What Are the Disadvantages of a Murphy Bed? 8 Honest Downsides

Last updated October 2026 by the Forward Furniture team

A Murphy bed is one of the best ways to get a real bed into a small room. It is not the right answer for every room, though, and most sellers skip the hard parts. This guide lists the real downsides, with the numbers from the beds we sell.

For each one, you will see when it matters and when it does not. If a downside rules out a wall bed for you, there is usually a fix: a horizontal model, a different mattress, or a freestanding cabinet bed like the Olivia. Browse our Murphy beds as you read.

Does a Murphy Bed Have to Be Attached to the Wall?

Yes, a wall bed does. This is the biggest downside. The makers of the Key West and Claremont say the bed must be anchored to the wall, and the Heidi full and queen should be fixed into at least two wood studs. A heavy frame swings down from the cabinet, so the anchor is a safety part, not an option.

That causes problems when:

• You rent and your lease does not allow large holes in the wall.
• The wall is concrete, like many basement walls, and needs different anchors.
• There are no studs where you want the bed, or the wall is a thin partition.
• Young children could pull on an unanchored cabinet.

When it does not matter: you own the home and have a solid wall. The fix if it does: a cabinet bed. The Olivia needs no wall attachment at all, so it works in a rental. See our freestanding cabinet beds and our Murphy bed safety guide for toddlers.

How Tall Does a Ceiling Need to Be for a Murphy Bed?

A vertical Murphy bed stands on its end when closed, so it needs a tall ceiling. The Key West queen is 88.1 inches tall closed and needs a 92.1 inch ceiling. The full needs 87 inches. That rules out many basements, rooms with bulkheads and rooms with a sloped ceiling.

The fix: a horizontal bed folds down sideways. The Claremont queen is only 64.2 inches tall closed, and the Olivia cabinet bed is 40 inches tall. Our Murphy bed dimensions guide lists every size.

How Much Floor Space Does an Open Murphy Bed Need?

A Murphy bed saves floor space during the day, not at night. When it is open, it takes the same space as a regular bed, plus room to walk. Real numbers from the maker specs:

• Key West queen (vertical): reaches 92.9 inches from the wall.
• Claremont queen (horizontal): reaches 69.4 inches from the wall.
• Olivia queen cabinet bed: needs about 83 inches of clear floor in front.

Anything in that space, like a desk chair, rug edge or coffee table, has to move every night. Plan a clear path before you buy.

Do Murphy Beds Need a Special Mattress?

Not a special one, but not any mattress either. Each frame has limits on thickness and weight, and some take no futons at all:

• Key West queen: 8 to 12 inches thick, 60 to 90 lb.
• Claremont queen: 8 to 10 inches thick, 35 to 70 lb.
• Heidi: up to 8 inches for twin and full, up to 10 inches for queen.

A thick pillow top or a heavy hybrid may not fit, and a mattress that is too light can make the pistons push the bed up. Most wall beds also do not include a mattress, so budget for one. Our guide on whether Murphy beds need a special mattress goes deeper.

Cabinet beds have the opposite trade. The Olivia and the Stow come with a 6 inch tri-fold mattress, so there is nothing to buy, but it is thinner than most everyday mattresses. Read are cabinet Murphy beds comfortable before you choose.

Why Do Murphy Beds Cost More Than a Regular Bed?

You pay for a cabinet, a steel lift frame and a piston system, not just a bed. In our catalogue today, wall bed frames run from $1,424.99 for the Heidi twin to $3,067.99 for the Avalon queen. That is before a mattress and any installer.

Cabinet beds include the mattress. The Stow queen is $2,417.99 with its mattress.

The Olivia also includes its mattress; its price is on its product page. See why Murphy beds cost what they do and what installation costs in Canada.

Is a Murphy Bed Hard to Install?

It is not a one person job. Our wall beds ship ready to assemble, and the makers recommend two people or a qualified installer. You will be finding studs, levelling the cabinet and setting the pistons, which takes most people an afternoon or more.

Cabinet beds still need assembly too, and they are heavy. The Stow queen cabinet box alone weighs about 152 lb. The big difference is that nothing goes into the wall. Our guide on how a Murphy bed works shows the pistons and legs.

Is It Annoying to Fold a Murphy Bed Every Day?

For some people, yes. If the bed is used every night, the routine adds up:

1. Clear the floor in front of the bed.
2. Pull it down and flip the legs to the floor.
3. In the morning, strap the bedding in and fold it back up.
4. Put the room back the way it was.

Straps hold the mattress and bedding in place, so you do not strip the bed each day. Thick duvets and lots of pillows may not fit inside the cabinet, though. If you will use it every night, read can you put a Murphy bed on carpet for how flooring changes the setup.

Can You Take a Murphy Bed When You Move?

You can, but it is work. A wall bed has to be unbolted, taken apart and patched out of the wall, then installed again in the new place. Read our guide to moving a Murphy bed and whether a Murphy bed adds home value if you might sell.

A cabinet bed moves like a dresser. Fold it closed, and two people can carry it out.

Which Bed Avoids Which Downside?

Sizes are the maker's specs on our product pages. Wall bed prices do not include a mattress. Prices are live from our catalogue on the day this page was built.

A simple way to choose:

• You own the home, the ceiling is over about 7 feet 8 inches, and it is a nightly bed: a vertical wall bed with your own mattress.
• Low ceiling or a window above the bed: a horizontal wall bed.
• You rent, cannot drill, or may move: a cabinet bed.

Beds That Get Around These Downsides

Olivia Cabinet Bed
Preorder, charged in full at checkout: see the current price

Freestanding hardwood cabinet, no wall attachment, queen tri-fold mattress included.

Claremont Horizontal Murphy Bed
From $2,119.99

Folds down sideways. Queen is 64.2 inches tall closed.

Heidi Grey Horizontal Murphy Bed
From $1,424.99

Folds sideways, takes your own mattress up to 10 inches.

Stow Queen Cabinet Bed
$2,417.99

Acacia wood chest, 42.5 inches tall, with a 6 inch tri-fold gel memory foam mattress.

Murphy Bed Downsides: Questions

What are the cons of a Murphy bed?

It must be anchored into the wall, a vertical one needs a tall ceiling, the mattress has thickness and weight limits, and the open bed needs as much floor as a regular bed. It also costs more and takes two people to install.

Can you put a Murphy bed in a rental?

Only if your landlord allows anchoring into the studs. If not, a freestanding cabinet bed needs no wall attachment and moves with you.

How much does a Murphy wall bed cost?

In our catalogue today, wall bed frames run from $1,424.99 for the Heidi twin to $3,067.99 for the Avalon queen, without a mattress. Cabinet beds include a tri-fold mattress.

Can you sleep on a Murphy bed every night?

Yes. A wall bed takes a normal 8 to 12 inch mattress, so it can be an everyday bed. Folding it up each morning is the part some people stop doing.

Is a cabinet bed better than a Murphy bed?

It is better if you cannot drill, have a low ceiling or may move. A wall bed is better if you want your own thicker mattress every night.

Still deciding? Compare both in cabinet bed vs Murphy bed.

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