By Timothy Spaulding, Technical Writer at Murphy Door®
Choosing a murphy bed comes down to five decisions: orientation, size, mechanism, materials, and what surrounds it. Get those right and the bed disappears into the room for decades. Across the market, murphy beds run from a few hundred dollars for a hardware kit to $12,000+ for a custom installed system. Murphy Door® beds run from about $1,300 for a simple twin to about $8,000 for a fully configured system. This guide covers each decision with real specifications, from the company that has built in Utah and Kentucky since 2012 and shipped more than 200,000 products, from hidden doors to wall beds.
Quick answer: Measure the wall and ceiling first. A vertical murphy bed needs about 81 to 87 inches of height; a horizontal one needs about 45 to 67 inches. Then choose the largest mattress size the wall allows, a counterbalanced lift with a long warranty, and stable panels, and order side cabinets with the bed.
Vertical or horizontal: the first decision
A vertical murphy bed folds down from the head end. Our vertical cabinets stand 81⁵⁄₁₆ inches tall for twin and full or 86⁷⁄₁₆ inches for queen and king, and about 17⅜ inches deep when closed. Open, the bed needs roughly its own length plus the cabinet depth in clear floor space. It is the classic configuration for bedrooms and dens with standard 8-foot or taller ceilings.
A horizontal murphy bed mounts the long side to the wall and folds down sideways. It needs less vertical wall and less projection into the room, which makes it the answer for basements, offices with wainscoting, rooms with low or sloped ceilings, and narrow rooms where a vertical bed's footprint would block a walkway. Our horizontal cabinets stand 44¾ inches tall for twin, low enough to tuck under a typical windowsill, up to 66⁷⁄₁₆ inches for queen. A horizontal queen reaches about 60 inches into the room when open.
Decide by measuring two things: ceiling height at the wall and the clear floor space when the bed is down. Every bed's product page lists its exact cabinet dimensions in the spec table.
Size: what fits the wall, not just the sleeper
Murphy beds take standard US mattresses. The constraint is the wall, not the mattress. Here is what each size costs at Murphy Door®, cabinet-only and with both side cabinets (slab style; shaker style costs more):
| Size | Bed only, from | With both side cabinets, from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin (vertical) | $1,325 | $3,150 | Home offices, kids' rooms, smallest walls |
| Twin (horizontal) | $1,370 | N/A | Low ceilings, under windows, basements |
| Twin XL (horizontal) | $1,950 | N/A | Taller sleepers in low-ceiling rooms |
| Full | $1,724 | $3,549 | Guest rooms, single sleepers who spread out |
| Queen (vertical) | $1,839 | Configure with cabinets | Couples, dedicated guest rooms |
| Queen (horizontal) | $2,490 | N/A | Couples in rooms with low ceilings |
| King | $2,174 | $4,065 | Primary-bedroom conversions, widest walls (80+ inch cabinet) |
Fully configured systems with premium veneers, finishes, and upper cabinets run up to about $8,000. Guest rooms that host couples want a full or larger. Home offices that host occasional guests do fine with a twin or full and keep more wall for shelving. Need a size that is not listed? We build custom murphy beds for any space.
Ready to price yours? Start building on the Simple Murphy Bed page, or compare vertical murphy beds and horizontal murphy beds side by side.
What murphy beds cost across the market
Prices vary more in this category than almost any other furniture, because "murphy bed" covers everything from a bag of hardware to a built-in wall system. Typical 2026 ranges, mattress not included:
| Tier | Typical price | What you get | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware kit (DIY) | $300–$800 | Lift mechanism and plans; you build the cabinet | Your carpentry skill sets the quality |
| Budget ready-to-assemble | $700–$1,400 | Flat-pack laminate or particleboard cabinet | Chipping edges, unrated or manual lifts |
| Mainstream ready-to-assemble | $1,200–$2,800 | Better panels, counterbalanced lift | Short mechanism warranties |
| Sofa or desk combo | $2,500–$8,000 | Bed that converts to seating or a workspace | More moving parts, tighter mattress limits |
| Custom installed | $4,000–$12,000+ | Built-in system, professional install | Lead times, installation cost on top |
Murphy Door® beds run from about $1,300 to $8,000: mainstream pricing at the entry level, with built-in-tier materials and a lifetime warranty across the line. For a line-by-line breakdown, see our full 2026 cost guide.
