How to Build a Murphy Bed

Murphy or fold away beds are a favorite option for those who require extra beds, but have limited space to place them. These adjustable beds are incorporated in various cabinets that are designed to suit in any room. Murphy beds can be neatly folded and tuck in vertical closets while not in use. A major concern about purchasing a Murphy bed is its high cost. Nevertheless, you can solve this problem by constructing a Murphy bed on your own. Building a Murphy bed can cost about $300, thus saving about half the cost of buying one.

How to Build a Murphy Bed

The required materials for building a Murphy bed are plywood, Medium-density fiberboard (MDF), wood boards, drill, saw, screws, hinges, glue, paint, level, hammer and mattress. Apart from this, you should have basic woodworking skills such as accurate measurement and drilling. If you have all these necessities, then installation of a Murphy bed is very easy. Nowadays, Murphy bed kits and plans are available in the market, which are provided with the construction guidelines and video.

Before constructing a Murphy bed, first decide on the mechanism and the size of the bed that you want to build. You can opt for a single or double sized bed and select a vertical or horizontal (sideways fold up) mechanism. You can add more style to the Murphy bed by fixing two similar storage cabinets on either side of the bed. The dimension of the storage cabinets should be such that they have the same height with the bed and slightly deeper than the bed.

The next step is selecting the wall where the Murphy bed will be fixed. The wall should be large enough to fit the two side storage cabinets and the bed. After you decide the fixing wall, measure the bed box dimensions and mark with pencil. Then, place the two storage cabinets and mark the points where they mount on the wall. For better leveling, you can cut the baseboards by using a reciprocating saw. Secure the storage cabinets at the wall studs with wood screws.

Measure and cut the wood boards according to the size of the mattress and the bed box dimension. Drill holes at the corners before fixing it to the wall. Apply wood glue and fix the board or bed frame to the wall, you can nail at random positions for better security. Following this, the next step is to install the ledger board that will attach the Murphy bed to the wall. Measure and cut the MDF according to the size of the bed frame. Fix the MDF to the frame with glue and screws at the corners. Affix two large bolts at each corner of the bed frame.

Attach the ledger board to the bed frame by using hinges. Make sure the hinges are strong enough to hold the weight of the board and mattress. You can also make use of lag bolts to attach the ledger board to the wall studs. Affix movable casters at the base of the bed. On each side of the storage cabinets, install sliding bolts by drilling hole from the cabinets to the bed frame. Finally place the mattress in the bed frame and set as per the constructed mechanism. Add finishing touch to the Murphy bed according to the manufacturer's guidelines.