MUrphy bed

[John T Barker]

I'm looking to buy a condo which has a small office. I think it would be great for our desk but I think I want to put a murphy bed in there too. I see a lot on people building them but nothing about people doing without factory made hardware. Why? Has anyone done their own?

[Jamie Buxton]

I've built three queen-sized murphy beds. How big is the murphy bed you're considering -- twin? queen? Will it stand up on its side or its edge?

If you make the most-common size -- a queen -- and stand it up on its end, the challenge is to pick it up to stow it, or conversely to get it back down in a controlled way. A queen mattress plus all the stuff that supports it is a lot of weight. Most people would want springs or counterbalances or gas struts to help pick it up or get it back down. You certainly can engineer your own system. It isn't rocket science. However, you'll probably need to make a full-scale prototype to get the weights and leverages right. Or you can buy a parts kit like Create-a-Bed. (http://www.wallbed.com/index.html) That kit costs $300 or so, and the engineering is already done for you. I'd expect that you'd spend that much money, not to speak of time, in prototyping your own.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you want to engineer your stowable bed from scratch, here's some examples to get you started: http://wimp.com/crazyengineering

Please report back if you attempt any of them.

[John T Barker]

Jamie, thanks for the replies. I understand what you are saying about the weight but I don't see examples of anything to aid with the weight in any photos I've seen. I plan on putting a full size mattress on end and I will probably buy a less expensive, and therefor thinner, one. Chances are there will be two of us to open it anyway so I don't anticipate solo operations. As far as I see it it is a box hinged in a box and the whole thing bolted to the wall. I can't justify $300 and I will be sure to install a few extra safety measures to prevent it all from coming down.

[Art Mann]

Just because you don't see the counterweight mechanisms in photos, it doesn't mean they aren't there. If you are only going to open and close it a few times a year, then it may not be worth it. OTOH, if you use it several times a month, I think you are going to regret the omission of a counterbalance. I think you might be underestimating the weight of the mattress and framework you will need to make a sturdy and attractive structure.

[Jamie Buxton]

..but I don't see examples of anything to aid with the weight in any photos I've seen...

Virtually all commercial Murphy beds have hardware to help with the weight, and they all hide the hardware because nobody want to look at it. Most of them use gas struts. Some use springs. I don't know of any that use counterweights, but they certainly could do the job.

If you're going to try to do the job without any lifting help, at least do the design layout, and then estimate how much weight you're going to be lifting. To save weight, use plywood, not particle board or MDF.
Ikea is a good source of thin mattresses, and at a good price too. One word of warning... Futon mattresses are thin, but they are waaay heavy.

[John T Barker]

Art-Thanks for the input. I see what the kits offer so I know it is there I was simply stating that I did not see it. I've been working professionally in furniture and woodworking for over 25 years. I know what a bed weighs. Thanks again.

[Mark Blatter]

John,

I have a queen murphy bed in my house and I used the kit that Jamie mentioned above. Yes, they are a bit expensive, but you get the struts plus lights, etc. I believe it is worth the money. Mine was the third we built and they are really nice, though there are some improvements over the design that Create a Bed gives with their kit. The beds are great and for smaller houses, they add the extra bedroom while not taking away from an office. With the struts, the bed would be pretty heavy to put up or let down. If you absolutely don't want to use the struts, rotate the bed so it comes down on its side.

[Art Mann]

I don't understand why you started this thread. You ask why you don't see anyone building a Murphy bed without factory made hardware and then you seem resentful or argumentative when you get honest answers. Why not just go ahead and build it like you have decided and then report back to the community on how well it works? Maybe you are right and people are spending money on unnecessary hardware kits.

[John T Barker]

I don't understand why you started this thread. You ask why you don't see anyone building a Murphy bed without factory made hardware and then you seem resentful or argumentative when you get honest answers. Why not just go ahead and build it like you have decided and then report back to the community on how well it works? Maybe you are right and people are spending money on unnecessary hardware kits.

I wish I could but the room is not capable of handling the Murphy and and the desk I want to put in there too. It is a rectangle slightly bigger than a full size width. I have looked through a couple of industrial catalogs and I think I can get a torsion set up or just a plain old heavy duty coil spring for a lot less than $300. Still a lot of room for lights.

[Mark Blatter]

I wish I could but the room is not capable of handling the Murphy and and the desk I want to put in there too.

Here is an idea. Put a bed using a lift like this;

Bedliftpic2.jpg

Or you could use a lift for just one wall that is attached to the desk. The desk goes up, then the Murphy Bed comes down.