Murphy beds, or folding wall beds, add extra room for guests to sleep without permanently taking up space with a stationary bed. Murphy beds fold into a cabinet when not in use, and pivot down to sleep on. You can buy Murphy bed kits from a number of reputable dealers, and you can assemble them yourself at home.
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Murphy bed kits are designed to be put together by the consumer. This means they usually come with instructions and the tools required are common and minimal, such as hammers and screwdrivers.
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Locate the area where you wish to install your Murphy bed. The bed cabinet will attach to the wall studs, so locate the studs in the area with a stud finder and mark them. Make sure the area where the bed will flip down is free of large furniture. Remove the baseboard trim so that the cabinet sits flush to the wall. You can later trim the base board and reattach it.
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Assemble the cabinet in which your Murphy bed will store. Some kits come with components to build the cabinet, and some do not. If you choose one with a cabinet included, the assembly will be similar to any modular furniture you have put together. If you're handy at carpentry, you may choose to build the cabinet yourself. The Murphy bed kit you purchase should tell you what inside dimensions are needed to accommodate the bed mechanism.
Assemble the bed lifting mechanism according to the manufacturer's instructions. This should involve installing metal mounting plates onto the cabinet and attaching springs to the mounting plates. The springs may either be conventional metal springs or gas spring cylinders.
Attach the cabinet to the wall. Shim the cabinet to ensure that it is level and plumb. Make sure you attach the bed cabinet to sound structural members, and not to the wall covering, whether it's drywall or otherwise.
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To assemble and attach the bed panel, or the piece your mattress will attach to, you will likely need a partner to help lift the bed panel into place and hold the lifting mechanism in place while you attach the bed panel. Use a lever like a PVC pipe to move the lifting mechanism to make it easier and reduce risk of injury.
Once attached, let the bed panel close. Check the gap around the bed panel to make sure it is consistent on both sides, and shim the bottom of the cabinet until it is.
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Attach the legs and leg crossbar to the foot of the bed, and attach any included mechanism covers. Allow 24 hours before using the bed to allow any adhesive used during installation to cure.
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