What Comes in a Murphy Bed Hardware Kit?

What a Murphy Bed Hardware Kit Includes

A Murphy bed hardware kit is the set of metal parts that make a wall bed fold into a cabinet. The kit supplies the lifting mechanism, the locking parts, the mounting brackets and the fasteners. You supply the wood frame, the cabinet, the mattress and the tools. The kit is the reason the bed lifts and lowers at all; without it, the cabinet is just a cabinet.

The exact contents vary by maker and by bed size. A listing for a twin kit carries smaller parts than a listing for a queen kit, and a horizontal kit carries a different hinge layout than a vertical one. The box contents list on the listing is the only reliable statement of what is inside the box.

For a step-by-step overview of how a kit becomes a bed, see DIY installation. The maker's instructions are the authority for the specific kit you order.

The Lifting Mechanism

The lifting mechanism is the core of any hardware kit. Murphy bed kits use one of two common systems: a spring lift or a piston lift. Wilding Wallbeds describes a spring lift mechanism on its Studio Series and a piston-lift mechanism on its HomeFront Series on its product page. Both systems do the same job: they counterbalance the weight of the bed so it folds up and down.

A listing will usually name the mechanism in the title or the bullet list. Words like 'spring', 'piston' or 'gas lift' tell you which system the kit uses. For a full explanation of how the two systems differ and what each means for a buyer, see spring mechanisms versus pistons.

Some listings do not name a mechanism at all. A cabinet bed, for example, folds on hinges rather than a lift frame, so the mechanism is described differently. Read the listing's own words before you compare two beds; 'cabinet bed' and 'wall bed' are not interchangeable terms. See cabinet bed versus wall bed.

Locking Pins and Safety Parts

A hardware kit also includes the parts that hold the bed upright when it is closed. Wilding describes a patented locking leg system on its HomeFront Series and locking pin hardware on its desk beds, included on the left and right sides. The locking pin is the part that secures the bed in the upright position and releases it when you bring the bed down.

The listing may call the part a 'locking pin', a 'safety latch' or a 'locking leg'. The name matters less than the presence of the part: a kit should include a way to secure the bed when it is closed. If the listing does not state one, ask the seller before you buy.

Locking parts are a safety feature, and the only safe way to use them is to follow the maker's instructions for mounting and release. The maker's page is the only source for how the locking part works on a given bed.

Brackets, Hinges and Fasteners

Around the mechanism, a kit includes the mounting brackets that attach the frame to the wall, the hinges that let the frame rotate, and the screws and bolts that hold everything together. The wall bracket is the part that carries the frame; the hinge is the pivot point where the frame rotates. On a freestanding cabinet bed, the wall brackets are not needed because the cabinet sits on the floor.

Wilding states that its Murphy cabinet beds are freestanding and do not need to be mounted to the wall or floor, which makes them easier to reposition and a practical choice for rentals. A hardware kit for a wall bed, by contrast, includes the brackets that attach the frame to a wall or floor structure.

The box contents list names each bracket and fastener. If the list is short or vague, ask the seller what the kit includes before you order. The maker's instructions also list the tools you need; read that list so you have everything on hand when the box arrives. See tools for a DIY Murphy bed for guidance.

What You Supply Yourself

A hardware kit does not include the mattress. Wilding's mattress page states that its foam core mattresses can ship 'with or without a Murphy bed', which means the bed and the mattress are separate purchases. The same is true for almost every kit. Plan for the mattress as a separate line item in your budget, and check mattress thickness so the bed and the mattress fit together.

You also supply the wood for the frame and the cabinet. Some makers sell the hardware and the plans together; others sell the kit alone. The listing tells you which one you are buying. For the difference between a kit and a finished piece, see kit versus preassembled.

Wilding and Night and Day Furniture take a different route with their cabinet collections: the cabinet is a finished piece and a tri-fold mattress is included. A cabinet bed is not a hardware kit; it is the complete bed, ready to position in the room.

How to Read a Kit Listing

The first words of a listing title tell you the kind of kit: 'wall bed', 'cabinet bed' or 'kit'. A kit listing usually states the size, the fold direction (vertical or horizontal) and the mechanism. A missing detail means the seller did not state it; treat it as a question rather than a guess. See vertical versus horizontal for fold direction.

Size words in a title can conflict: a 'full' kit and a 'full-size' kit may mean different things on different listings. Read the listing's own dimensions before you choose. For the size that fits a guest room, an office or a studio, see queen Murphy beds.

Some listings say nothing about the wall type or the studs. That is a question for the seller or the maker, not something the listing can answer. The wall structure article explains what to ask about before you order a wall-mounted kit.

Compare two kit listings by what each states: the mechanism, the included hardware, the size and the fold direction. The best Murphy bed kits guide does this comparison on stated details only, without ranking by price.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Does a Murphy bed hardware kit include the mattress?

No. For almost every kit, the mattress is a separate purchase. Wilding states that its foam core mattresses can ship with or without a Murphy bed. Wilding and Night and Day cabinet beds, by contrast, include a tri-fold mattress.

What locking parts come with a hardware kit?

Most kits include a locking pin or latch that holds the bed upright when closed. Wilding describes a patented locking leg system on its HomeFront Series and locking pin hardware on its desk beds, included on both sides.

Do I need to supply the wood for a kit?

Yes. A hardware kit supplies the metal mechanism and fasteners; you supply the wood for the frame and cabinet. A cabinet bed is the opposite: it is a finished piece, not a kit.

What tools do I need to assemble a kit?

The maker's instructions list the tools for that specific kit. Read the tool list before you order so you have everything on hand when the box arrives, and follow the maker's instructions for assembly.

What if a listing does not state the mechanism?

Treat the missing detail as a question for the seller before you buy. A listing that names the mechanism, the locking part and the box contents is easier to compare than one that does not.