Chapter 15
The drawer that became a step
How the lower drawer solves access to the high bed—and why the whole load path matters.
One component, two jobs
Our lower drawer stores gear and doubles as the step into bed. Because a person intentionally stands on it, we used heavy-duty slides rated around 200 lb / 90 kg rather than ordinary lightweight slides.
Follow the person load all the way down
The slides, drawer box, fasteners, cabinet, mounting structure, and final support into the van all participate. Our system was deliberately designed around stepping on the drawer. If yours is not, treat it as storage—not a step.
- 1Person
- 2Drawer box
- 3Slides + fasteners
- 4Cabinet + support
Recommended
Heavy-Duty Drawer Slides
A hardware or furniture part to consider while building out the living space.
See Heavy-Duty Drawer Slides