Ikea murphy bed.We have a spare bedroom that is long, but also fairly narrow. With a queen bed there wasn’t much space for anything else, but we wanted to make the room more multi-functional. The obvious solution was a murphy bed.
How to build murphy bed?
We spoke to some of the local suppliers, and for a basic murphy bed and cabinet with no additional storage space the price would have been about $3,500. That’s a little steep, but the bigger problem is that we didn’t like the style of any of them.
I’d seen two ikea hacks that used Pax cabinets with a murphy bed kit:
Neither of those were what we were looking for either, but they inspired me to try something similar with some tweaks.
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Steps
step no 1
Two Ikea Pax 100x236 Wardrobes spaced about 172cm apart.
If I were doing it again, I would probably increase the spacing to 180cm, just to get a few more inches clearance.
Step no 2
After some searching online I decided to use the Next Bed kit for the murphy bed hardware.
Here it’s shown assembled and installed. It rests on the floor, and is attached to the wall at the baseboard level with 8 screws.
Just for reference, the mattress is a 12" pillowtop, with a mattresspad on top of that. It’s currently set up so that it’s tight to the wall, but there’s enough clearance that I move the bed further out from the wall to hang a picture on there.
Overall I’m really impressed with the quality of the Next Bed kit, and would recommend it to anyone. The instructions are clear, and they have several helpful assembly videos available online as well.
Step no 3
I did the bottom section in 2 parts.
There is a reinforced L-section that gets screwed into the warddrobes.
Then a cover gets screwed on top of that. The exposed edge gets hidden by the track for the sliding doors.
The material for this comes from cutting up a third PAX wardrobe.
This doesn’t take much load, but I made it fairly strong because I didn’t want it to break if someone stepped on it or kicked it.
Step no 4
Each track is about 198cm. The total width of my assembly is only about 372mm, so I shortened each track by about 12cm using a dremmel and hacksaw.
The lower tracks are notched for the sides of the wardrobes, but since I wasn’t using standard dimensions I had to cut an extra notch with the PAX .
Step no 5
This is the top section, showing the underside and the top.
The material for this comes from cutting up a third Pax wardrobe.
The “fingers” are there so that after it was lifted up it would hold itself in place.
Once it’s in place there’s no way to run cabling, so all of the lighting had to be installed first.
After it was in place I added a stiffener at the front, because it was flexing a bit too much under the weight of the doors. Refer to “Step 11: Lessons learned” for some more details on that.
Step no 6
The top section is lifted into place, and is supported by “fingers.” I then connected it to the wardrobes with screws.
I ran an extension cord from the left wardrobe to provide a power connection in the right wardrobe. This had to be done before the top section was in place.
step no 7
Each track is about 198cm. The total width of my assembly is only about 372mm, so I shortened each track by about 12cm using a dremmel and hacksaw. The plastic piece is easy to remove, and then I re-drilled new holes on the shortened track and moved the plastic piece over.
Step no 8
Ikea tracks are not meant to be connected together (usually they’re too short for that to work).
But the Ikea hardware still does a pretty good job of joining them together.
I used pieces of an aluminum can as a shim to get the alignment just right.
Step no 9
I replaced the switch from an ikea ansluta power supply with a pushbutton switch that I ordered from ebay. I ran the wires in the through the bottom instead of the sides, and then mounted it on the sidewall to control the overhead lights.
One of the Pax wardrobes was in front of an electrical outlet. I cut a rough opening in the back panel, and then finished that by gluing on a typical coverplate.
Step no 10
After that you just follow Ikea’s instruction for installing the doors, and then you’re done!
Material
3 Ikea Pax 100x236 wardrobes (1 was cut up and used for materials)
2 sets Ikea Pax Lyngdal 200x236 sliding doors
1 set Ikea Inreda LED spotlight
2 Ikea Inreda LED light strips
Ikea Cost: $1,010
(we waited until Ikea had a Bedroom event. We bought the Pax stuff, got $150 gift card back, and then used that to buy the lighting)
1 Next Bed Murphy Bed hardware kit
Lots of 2" and 1-1/4" particle board screws (different lengths depending on the type of join)
1 roll of dark-brown cabinet edging tape.
