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caveman
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2010 10:44am
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does anyone have plans on how to build a murphy bed? I really need to know the pivot point for the hinge assembly, like how far out from the wall and how high from the floor. everything else such as bed size dimensions and bookcase enclosure is pretty common info.
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Rob_O
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2010 06:48pm
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Closest I have found to free plans is the pictures on this page. A PDF of the cabinet dimensions is HERE.
With a piece of graph paper, and a pin you should be able to figure out the location of the pivot point
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Gary O
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2010 08:28pm
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Geez, I ust looked up murphy beds. They want a lot of money just for the frames!
Yeah, the pivot point...it's important.......
murphy_bed_closed.jp.jpg
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murphy_bed_partialy_.jpg
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MURPHY.JPG
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Rob_O
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2010 08:34pm
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Murphy died a happy man
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2010 08:38pm - Edited by: MtnDon
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plans and hardware too
The kit might be handy as one needs something to assist in lifting the bed to its vertical storage position.
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caveman
Member
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# Posted: 30 Nov 2010 10:34am
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Quoting: MtnDon as one needs something to assist in lifting the bed to its vertical storage
thanks for the info, I'm thinking of using a pair of hydraulic lift cylinders from the junkyard off of an SUV rear hatch. those kits are just too expensive and you still have to supply all materials and labor. anyway, if I figure this out I will post details and photos. a hide-a-bed would be a perfect fit in a small cabin.
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larryh
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2010 11:02pm
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Just wondering. Would a system that used a weight in the wall to one side of the bed and a strong rope that would run from a wheel in the wall give it a counter balance that would allow for opening and closing it with out too much effort? It would mean the rope would be exposed when the bed was down but that might not be a big issue if the bed were near a wall. Sort of like an elevator counterbalance. It would seem one could construct something like that using used weights to workout sets and add what every amount balances the beds weight?
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dabones
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# Posted: 4 Dec 2010 11:21pm
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I imagine if your wall was large enough for the weight(s) to move freely, and you anchored the pulley securely, and used a high-strength rope with good knott's or maybe clamped eyelets.. then it would probably work..
but like you said, you'd want it near a wall so you weren't tripping over the rope or getting clothes-lined at 3:30am... :P
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EmilyL
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# Posted: 10 Dec 2021 11:17am
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You are right that murphy beds are super expensive. My husband was not 100% sure he would be able to build exactly what I was looking for. We wound up buying a variation of the murphy bed, it is called a cabinet bed. Good luck to all trying to build!
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travellerw
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# Posted: 10 Dec 2021 03:50pm - Edited by: travellerw
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If you do build one.. It would be really cool if you posted pics and showed the process. I suspect you aren't the only person thinking of one!
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 10 Dec 2021 08:00pm
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Was this the origin of Murphy's Law? 
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jaransont3
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 08:34pm
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Here are some pictures of the murphy bed I designed for our cabin. It is just a couple of simple steel reinforcements with shoulder bolts through them for a pivot. It does not have any kind of counterweight or springs yet. Right now it is light enough to lift without them. Maybe when I am older I will have to look into adding something...or just leave it down all the time. I built a slide out tray/box that supports the end of the bed when it is down and it is a convenient storage spot for extra bedding and such.
I did work hard at keeping the bed frame lightweight and we only have the mattress...no boxspring. It really isn't too bad.
The bottom of the bed frame is a gridwork of 3/4" poplar strips 1-1/2" tall. It is then sheeted on both sides with 1/4" birch plywood. You can also see the floor bracket in this shot. It is 1/2" birch plywood.
The frame sides are also 1/2" birch plywood. Strong and light.
This shows the steel reinforcement on the floor bracket for the pivot. I had to make some modifications when I found out the ceiling joist was only 7'9" from the floor, not the full 8' that I remembered. One of the issues with being over 800 miles from the cabin.
Here it is folded down with the mattress in place. We stapled velcro straps to the inside of the bed frame on the two foot end corners and then wrapped them over the mattress to keep it in place when it is folded up. Works great.
I simple hook and eye hold it in the up position for now.
Hope this helps.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 08:52pm
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Simple, elegant job 
A little kayak building practice likely helps?
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jaransont3
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 08:56pm
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LOL. I built this at the old TechShop here in Detroit. There were some members building kayaks, but not me. I did build a plywood canoe there, though.
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ecaldwell
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# Posted: 27 Jul 2022 12:43pm
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I'd be careful when trying to build your own. There was something where a bed fell on a lady back in 2018 and she died. Theres alot of affordable options out there nowadays. If you're not 100% sure its secure, just buy one. My husband and I got one off of https://murphybedsupply.com/ and its pretty solid. Great purchase.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jul 2022 06:20pm
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Is that a Spam Bed?
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paulz
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2022 10:59am
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I built my own in the cabin 10 years ago and have folded it up exactly 0 times lol. Well not exactly, I have folded it up to work on flooring, wiring etc..
It's pretty simple, all 2x4s. A ledger against the wall, horizontals out the length of the mattress height, posts to the floor, another ledger with hinges, then the basic bed frame. I did add hooks to the wall to hold it in the upright position.
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