The mechanism is the product
Every murphy bed lives or dies by its lift system. Look for a counterbalanced mechanism rated for nightly use, one that holds the bed safely at any position. A properly balanced bed cannot slam open or shut with the mattress installed. Several popular budget beds use manual lift systems with no counterbalance at all, which require two people to open safely. If a listing does not name a counterbalance system, assume there is not one.
Piston vs. spring lifts
| Gas piston | Spring | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Smooth, quiet, damped motion | Firm; can creak or ping as springs age |
| Tuning | Sized to the bed and mattress weight | Adjusted by adding or removing springs |
| Over time | Quality pistons hold pressure for years; cheap ones fade | Springs can fatigue and need re-tensioning |
| Ask | Is the piston replaceable and covered by warranty? | Are replacement springs available, and who adjusts them? |
Either type can be good. What matters is the duty rating, whether parts are serviceable without rebuilding the cabinet, and how long the warranty covers it. Murphy Door® beds use a gas-piston mechanism designed and machined in-house in Utah by Murphy Door Machining. It is counterbalanced to your mattress weight, rated to 600 lbs, and covered by a lifetime warranty, along with the frame, hardware, structural steel, panels, finishes, and veneer. See the full warranty policy.
Mattress rules
The cabinet's spec sheet decides the mattress, not the other way around. Four rules apply to almost every murphy bed:
- Thickness. Every bed has a maximum. Murphy Door® Vertical beds take any standard US mattress up to 11 inches thick. Too thick and the bed will not close.
- Weight. The lift is balanced for a weight range. A much heavier mattress makes the bed want to fall open; a much lighter one makes it hard to pull down. Ours is counterbalanced to your mattress, so tell us what you plan to use.
- No box spring. The bed box is the foundation. Murphy Door® beds use a real wooden bed box, not a metal frame.
- Secure it. Use the mattress retainers or straps your bed provides so the mattress stays put when the bed is upright.
For comfort, a medium-firm foam or moderate-weight hybrid in the 8–11 inch range is the sweet spot for most murphy beds.
Materials: what the cabinet is actually made of
Three material claims to decode. "Solid wood" usually means the face frame, not the panels, and a solid-wood slab face on a large moving panel can warp. "Laminate" or HPL over particleboard is the budget construction; it is light and cheap and the edges chip. Murphy Door® builds with a blend of solid hardwoods and hardwood-veneered Vaultwood Core™ (a high-grade engineered MDF): dimensionally stable panels that do not twist on the mechanism, with solid hardwood face frames where hands touch. Choose real wood veneer (walnut, white oak, maple, knotty alder, oak) or paint grade. A moving panel needs stability more than it needs a romantic lumber story.
What surrounds the bed
Side cabinets ($1,800 each, $3,150 a pair at Murphy Door®) add wardrobe and shelf storage and make the installation look built-in. Choose upper and lower cabinets with adjustable shelves, or upper cabinets with three working drawers below. A bookcase-face murphy bed turns the closed bed into working shelves, and we are one of the few manufacturers selling both wall beds and hidden bookcase doors, so a full room transformation is one order. Office-desk variants exist across the industry; weigh whether you want your monitor under a folding bed.
Installation and safety
Every murphy bed must be anchored to the wall. The cabinet fastens into studs; wall anchoring is the standard for stability and safety, and it is what keeps the cabinet from tipping when the bed comes down.
- Time: Plan on two people and a full day for a Murphy Door® bed. Add time for each side cabinet.
- Why it takes a day: Real hardwood and steel are heavy. Every panel arrives pre-cut, pre-drilled, and labeled, with complete hardware and step-by-step instructions.
- Tools: A drill/driver, level, stud finder, and a second set of hands.