Total Cost: $1,650
Total Width: approx. 372cm (12’-2")
From start to finish the project took about 1 week - that was one solid saturday of work, with everything else done in the evenings.
For the most part all of the work was done by one person, but there were a few steps were a second set of hands was needed: initially assembling the Pax wardrobes; lifting the top piece into place; and lifting the doors onto the rails.
Some Information
If you are into a Scandinavian design like the Swedish influenced IKEA designs, you should check out this wall bed system, that has a dining table attached to the front.
It’s very well designed, and the finish of the furniture is just over the top. It’s made to fit well with the typical white lines of Swedish designs, and it will look good in most clean and minimalistic homes.
This bed system, however, is not from IKEA, it is made by the Italian design company called Clei. They specialize in high-end design for the modern home, and with a strong focus on space saving furniture. Which is why the wall bed series is very famous.
It’s a family company just like IKEA, and it is still run by the family who founded it many years ago.
If you happen to go to Scandinavia and stumble upon an IKEA store, you might be surprised to find, that the prices are actually a bit lower. The reason is that in Scandinavia you find plenty of minimalistic designs with strong lines, and the Ikea concept is branded as lower-middle-class furniture.
Diy murphy bed for small spaces
Matt and his spouse Jacque from The DIY Village made a Murphy bed for their workroom so it could grow as a guest room. Depending on your budget you can use wood, plywood, MDF or particle board to construct a Murphy Bed. Matt and Jacque picked PureBond hardwood plywood. They say the professional grade building material enhanced the strength and beauty of their finished project. PureBond products are also formaldehyde-free and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The couple’s tutorial includes more need to know tips.
Build murphy bed for cheap
A spring or piston lifting device could more than double the cost of building a Murphy bed. The hardware takes the work out of opening and closing but if you’re willing to lose a little convenience to save money consider the Lori Wall bedsit. It’s a mechanism-free resolution that does it possible to make a custom Murphy bed for less money.
Diy this modren farmhouse murphy bed
This Murphy bed office combo by Katie. Katie designed a one-of-a-kind furniture arrangement that involves the desk and the bookcases. The frosting on the block is the bed cabinet. When closed it matches a storage wall so those not in the know would never guess it conceals a mattress.
This IKEA Murphy Bed
Paul from Old Houses and Renovations was excited to build his DIY Murphy bed using items from IKEA’s PAX group after his wife saw this IKEA hack from Herbie’s World and this IKEA hack of Jerry’s Projects.
All three projects incorporated a floor mounted bed frame with a spring device from Murphy Bed Frame. When compiled and installed it’s an all-in-one free-standing project that supports, lifts and lowers a mattress.
Hack A PAX murphy bed
Here’s different DIY Murphy bed that’s including a PAX IKEA hack. Norwegian blogger, Calvin Gross from Husqvarna, says if you’re making a system for a full-sized mattress you will need various things including two PAX wardrobe frames and a couple of LURÖY slatted bed bases.
Build a Transforming Sofa Murphy Bed
This money-saving DIY by Avalon Awaked (Imgur user) demonstrates how to make one for a heck of a lot less. The ottoman and sofa are from IKEA’s SÖDERHAMN series. To explain the DIY process, he purchased The Next Bed. It’s a Murphy bed mattress frame with a lifting mechanism that you can anchor to a wall or floor that’s easy to assemble. Keep in mind, Avalon created a custom mount for the bed frame so it would open over the sofa. Afterward, he made a Murphy bed cabinet with built-in storage using white melamine.
How to Build a Basic Murphy Bed
This design by David Picciuto at Make Something TV shows how to make a simple Murphy bed using Side Mount Deluxe Murphy Bed Hardware from Rockler. Each kit includes instructions, but if you find them confusing, David’s video gives an overview of the steps.
Murphy Bed Ikea?
