Murphy Bed DIY: 10 Lessons I Learned from My First Build
- Hilary Kalb
- Oct 2
- 8 min read
This summer we moved our two girls into what used to be our home office/guest room. Since summer isn’t our busy season for visitors, losing the guest room for a while wasn’t a big deal. But with cooler weather on the way (and another baby girl joining us soon), it was only a matter of time before we needed to bring back a comfortable space for guests.
The challenge? I didn’t want to give up the playroom. Without a basement, it’s the one dedicated space where our girls can really spread out. At the same time, we still needed a nursery, an office, and a guest room—but only had three bedrooms to work with. That’s when I started researching Murphy beds—and the idea for this DIY project was born.
One of the big appeals was that I could reuse our like-new queen mattress. A lot of people assume Murphy beds require a special or thinner mattress, but many kits (including the one I chose) are designed to work with a standard mattress. That made the project both practical and budget-friendly.
After comparing a few different options, I decided to use the Create-A-Bed Queen Vertical hardware kit as the foundation for the build. We'd get to use our like-new queen mattress, and the kit came with most of the hardware I'd need and detailed instructions, but as with most DIY projects, there was still plenty to figure out.
Here’s what I learned along the way—my wins, mistakes, and lessons from tackling a Murphy bed build for the first time.
Lesson 1. Don’t Try to Install Alone
I’ve never tackled a project where I truly needed another set of hands before—I prefer working solo. But a Murphy bed installation is different. The frame weighs around 150 pounds, and it’s not just heavy—it’s bulky and awkward. At certain points, you literally need to be in two places at once, which is impossible without help. I had plenty of moments where I wished I could keep working while my husband wasn’t around, but the whole installation really does require teamwork.
My advice? Plan ahead. Schedule a dedicated installation day, or recruit a neighbor or friend if your partner’s not available. It just isn’t possible otherwise. (Thanks again, Joe!)
Lesson 2. Precision Is Everything
This was my second most frustrating lesson. I was off by just 1/16" on the male pivot plate, and that tiny error snowballed into at least four hours of rework and testing (all of which required a second set of hands!). That small misalignment caused the top of the bed to sit 1/4" off, which meant rubbing every time it opened and closed.
I didn’t want to fill and redrill the hole since I wasn’t confident it would stay structurally sound. Instead, I came up with a hack: I cut three business cards into small spacers and tucked them behind the pivot plate to redirect the angle while still keeping a tight hold. It worked perfectly.
When people say “measure twice, cut once,” the same absolutely applies here. Double-check everything before committing. It will save you hours of frustration.
Lesson 3. Skip the Table Saw
You don’t need to own every tool in the book to build a Murphy bed. I had Home Depot handle most of the long cuts for me, which saved both time and stress. (This also helped everything fit all the wood in my SUV!)
One piece they won't cut is the solid wood leg support rail—it’s too narrow (3/4" × 3/4" × 60-1/4"). At first I thought I’d have to buy a table saw just for this one cut, and I was not excited about that. Thankfully, I found a workaround: a 3/4" unfinished pine wood lattice moulding from Lowe’s. It fit perfectly and saved me from buying an expensive tool I didn’t really need. Crisis averted.
Lesson 4. Label Every Cut
This one’s simple but worth repeating: label every single cut piece of wood. Once everything’s stacked up, it’s surprisingly easy to get lost and mix pieces up—and that’s the fastest way to waste time (and your sanity). I labeled small stickers in advance, then stuck them on as each cut was made at Home Depot. It made assembly so much smoother and eliminated all the second-guessing later.
Lesson 5. Curved Cuts Aren’t So Bad
Curved cuts and arches look beautiful, but I’ll be honest—I was intimidated at first. To my surprise, they turned out to be much more forgiving than I expected. I made one test cut on a scrap piece with my jigsaw, and that was all the practice I needed to feel confident tackling the real thing. With some light sanding, the finished edges looked great!
Lesson 6. Protect the Hardware While Raising the Frame
When the side panels and bed frame are attached and you raise the side rails, the frame drags along the floor. Because of the male pivot hole misalignment (see Lesson 2), we ended up raising and lowering the side panels a lot. I worries about damaging the hardware or having it catch and widen the holes.
My workaround: I stacked scrap wood, wrapped it in old sheets, and placed it under the frame. This elevated the frame just enough to keep the hardware off the floor, while still allowing the supports to move with it. The instructions also recommend laying a rug or blanket under the entire frame—another critical layer of protection.
