275 pound maximum. The most important number for a trundle alone is the clearance under your bed, which the HomeStock page covers in a sentence we did not read to the end: ask the seller for the minimum.

Quick compare: the products in this guide

Sizes come from the Amazon listings as we read them; check the product page for the current details before you buy.

Product	Listed details	Link
Max & Lily Modern Farmhouse Single Bed (Twin), Panel Headboard, with Trundle,…	79 x 42.75 x 42.25 in; 400 lb	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
HomeStock Twin XL Trundle Bed in Espresso	79.25 x 38.75 x 10.25 in; 275 lb	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
Max & Lily Twin Bed with Trundle and Nightstand, Wood Bed Frame with…	81.5 x 42.5 x 36.75 in; 400 lb	See details on Amazon Affiliate link

The three at a glance

	Max & Lily Twin Bed with Trundle (Driftwood)	HomeStock Twin XL Trundle (Espresso)	Max & Lily Twin Bed, Trundle and Nightstand (Blue)
What it is	Bed with trundle	Trundle frame only	Bed, trundle and nightstand
Size on the page	79 L x 42.75 W x 42.25 H in (assembled bed)	79.25 L x 38.75 W x 10.25 H in	Bed 81.5 x 42.5 x 36.75 in
Weight limit	400 lb per sleeping surface	275 lb	400 lb
Material	Solid New Zealand pine	Wood	Pine, wood and metal
Mattress size	Twin	Twin XL	Twin

Max & Lily Modern Farmhouse Single Bed (Twin) with Trundle

The bullets describe solid New Zealand pine, a non-toxic low VOC finish, plywood slats with a metal support bar and a “400 pound resting weight capacity per sleeping surface”, with a shiplap-inspired headboard. The assembled bed measures 79 by 42.75 by 42.25 inches. The page does not give the trundle’s own height; that is the number a tall child or an adult guest needs in order to judge the pull-out bed’s comfort.

HomeStock Twin XL Trundle Bed in Espresso

The title and table describe a trundle frame at 79.25 by 38.75 by 10.25 inches with a 275 pound maximum. The bullets mention independent rollers designed to protect floors and say the unit can be placed on the left or right side of the main bed. They say the frame is compatible with most standard beds that provide a minimum clearance; we did not read the number, so we do not quote it. Ask for it before ordering.

Max & Lily Twin Bed with Trundle and Nightstand

This bundle gives the bed at 81.5 by 42.5 by 36.75 inches, a 400 pound rating and a nightstand of 17.5 by 23 by 23 inches with a drawer of 12.75 by 16.75 by 4.5 inches. The trundle has casters and the bed has metal-on-metal bolt connections. The table’s “Product Dimensions” line shows 17.5 by 23 by 23 inches, which is the nightstand, not the bed; a good example of a page whose headline number belongs to one piece of a bundle.

Worked example: do the mattresses fit?

A twin mattress is 38 by 74 inches and a Twin XL is 38 by 80 inches by the Amerisleep chart we opened. Our arithmetic:

Piece	Outer size	Mattress	Slack, length	Slack, width
Max & Lily bed (driftwood)	79 x 42.75	Twin 74 x 38	5 in	4.75 in
Max & Lily bed (blue)	81.5 x 42.5	Twin 74 x 38	7.5 in	4.5 in
HomeStock trundle	79.25 x 38.75	Twin XL 80 x 38	-0.75 in	0.75 in

The HomeStock trundle is 0.75 inches shorter than the mattress it is named for. If the frame’s outer length is also its sleeping length, a Twin XL mattress will overhang slightly. That may be harmless, but it is a reason to ask the seller whether the 79.25 figure includes the frame’s end boards.

For the bed-and-trundle sets, the outer sizes of 42.5 to 42.75 inches wide leave 4.5 to 4.75 inches of slack over a 38 inch mattress, which is the thickness of the side rails (our reading). The trundle itself is smaller than the bed above it, so its outer width is less than 42.5.

Choosing

If you need a whole bed: the Max and Lily sets, with the blue one including a nightstand. If you already own a bed with enough clearance: the HomeStock, provided you check the clearance figure. For tall frames that give clearance: see bed frame high off ground. For a pop-up version: see trundle bed that pops up. Our twin size platform bed guide has beds with drawers instead of a trundle.

Weight and children

The Max and Lily pages state 400 pounds per sleeping surface, which for a twin is a generous rating for two children. The HomeStock page states 275 pounds, which fits one adult guest. None of these figures is a safety certification; check age and mattress guidance with the seller if a child will sleep on the trundle.

A worked scenario: a sleepover on a twin trundle

This is our own scenario. A child’s room is 10 by 11 feet, or 120 by 132 inches. A twin bed of 79 by 42.75 inches against one wall takes 79 inches of the 132 inch wall, leaving 53 inches along that wall. A trundle that pulls out sideways, as the HomeStock’s does, needs about its own length (79.25 inches) of clear floor across the room, so the room’s 120 inch width less the bed’s 42.75 inches leaves 77.25 inches. That is 2 inches short of 79.25, so the trundle would not pull out fully. The point is to check the direction the trundle moves and draw the floor plan before you order.

Questions to ask the seller before you order

1. How much clearance under the bed does the trundle need, and how is it measured?
2. Is the mattress included, and what thickness does it assume?
3. Does the trundle lift to the height of the bed, or does it stay low?
4. What is the weight limit of the trundle on its own, since the pages give 275 and 400 pounds?
5. Are the casters lockable?

After it arrives

Test the roll on the floor where it will live. Casters that glide on hardwood may catch on a thick rug, and rollers that are safe on carpet may mark a soft floor. Check that the trundle fully tucks under the bed without catching on a slat or a rail. Keep small hands clear of the gap when the trundle moves, and do not let children play with the mechanism.

Choosing between a bed set and a trundle alone

A set such as the Max and Lily gives you a bed and a trundle that were designed together, so the clearance, the casters and the mattress sizes match. A trundle alone, such as the HomeStock, gives you freedom to keep your own bed, but you carry the matching risk: the clearance of your bed, the width of your side rails and the height of your legs all need to line up with the trundle’s 10.25 inch height. If your bed’s frame sits 12 inches off the floor, a 10.25 inch trundle clears by 1.75 inches, which leaves room for the trundle’s mattress only if the mattress sits inside the frame, which the page implies by listing the frame height without a mattress. Check this with the seller and measure your bed’s clearance at the legs, not at the middle, since a center rail can be lower than the sides.

Mistakes to avoid

Ordering a trundle without measuring the clearance. The pages name a minimum.

Matching the wrong mattress size. The HomeStock is for Twin XL, not twin.

Reading the nightstand’s size as the bed’s. The blue page’s table does.

Forgetting the wall. A trundle needs floor space to roll out; leave at least its length.

Frequently asked questions

What is a trundle frame?

A low bed on casters stored under another bed.

Will a trundle fit under any bed?

No. The bed must have enough clearance and an open base.

How much does a trundle hold?

275 pounds on the HomeStock page; 400 pounds per surface on the Max and Lily pages.

Can I use a Twin XL mattress on it?

The HomeStock page is for Twin XL, but check the 79.25 inch length.

Do I need a headboard to use a trundle?

No. Only the bed above needs to be a type that has room.

Do you recommend one?

We have not tested them. This guide reports what the pages say.

Products worth checking

We have not tested these products. Sizes and features come from the Amazon listings as we read them; where a listing does not say, we say so.

Sources checked

• Amerisleep: mattress sizes chart

Specifications come from the Amazon listings as we read them for this guide. Product details and availability can change, so confirm on the product page before you buy.

How we research our guides