DIY: Murphy Bed Hardware

Measure the available floor space in the room or rooms where you plan to build murphy bed cabinetry or framing. Measure also your ceiling height. Review the features of available Murphy bed mechanisms to decide which patented system is most feasible for your set up. Most Murphy beds mount vertically, meaning that the bed’s length lies vertically against the wall. Where ceilings are relatively low -- or rooms very narrow -- a side-mounted bed may work better, with the bed mounted horizontally.

Visit a Murphy bed or furniture store -- or watch online product videos -- to observe the three basic mechanisms. The piston-lift type is generally considered state of the art, most space saving and quiet. It is designed for standard mattresses and adjusts for different weight -- both mattress and box spring, if you prefer -- but is also self-adjusting once set up for a particular mattress. A locking mechanism prevents the bed from being accidentally lowered. Because they are counterbalanced, piston-lift beds are easy to lift into place for storage. The mechanism weights about 10 pounds and fits entirely inside the cabinet. Each piston arm attaches to the cabinet wall with three screws -- a simple project for do-it-yourself woodworkers.

Study the mechanism hardware up close before you choose. The other available hardware for do-it-yourself Murphy beds is the open-spring style. This spring-loaded mechanism also attaches inside the cabinet with just a few screws. These Murphy beds also accommodate a standard bed mattress. You add or remove springs to adjust for mattress weight. The panel bed design means you don’t need bi-fold doors. As with piston-style beds, the bottom bed panel becomes the cabinet face when the bed is lifted into its cabinet. Woodworkers can buy the frame and open spring mechanism. More ambitious or skilled do-it-yourselfers can buy just the bed legs and hardware and build the rest -- bed frame and leg crossbars.

Look for an antique Murphy bed for repurposing -- or restoring -- if you want truly original hardware. A modern version of William Murphy’s patented approach, an enclosed spring system, is still manufactured by the Murphy family company. These beds feature a spring-loaded counterbalancing system. The mechanism comes attached to the heavy steel frame, which is bolted to the floor. Any standard mattress fits the frame, and bed legs fold up automatically as the bed is lifted for storage. Buying the hardware also means buying the entire steel frame and legs. You can build your own cabinetry or frame around the bed, or tuck the bed into a remodeled closet.