Home Improvement/Repair Questions

[matt267 PE]

Has anyone built a murphy bed? I'm looking to turn our "guest" room into a home office, but we still need a bed in there for when the in laws visit. The choices are either an inflatable bed or a murphy bed. The murphy bed would be more expensive, but would last longer and would be more comfortable. The murphy bed would also be a hell of a lot more work to build. I have the basic tools (table saw, miter saw, drills, circular saw, etc.). My skill set is more of a hacker homeowner/weekend warrior. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experience building one. There are kits available that include all the metal hardware but none of the lumber. That would be my responsibility.  

 

[Supe]

Anna White has some seriously cool shit on her site...

http://www.ana-white.com/2010/03/plans-a-murphy-bed-you-can-build-and-afford-to-build.html

 

[matt267 PE]

Thanks Supe. That looks like an awesome site.

 

[Road Guy]

is the room big enough to use a day bed? that what we have in our office and (unfortunately ) use it when family visits seems to double as sofa for an extra place t hang out once in the while

 

[matt267 PE]

Unfortunately, the room is too small. Plus my wife wants the bed to be a queen size. :facepalm:  

 

[Road Guy]

our day bed pulls out from underneath and that makes it a king size (two twin beds next to each other). not the best but if its a free room I don't listen to peoples complaints..

What the wife does is makes the two twin beds as one and the she got one of those 4" mattress toppers from Costco to put on top of the twin so you don't feel the seam as much..  actually the twin mattresses we have are probably the most comfortable in our house..  But if its too small for twin day then that wont work

 

[matt267 PE]

That could be a possibility too RG. I'll look into that.

 

[matt267 PE]

RG, the daybed idea looks like it will work in the space AND the wife likes it. Thanks for the suggestion. Ikea has one that will meet our needs.

 

[P-E]

RG, the daybed idea looks like it will work in the space AND the wife likes it. Thanks for the suggestion. Ikea has one that will meet our needs.

We got the HEMNES for our extra room.  Took a bit to assemble, but it has worked out for us.

Choose a better mattress option than the standard one that is shown with it.

 

[matt267 PE]

PE, that's the one that we're looking at from Ikea. I'm assuming putting that together would be easier than building a murphy bed. Do the two twin mattresses fit side by side perpendicular to the back of the daybed. Meaning, would I be able to set it up so the back of the daybed (the part against the wall) is the headboard with each person having their own mattress (I would use a mattress topper)? 

 

[P-E]

PE, that's the one that we're looking at from Ikea. I'm assuming putting that together would be easier than building a murphy bed. Do the two twin mattresses fit side by side perpendicular to the back of the daybed. Meaning, would I be able to set it up so the back of the daybed (the part against the wall) is the headboard with each person having their own mattress (I would use a mattress topper)? 

Haven't tried perpendicular.  They fit parallel obviously.  Ill look tonight. 

 

[matt267 PE]

Haven't tried perpendicular.  They fit parallel obviously.  Ill look tonight. 

thanks. Do your guests sleep parallel to the mattresses or perpendicular?

Yes, I'm making this more complicated than it has to be. But trust me, I'm an engineer.

 

[P-E]

Parallel. 

 

[Supe]

Matt - the pair of mattresses on the Hemnes ends up square, i.e. if you extend it, you can flip the mattresses to run lengthwise where the couch "back" becomes the headboard.  

Junior has outgrown her loft bed, and I will probably end up picking up the Hemnes as well for her room.  I can't build one at that price.  

 

[knight1fox3]

thanks. Do your guests sleep parallel to the mattresses or perpendicular?

Yes, I'm making this more complicated than it has to be. But trust me, I'm an engineer.

 

[matt267 PE]

Fox, but my in laws aren't from France.

 

[P-E]

Matt - the pair of mattresses on the Hemnes ends up square, i.e. if you extend it, you can flip the mattresses to run lengthwise where the couch "back" becomes the headboard.  

Junior has outgrown her loft bed, and I will probably end up picking up the Hemnes as well for her room.  I can't build one at that price.  

Yup each mattress is approx 3' x 6'. 

 

[Road Guy]

We have the old fashioned style day bed (although its new)

Ignore the family related quilt and stuff...

 

[matt267 PE]

Nice. I think a day bed will be the way we go.

 

[Road Guy]

We got ours at one of those big furniture style store (american furniture warehouse), maybe like $200 bucks? But we already had the mattress's