Note: I am not a professional and do not claim to be an expert. Please be sure to always read instructions for all tools and products. Safety is very important and should be your top priority. Wear necessary protection when using tools (eye wear, hearing protection, gloves, etc.) and dust masks when sanding or cutting. Sarah Flips It is not responsible for any injury or damage. All of my designs are not professionally designed and are for private use only.
Build a beginner-friendly DIY murphy bed using a kit and easy-to-follow guide!
Table of Contents
WHY BUILD A DIY MURPHY BED?
We needed our basement to function as both a guest room and an office, but we didn’t have enough space to dedicate separate rooms for each. Instead of choosing one over the other, we decided to combine them! A murphy bed felt like the perfect solution, and using a murphy bed kit made the project feel manageable from the start. It completely transformed the space and gave us the flexibility we needed.
Supplies for DIY MURPHY BED
Tools:
Materials:
- Murphy bed kit
- 1/2 inch foam
- Paint + primer
- Plywood
- MDF
- Decorative trim
What Comes in a DIY Murphy Bed Kit?
I ordered this murphy bed kit from Amazon, and it simplified the entire building process. The kit includes all the hardware, such as joints, springs, brackets, and metal components, along with detailed step-by-step instructions. I purchased the queen size, but there are also twin and full sizes.
The instructions were incredibly thorough. They explained:
- What type of plywood to buy
- How much to purchase
- The exact dimensions for every piece
- How far apart to space components
- How to assemble everything correctly
Having that level of detail made the build feel muuuuch less intimidating.
Is a DIY Murphy Bed Kit Beginner-Friendly?
If you’re a beginner or intermediate DIYer, don’t let this project scare you off. I usually rely on multiple YouTube tutorials when building something new, but with this murphy bed kit, I followed the printed instructions from start to finish and didn’t need anything extra.
The company also offers a help hotline if questions come up. That extra support is a big confidence boost, especially when you’re installing lifting hardware and springs.
Overall, I found the murphy bed kit much easier to assemble than I expected.
One Thing I Did Differently
The only change I made from the guide was painting all the pieces before assembly.
The instructions recommend painting after everything is put together, but I found it much easier to paint the panels beforehand. It saved time and didn’t affect the build at all!
For those who are curious – the paint color I used was Coffee Nook by Magnolia!
Was the DIY Murphy Bed Kit Worth It?
Yes, absolutely!
The project was far less complicated than I expected, and the plans were completely worth it. The only time I needed extra hands was at the very end when I had my nieces help lift it into place and secure everything.
Two years later, it’s still holding up beautifully! It functions exactly as it should, and being able to switch from office to guest room in minutes has been a total game changer for our home.
How did you create the faux fireplace?
I have a blog post with details on the faux fireplace build linked here.
Final thoughts
If you’re considering a murphy bed kit, I would definitely recommend it. It’s a practical DIY project that makes a big impact without being overwhelming.
