Murphy Bed Cabinet: Benefits, Maintenance, and Buying Guide

One of the major issues we face while setting up the guestroom is having limited space. The hassle of adjusting certain items in the guestroom is real. But imagine there is something that can increase your guestroom space without actually taking the space! And imagine a bed that can become your cupboard whenever you want! Well, there is good news for you. Murphy Bed Cabinet will fulfill these needs with ease.

It’s time to replace the normal beds with a more functional and practical option which is the Murphy bed cabinet. For that reason, in this article, we have brought you the information you need to know before you buy a Murphy bed cabinet. From the pros and cons to the installation process, every requisite info regarding the Murphy bed cabinet has been covered in the article below.

So don’t make a purchase without reading this entire article!

Benefits of Murphy Bed Cabinet

Murphy Bed Cabinet is a specially designed cabinet that can easily be transformed into a bed within a second. Below are some of their major benefits:

1. Proper Space Utilization

Since these beds can be used as both cupboard as well as a bed, it helps you to store clothes and other items that need a separate cabinet. One of the major advantages it provides is that it can be set vertically along the wall. This gives more the opportunity to transform the bedroom into a living room in a short duration. This particular bed can be used in houses with smaller living areas or an apartment with limited space.

2. Functions

Other than just being a cabinet, some beds also include cupboards, drawers, or even mirrors. It’s really worth exploring a perfect Murphy bed cabinet for your home. This multifunction also helps you to give more functionality to your room which you couldn’t give due to lack of space. For example, you can put on beanbags and have fun with family or friends while watching TV or playing games!

3. Usage and Styling

Due to its flexible utility, your room can be transformed into a living room or a playroom, or even an office! All these features not only make your lifestyle easy but also you don’t have to compromise anything. Over to all these things, there are a lot of different designs and colors available in the market to fulfill your desires that match your room.

4. User-Friendly Design

When it comes to handling, companies these days offer one of the easiest operations with safety that even children can handle. But this is not just the end. These modern beds also include charging ports and battery-operated lighting, and even a Murphy bed study table! This bed is surely a replacement for normal beds to fulfill modern-day requirements.

Aspects to Consider While Purchasing Murphy Bed Cabinet

1. Space Availability

If Murphy Bed Cabinet is compact and multifunctional, that doesn’t mean it’s possible to fit any kind of Murphy bed in your room. Before you look for your preferred design, it is important to measure the dimensions of your room. Also, ensure all parts of the bed can be brought in from the door. Don’t forget to measure the ceiling height as well since these beds can have taller heights due to the bed attached to them.

2. Bed Size

It is suggested to have a bed size nearly a foot longer than your height since there will be a required space for pillows and blankets. Just like normal beds, these beds also have different sizes like King, queen, single, double, and so on. Choose your bed keeping the above-mentioned things and comfort in mind since sleep quality shouldn’t be compromised.

3. User-Friendly Design

As mentioned above, Murphy bed cabinets are made to make in such a way that it is easy to operate them. However, due to the advancement in the designs and multifunctionality of these beds, some of them are complicated to use. Once you purchase a bed, go through the user manual before moving any piece. Often people put excess strength on the wrong part, which results in malfunctioning, or it breaks.

4. Quality and Design

When we talk about quality, we mainly focus on the frame rather than the entire structure. This doesn’t mean ignoring the body but inspecting the frame before going for the body. Buying cheaper beds may seem economical in the beginning, but they start to creak and rust way quicker than your expectations. Consider the beds which use high-quality material even if they cost slightly higher. Bringing to the designs, they come in various colors and themes, such as modern, rustic, traditional, etc.

5. Utility and Price

Check for the cabinets and their storage capacity. Also, make a rough list of the things you are going to put inside it. For example, blazers and woolens consume up to 3-5 times more space than summer wears. And then a few clothes can’t be hung due to the fact would stretch. Some beds have higher maintenance, such as greasing or termite treatment. If you are confused about how to start with the selection method, then go for the MDS method, which means Material-Durability-Style. First, check the material used, then inspect the durability, warranty, and guarantee, and last, choose your preferred style. This way, you can find a value-for-money product.

Setting Up and Maintenance for Murphy Bed Cabinets

1. Setting Up

When you make a decision and finally bring a bed Murphy bed cabinet, your next task is the installation process and its maintenance. Follow the steps below to install and maintain your bed:

Clearing Space & Mounting

• Once you start, first clear the space from any item that would obstruct or break during the process of installation.
• Now measure the dimension of the area where you are going to put your bed. Often when the installation process is done, some people struggle to fit their other items back into place.
• Attach the mounting hinges and stands on the wall after the proper alignment. You can use a laser or liquid level for the precise measurement.

Installation & Testing

• Read the instruction manual before you start your work. However, if you feel the manual doesn’t help you much, there are several YouTube videos for this entire purpose. They will not only help you to install them properly but also will give tips for future DIY activities.
• After you have installed the bed, the last step is to test them by folding them so that all the hinges are operating smoothly and there are no chances of cracks in the future due to regular folding.