Create a Murphy Bed Fit For a Kid Need to make room for your children? Martin Vester used leftover pieces from an IKEA Ivar storage system to build a small Murphy bed with built-in shelving for his tiny home office. What’s our favorite part of this project? Martin used three of the plywood shelves to create a bench for sheets and blankets. Take a peek at the tutorial.
Build a Disappearing Murphy Bed
Many Murphy beds are freestanding items of furniture
that you bolt to floor or the wall. The blogging sisters behind Junk in Their Trunk, share how to build one that disappears like magic without using an expensive lifting mechanism. Junk in Their Trunk shares photos and tips of their DIY for free here.
Faux Murphy Bed for Tiny Spaces
Crystal Odom and Andrew are the small house residents behind Tiny Revolution, a site that supports tiny space living. Since they couldn’t fit a regular Murp
Murphy Bed Ikea?Sometimes necessity really is the mother of invention. At least, such was the case with the Murphy bed, the iconic cot that folds up inside a cabinet. According to Smithsonian Magazine, legend has it that the Murphy bed was invented around 1900 by William Lawrence Murphy, who at the time was living in a one-room flat in San Francisco. He was also falling for a young opera singer, but rules of decorum dictated that ladies couldn’t visit gentlemen’s bedrooms. Murphy solved that problem by inventing a bed that could be quickly tucked away, converting his sleeping chamber into a proper parlor suitable for his songbird.
Murphy Bed Ikea?Murphy went on to marry his sweetheart, and America fell just as hard for his invention. They’re the perfect solution for those of us with tiny houses or the need for small space ideas, offering a place for overnight guests to sleep that doesn’t take up precious floor space (especially if you don’t have a guest room but just a home office, for example). Murphy beds have surged in popularity in the last decade or so, and there are now plans available that include shelving units, desks and other nifty, stylish adaptations. Whether you’re looking for a DIY Murphy bed tutorial to save some money, or purchase one complete, take a look at the creative Murphy bed options below.
Murphy Bed Ikea? I researched ways to cut down costs without compromising the design I had in mind. I chanced upon Herbie’s World, a timely blog that provided detailed information on how to put up a Murphy Bed frame with IKEA PAX wardrobe cabinets.
The cabinet’s size is about right for the Murphy Bed frame. However, adjustments are needed to be made to fit in a Queen size bed. After meticulously reading Herbie’s article, I decided to adopt Herbie’s design with a few tweaks to give room for additional shelves for beddings.
murphy bed in front room
Murphy Bed Ikea? A Murphy Bed Frame with cabinets would have cost me between $2,500 and $3,000. With DIY, I saved close to $700. Also, with IKEA’s wide range of products and accessories, I was able to adjust the design to my liking.
After repainting the guest room, I started assembling the two wardrobe cabinets. Then I secured one cabinet to the wall with heavy-duty wall anchors.
[Murphy Bed Ikea? Next, I attached a 3/4” woodblock spacer at the top portion at the back of the cabinet to vertically align it with the floor molding. The remaining cabinets were secured only after the doors were installed.
Murphy Bed Ikea? Now, onto the center cabinet installation. Accurate measurement is a must!! To do that, lay the four doors on the floor with cardboard spacers in place.
I installed the doors to the end of each frame-side panels at 90 degrees angle.
Then, I started measuring the interior width from one end of the side panel to the other (77-3/32″).
person in IKEA warehouse
Next up is the support box. Secure the four sections of melamine shelves to the vinyl studs with screws. Adjust the length of the studs with a miter saw and sand the edges before using them.
Remember, the width of the shelves must match the depth of the cabinet which is approximately 23”. Use a band saw to cut ½” off (length-wise) one shelf.
Murphy Bed Ikea? It’s time to assemble and install the top support box. Drill holes on each side of the top support box to affix it to the center frame.
When you’re done bolting (use #10 x 1-1/2″ bolts provided by IKEA) the three corners of the center frame, lift it vertically (you will need an extra hand here).
Then, use another bolt to attach the center frame to the wardrobe side cabinets.
To ensure the stability of bi-fold doors, you need to add more hinges. I used seven per door while Herbie mounted six hinges.
