I am doing a public safety facility where we have a “Dark Room” (a dormitory space) where the Owner wants to use murphy beds. Does anyone have a spec you would like to share or a manufacturer you can point me to?
Email me your guide spec at jpjordan@jordanconsultants.com
Peter,
I build a twin size Murphy bed from a set of plans that came with the Murphy Bed hardware. I suggest the hardware be in an appropriate Div 06 Section and the details (plans, profiles, etc) in the drawings. I have not seen a premanufactured MB. There are firms that will build them to comply with any design. However, perhaps big box outlets such as Mors Furniture have a ready made MB. Construction was easy. Lugging the pre-built sections up a flight of stairs to my 2nd floor was the hardest.
At summer camp, we had single beds that were supported by hinges to the wall and chains at the outside corners of the frame. (I suppose you could use legs that fold flat as an alternative to the chains.) The lifted into cavities in the wall. Add a piece of upholstery to the bottom of the bed frame and it looks all right.
Try “125426-Wall Beds and Murphy Beds” here at 4Specs. There are four manufacturers listed.
Sorry, I hit post too soon. From the a quick review of the four manufacturers sites it appears to me that this is a piece of furniture that comes to the site assembled or partially assembled and can be either surface mounted or installed in a wall recess. I would just specify it as furniture and be done with it.
I agree with Mr. Rosen. Even though it is secured to a wall it is furniture like a sofa that converts into a bed. I guess Murphy’s Law comes into play here.
I did run across an internet ‘store’ for Murphy beds called “A Bedder Way.” Cute, huh?
There are small manufacturing shops all over the country that make Murphy beds. They purchase the hardware and fabricate the casework. Be sure to specify a mattress that is engineered for use in a Murphy bed - the proper Murphy bed mattress has longitudinal ties that keep the mattress from slowly misshaping while standing on its end; conventional mattresses will not last long.
My first job working for someone other than my father (a carpet installer) was preparing drawings for a Custom Cabinet shop specializing in Murphy Bed configurations. The best part of the job was being able to enter the shop and watch the magic being created by these Austrian and German craftsman and of course the intoxicating aroma of fresh cut wood.
Other than the mattresses and exotic wood, all the other components were obtained from Germany. Their work was outstanding, their detailing impeccable, I learned a lot, perhaps that is why my first Architectural job had me detailing cabinetry and why to this day I admire woodworking.
Jerome, I don’t want to hi-jack this thread but you are so right. It is rare to top the pleasure of watching these craftsmen (craftswomen, crafts-persons) at their work and see the results. What is it about fine wood that seems to bring out the passion in those who work with it?
I guess that is why I swoon over wooden boats. 