It’s a small detail, but it makes the process so much smoother (and saves your hardware from unnecessary wear).
Lesson 7. Assemble the Header on the Ground
Don’t try to build the header upright—trust me on this one. Working flat on the ground lets gravity do most of the work so you can focus on keeping everything square while you clamp it in place. It also means you won’t need a second set of hands for this step.
Assembling the header flat saves time, sanity, and prevents the risk of things tipping over before they’re secure. Once everything looks good, raise the side panels and test the bed frame clearance before locking it into place.
Lesson 8. Plan Around Your Walls
Not every wall is perfectly straight—mine definitely wasn’t. Mounting the frame is the most critical part of the whole build, and uneven walls make it extra tricky. If you’re working with curves or dips, expect some problem-solving here.
In my case, the wall curved about 3/4" at the top, which meant I needed a strong filler. I considered a French cleat, but lifting the entire face panel to lock it into place would have been a headache. I also thought about adding a filler behind the header and using 4" drywall toggle anchors, but I didn’t love that option either.
What worked best was cutting down solid 1x4 unfinished oak (you need a super strong wood for this) to use as a filler, anchoring it directly to the studs with 3" cabinet screws, and then securing the header into that with 2" cabinet screws. Strong, simple, and sturdy.
Of course, that 3/4" filler left a noticeable gap along the outside edges of the cabinet. To solve it, I added trim and caulked to cover the exterior gap and finished the inside edges with MDF 1x2s for a clean, polished look.
Lesson 9. Think Twice About Tackling This While Pregnant
I'd rank this as a hard pass for pregnancy. It involves heavy lifting, bending, and plenty of awkward maneuvering—not exactly ideal when you’re expecting. On top of that, there’s sanding, priming, and painting, which means extra safety precautions are essential. Of course, I found out we were expecting after I'd started and there was no going back.
Even with an N95 mask and gloves, I wasn’t comfortable using the primer and paint I already had since none of it was zero (or even low) VOC. Instead, I went with Zinsser Smart Prime (water-based, low VOC) and ECOS furniture paint (zero VOC). Both worked really well, although the ECOS paint is on the pricey side and this added some extra time to get everything shipped.
If you’re pregnant and determined to take this on, just know you’ll need to plan ahead, work slowly, and budget for safer materials.
Lesson 10. The Noise Fades—and the Confidence Grows
At first, I’ll admit I was nervous about having something this heavy in the playroom—a space where my girls play on their own. When the hardware squeaked and groaned during those first 24 hours, I was convinced I’d done something wrong, and my worry spiked.
Thankfully, the noise completely disappeared after a day. Apparently, the hardware just needed time to settle. That gave me some relief, but I knew I wouldn’t really feel confident until I tested things for myself.
So I put the bed through a few stress tests—opening and closing it over and over, bumping into the frame with force, and checking how the gas pistons performed under pressure. Nothing budged unexpectedly. The kit helped a lot here too: it came with gas pistons and sturdy hardware designed specifically for safety, which gave me peace of mind that the components were built for the job.
After all that testing, I finally felt comfortable letting the bed share a room with my girls. Now, instead of worrying, I get the satisfaction of knowing ‘I built this’ every time I pull the bed down—plus the bonus of giving our girls their playroom and creating a guest room that neatly tucks away when not in use. It feels like we truly maximized the space in our home.
Kid Safety Tip 👧👦Since our Murphy bed lives in the playroom, safety was top of mind. Our girls know it’s not a toy, and with the pulls mounted high, they can’t reach them on their own. After stress testing the hardware and seeing how securely everything operates, I have peace of mind knowing the bed isn’t a risk to them, even in a space where they play every day.
Wrapping It Up
Building a Murphy bed is not a quick weekend project—it’s a commitment of time, patience, and problem-solving. Along the way, I made mistakes, found workarounds, and learned a lot more than I expected. But the end result is a custom piece of furniture that saves space, works beautifully, and makes our home more functional for both family and guests.
If you’re thinking about tackling your own Murphy bed build, my biggest advice is this: go in with realistic expectations, give yourself extra time, and don’t be afraid to get creative when challenges pop up. The frustration fades, but the pride of saying “I built this” sticks around every time you pull the bed down.
💬 Have you ever tackled a big DIY project—Murphy bed or otherwise? Share your wins (and lessons learned!) in the comments. I’d love to hear your stories.