- Kids: Teach children that the bed is not a climbing wall, keep the bed closed when not in use, and keep the area in front of it clear.
- Not sure about your wall? Call us at 1-888-458-5911 with your room dimensions and ceiling height before you order, and we will tell you exactly what fits.
Murphy bed vs. sofa bed vs. daybed
| Murphy bed | Sofa bed | Daybed with trundle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep comfort | Real mattress, same as a normal bed | Thin fold-out mattress, bar in the back | Twin mattresses, good for kids |
| Floor space when closed | As little as about 18 inches of depth | Full sofa footprint | Full twin footprint |
| Daytime use | Floor space, shelves, cabinets | Seating | Seating |
| Nightly use | Yes | Not recommended | Yes, for one or two smaller sleepers |
When a murphy bed is not the right call
- You cannot anchor to the wall. Some rentals forbid it, and plaster-only or masonry walls need extra work.
- Your ceiling is very low and the wall is short. Check whether a horizontal bed fits before ruling it out.
- The bed will never be folded up. If it stays down every day, a regular bed with storage drawers may be the better buy.
- Nobody can help with assembly. A quality murphy bed is a two-person job.
The five questions
- Vertical or horizontal? Ceiling height and floor clearance decide.
- What size does the WALL allow? Measure the wall, then pick the mattress.
- What is the mechanism and its warranty? Lifetime beats 1–5 years.
- What are the panels made of? A stable core beats romantic lumber.
- Cabinets now or later? Retrofitting side cabinets later costs more than ordering together.
Shop with real numbers: All murphy beds | Vertical murphy beds | Horizontal murphy beds | Full 2026 cost guide | Financing
Buying guide FAQ
Do murphy beds need to attach to the wall?
Yes. The cabinet anchors to studs. Floor-mounted systems exist, but wall anchoring is the standard for stability and safety.
Can I use my existing mattress in a murphy bed?
If it is a standard US size up to 11 inches thick, yes. No box spring and no special mattress required.
How much weight can a murphy bed hold?
It depends on the bed. Murphy Door® beds are rated to 600 lbs. Check the rating on any bed you compare.
How long does murphy bed installation take?
Plan on two people and a full day for a Murphy Door® bed, plus extra time for each side cabinet. Every piece arrives pre-cut, pre-drilled, and labeled.
Are murphy beds comfortable enough for nightly use?
The bed is as comfortable as the mattress you put in it. With a quality standard mattress, a murphy bed is a normal bed. That is the point.
Are piston or spring murphy beds better?
Both can be good. Pistons are quieter and smoother; springs are adjustable. Judge the duty rating, serviceability, and warranty rather than the type.
How much does a murphy bed cost?
Murphy Door® beds run from about $1,300 for a simple twin to about $8,000 for a fully configured system. Across the market, prices range from about $300 for a DIY hardware kit to $12,000+ for a custom installed system.
Can a murphy bed go on carpet?
Yes. Because the cabinet anchors to the wall, carpet is fine. Use a level during install so the cabinet sits plumb.
Twin, full, queen or king: which murphy bed size do I need?
A twin fits home offices, kids' rooms and the smallest walls. A full suits guest rooms and single sleepers who spread out. A queen is the pick for couples and dedicated guest rooms, and a king suits primary-bedroom conversions with the widest walls (an 80+ inch cabinet).
How much wall and floor space does a murphy bed need?
A vertical murphy bed cabinet stands about 81 5/16 inches (twin and full) to 86 7/16 inches (queen and king) tall and about 17 3/8 inches deep when closed. A horizontal cabinet stands about 44 3/4 inches (twin) to 66 7/16 inches (queen) tall. When open, a vertical bed needs roughly the bed's length plus the cabinet depth, and a horizontal queen reaches about 60 inches from the wall.
About the author
Timothy Spaulding is a Technical Writer at Murphy Door®. Before writing our guides, he spent two years on the Murphy Door® customer service team, helping customers measure their walls, choose the right size, and get their beds and hidden doors installed. The questions in this guide are the ones he answered every day.