Lay the bi-fold doors flat on the floor, place cardboard spacers and attach the piano hinges.
[Murphy Bed Ikea?]
Next, attach the doors to the pre-drilled holes. Using a 35mm Forstner drill bit, drill four more hinge cups (European), then change to #10 drill bit to drill two holes on the sides of the cup.
Mount the second set of bi-fold doors. Repeat the installation steps above. Since my measurement was accurate, the doors aligned perfectly with a 1/8” gap that leaves enough room for adjustment after mounting the doors.
Attach the two glass doors, Komplement cabinet accessories (shelves, drawers and clothes hangers), and door handles.
Now that the cabinets are done, it’s time to assemble the Murphy Bed Frame. Install the wall mount bracket by drilling #10 x 3″ lag bolts into the wall studs.
Next, assemble the foot retraction mechanism and carefully attach the 10 springs.
Time to lay down the Ikea Fidjetun mattress. The bed foundation is not as sturdy as I expected.
It’s made of a pine wood frame, thin corrugated cardboard, and a stapled on the quilted cover. Since I do not have the energy to build one made of plywood, this will do for now.
Murphy Bed Ikea? Murphy Bed Ikea? Fabricate the toe-kick panel from the leftover melamine shelf. I used wood dowels to glue the parts together and lined the dowels using a dowel kit and dowel press. To adjoin the toe-kick panel and side kick panel, I used an “L” brace on both ends.
Install a magnetic door latch to firmly close the doors and you’re all done!
I’m happy with the way this project turned out because it didn’t cost me a fortune to build a wonderful wall bed with cabinets. Our guest room’s new look makes me a proud Diyer.
If you’re planning to construct a Murphy Bed with IKEA cabinets on your own, make sure to research first and carefully read installation instructions.
There are plenty of DIY blogs and videos that will give you fresh ideas and helpful tips so do check them out before green-lighting your project.
Summary
Next, assemble the foot retraction mechanism and carefully attach the 10 springs.
Time to lay down the Ikea Fidjetun mattress. The bed foundation is not as sturdy as I expected.It’s made of a pine wood frame, thin corrugated cardboard, and a stapled on the quilted cover. Since I do not have the energy to build one made of plywood, this will do for now.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Does Ikea make Murphy beds?
Ikea doesn’t sell Murphy beds. While they offer a wide range of room furniture, Murphy beds are obviously absent from their product offering. The explanation IKEA has avoided the Murphy bed industry is the sturdiness, and strength of their development materials.
What is the contrast between a divider bed and a Murphy bed?
A conventional Murphy bed is divider or floor-mounted and utilizes elaborate springs and metal edges to raise and lower the bedding. A customary divider bed, then again, additionally utilizes a spring system and remembers cupboards for one or the other side of the bed, so the bed shows up as an ordinary divider when in the upstanding position.
Would you be able to fabricate a Murphy bed?
Building a Murphy bed requires some accuracy you need to introduce the equipment precisely as per the directions. In any case, the carpentry here is really more straightforward than that expected for some shelves. There are no dadoes, mortises or precarious joinery. And all of the door jambs are frauds.
How much room is required for a Murphy bed?
Notwithstanding which kind of Murphy bed you go with, you’ll need to have 2-3 feet or 30-36 creeps of open space around the border of the bed to stay away from versatility issues.
Do you want exceptional sleeping cushion for Murphy bed?
Dissimilar to couch sleepers, a Murphy bed doesn’t need an exceptional bedding. In any case, only one out of every odd bedding can toward the end in a Murphy bed. A Murphy bed is just basically as agreeable as the beddings you put on it. While looking for a Murphy bed it is critical to know the rules and regulations of Murphy bed beddings.
Conclusion
A spring or piston lifting device could more than double the cost of building a Murphy bed. The hardware takes the work out of opening and closing but if you’re willing to lose a little convenience to save money consider the Lori Wall bedsit. It’s a mechanism-free resolution that does it possible to make a custom Murphy bed for less money.