Murphy Bed Ideas and Pics

[Bill Clifton]

I built the Create-a-Bed with the 2 bookcases. Put the lot into the back of the Suburban and delivered it to my son's 3rd floor Spanish Harlem NY NY apartment.

I built a full XL because my son is rather long.

I called the factory in Louisville and talked to the man in charge. He was very helpful - the XL feature is not a standard so he marked up a set of drawings. He was prompt, courteous and correct.

A year later a concern arose - one of the pistons came off. I called for help and we discussed the possible causes. I purchased a new piston. Since I was traveling by air with tool box in hand I started pondering all the things that could go wrong. The pistons are held on by "c" clips. If one went flying I might not be able to replace it. I called by new friend and ask him to supply me one of each little clip which he did.

The point being - real good personnel service.

During the conversations I ask him about my time commitment. He said he could do a bed in 20? 40? hours. It took me probably 100 hours to build the bed and 2 bookcases and finish them The are gorgeous - looks like the one in the ad. i'd post a picture but i don't know how.

It turned out that the piston was okay. I re-leved the bed, but the piston back on and it has been trouble free for 2 1/2 years.

I recommend create-a-bed.

Good luck.

[Bill Clifton]

If any of you have some tips or tricks or ideas that I may use that would be great as well.

As my final thought - the bed I built had a maximum mattress depth of 12". In today's world this is getting to be a very limiting factor. Mattress depths have skyrocketed.

[Jamie Buxton]

As my final thought - the bed I built had a maximum mattress depth of 12". In today's world this is getting to be a very limiting factor. Mattress depths have skyrocketed.

It is true that mattress depths have skyrocketed. However, there is no functional reason for them to be that deep. I sleep on a mattress which is 6" deep, and it works just fine. The only thing which sets mattress depth is that you don't want to bottom out if you sit on it. Heck, when I'm camping I sleep on a Thermarest which is only 1" thick. That one does bottom out, but supports me prefectly well when I'm sleeping, because my weight is distributed all over the mattress.

Not only does a thinner mattress fit more easily into a fold-up bed, but it is easier to wrestle into the house, and it costs less than the thick ones.

Ikea sells mattresses. For one, they'll sell you just the mattress. Many mattress places only will sell mattress-plus-boxspring sets. For two, they'll sell you mattresses that are more in the 6"-thick range.