2. Maintenance

• Regular cleaning: You can use a dry microfiber cloth to clean them. It is suggested not to use water since metal or wood may start to lose its strength. Vacuum Cleaners are one of the best options.
• Lubrication: There is no way of telling an accurate duration after which any metal part needs lubrication. However, the best and the most common thing done is lubricating them when they start making sounds or do not work fully. There are certain lubricants in the market which you can try.
• Screws and Fittings: Last but on least, don’t forget to check the screws on a regular basis. Generally, due to their open-closing mechanisms, many screws get lost, which may lead to something serious. This includes damage to any part or injury to you while being in operation.

Demerits of Murphy Bed Cabinets

Despite being one of the most useful items, it possesses some of the major demerits that stop them from replacing normal beds. Below are some of the major disadvantages of using this type of bed.

1. Less Mattress Options

• These beds are designed in a way to handle certain kinds of mattresses only. For example, they don’t support heavy mattresses since there are chances of having a crack in the bed. However, people prefer comfort, and nearly all the comfortable mattresses available in the market are extremely heavy.
• If somehow you manage to get a comfortable, lightweight mattress. The next problem you would face is size. These beds can not hold large mattresses since they are made to be compact. So, if you are expecting extreme comfort from your Murphy bed, then you may not get it that easily!

2. Installation Process

• Now the Murphy bed manufacturers would definitely give you an installation guide that will have pencil-drawn diagrams in them and some QR codes for Youtube Tutorials. But practically speaking, just like anyone can not become an athlete by watching or reading some tips and guides, it’s not easy to install these beds without any skill.
• Not only the installation part but also some of these beds cannot fit properly due to the misalignment of the walls or floor and the bed.
• You may develop many scratches on the walls or floor. This may not be a concern if that is your house, but it becomes problematic if it’s rented. Due to this reason, many owners prohibit using this bed in the house.

3. Weight Capacity

• As mentioned earlier, these beds have a relatively lower weight capacity. Ignoring the mattress, you also need to keep in consideration how many people are going to sleep on it. Consider checking the weight capacity limitation and adhere strictly to that. You may not feel any different if you exceed the limits in the beginning, but it will surely reflect in the mechanism after a few months.
• It is not just about the hinges. In unfortunate cases, any broken part may hurt you, which can lead to serious injuries. Especially when you are sleeping, saving yourself from those parts becomes near impossible.
• It is advisable to check the build quality and weight limit before you make a purchase of these beds. However, modern-style beds have better designs than older designs.

4. Storage Space

• Since these beds are a combination of both beds and cabinets (study table sometimes), all you have to compromise is the overall capacity of both of them. If a normal cupboard can hold up to 10 clothes, then a Murphy bed can only do it till 4 or 5!
• Not only capacity, but they also lack a lot of features of a normal cupboard. But anyways, thanks to these cabinet organizers that make this bed more useful! These organizers help you to separate all your things with respect to their categories without any excess strategy or skills! Outside this cupboard, you can also use them in the kitchen or bathroom or arrange utensils or different body care products.
• As you can not put some items below your bed, too, this storage problem is a great issue for those who have a large number of things to put in the cupboard but have smaller living space.

5. Maintenance

• These beds require higher maintenance compared to other furniture in your house due to the reason that there are a lot of hinges and joints in them. All these hinges and latches need constant lubrication to ensure none of them make any creaking sound.
• You also need to inspect every joint, screw, and overall strength periodically. If the body starts shaking or becomes extra flexible, then there is a high chance a bolt/screw might have loosened.
• Some of the repairing parts can not be done without professional help with the internal greasing.
• Finding parts for replacement is also a hectic part since all the beds have different styles and shapes. In the majority of cases, people end up using the bed without replacing the part or getting a newly customized one from a nearby carpenter/furniture dealer, which increases the maintenance cost. This brings us to another limitation that is…

6. Cost of Construction

Murphy Beds are way more expensive than normal beds. Precisely speaking, when normal beds are near about $600-2,000, Murphy beds can cost approximately $5,000 for the same build quality. This is due to the reason that Murphy bed needs creative thinking when designing its structure which increases the overall cost.

Summing Up

If you are looking to optimize your living space for guests, then Murphy bed cabinets are great options. These beds are quickly getting popular among people due to their compact design and great functionality. They properly utilize the space and have user-friendly designs. But before you make a purchase, keep in mind a few things, such as the space available in your room, bed size, and how it is easy to operate them on a daily basis.

Don’t forget to check their quality using by MDS method. Once you make a purchase, setting and maintaining them can be a complicated task; start by clearing the space and installing the mounting brackets properly. Once done, install the bed with some professional help if you don’t know how to do it.

There are some disadvantages of these beds, which include their limited weight capacity, difficult installation process, lesser storage capacity, and total cost of acquisition. By keeping these things in mind, you can find a perfect Murphy bed cabinet for your guestroom!