How to measure for a Murphy bed
The short answer
Measure the wall’s width, the ceiling height and the floor in front of it, each to the nearest 1/16″ and in more than one place, then find the studs.
- Measure everything to the nearest 1/16″, in more than one place, and use the smallest number.
- You need the wall width, the ceiling height and the floor in front of the bed.
- Look for outlets, switches, vents and trim where the cabinet will stand.
- Find the studs before you order. The cabinet is screwed to them.
- Measure the way in, too. The longest boxes are about as long as the cabinet is tall.
Measure the wall’s width
We build to the measurements you give us, and we don’t measure on site, so this part matters most. Measure the wall where the bed will stand at three heights: near the floor, at waist height and near the ceiling. Walls are rarely perfectly straight, and corners are rarely perfectly square. Write down all three, to the nearest 1/16″, and use the smallest.
Then add up what you want on that wall: the bed’s cabinet, plus any side cabinets beside it. The table at the end gives every bed’s width; a queen vertical bed’s cabinet is 65-7/8″ wide.
Measure the ceiling height
Measure from the floor to the ceiling in the same three places along the wall, and again use the smallest. A vertical Queen or King cabinet is 87-1/8″ tall, so a standard 8′ (96″) ceiling leaves room above it. If your ceiling is within an inch or two of the cabinet’s height, or it slopes, call us before you order.
Measure the floor in front
When the bed comes down, it reaches into the room: 87″ for a vertical Queen, 67″ for a horizontal Queen. Measure out from the wall and make sure that floor is clear, with room to walk around the end of the bed. A rug is fine; a dresser in the way is not.
Check what’s on the wall
Look at the wall where the cabinet will stand and note anything on it: outlets, light switches, thermostats, vents, windows and their trim. Measure the height of the baseboard and of any crown molding. None of these has to stop you, but tell us about them before we build. A switch hidden behind a cabinet is a switch you can’t reach.
Find the studs
A Murphy bed is screwed to the wall framing, never to drywall alone. Find the studs with a stud finder and mark where they fall inside the cabinet’s width. Most homes have wood studs 16″ apart. Metal studs and masonry walls can take a Murphy bed too, with the right fasteners; What wall does a Murphy bed need? goes through each.
Measure the way in
Your order comes flat-packed, so it doesn’t need to fit through the door in one piece, but the parts still have to get to the room. The cabinet sides are the longest pieces, about as long as the cabinet is tall. Measure the turns on the stairs and the halls on the way, and make sure two people can carry a 87-1/8″ box through them.
Every bed’s size
| Bed | Cabinet width | Cabinet height | Depth, closed | Reach, down | Mattress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Twin | 44-7/8″ | 82-1/8″ | 15-7/8″ | 83″ | 39″ × 75″ |
| Vertical Full | 59-7/8″ | 82-1/8″ | 15-7/8″ | 83″ | 54″ × 75″ |
| Vertical Queen | 65-7/8″ | 87-1/8″ | 15-7/8″ | 87″ | 60″ × 80″ |
| Vertical King | 81-7/8″ | 87-1/8″ | 15-7/8″ | 87″ | 76″ × 80″ |
| Horizontal Twin | 80-7/8″ | 45-3/8″ | 15-7/8″ | 46″ | 39″ × 75″ |
| Horizontal Full | 80-7/8″ | 60-7/16″ | 15-7/8″ | 61″ | 54″ × 75″ |
| Horizontal Queen | 85-7/8″ | 66-7/16″ | 15-7/8″ | 67″ | 60″ × 80″ |
| Horizontal King | 85-7/8″ | 83-1/8″ | 15-7/8″ | 83″ | 76″ × 80″ |
The bed’s cabinet alone, without side cabinets. “Reach” is how far the bed comes out from the wall once it is down.
Questions we get
How accurate do my measurements need to be?
To the nearest 1/16″. We build to the numbers you give us, and a custom order can’t be returned, so measure twice and use the smallest number you get.
Do you come out and measure?
No. We don’t measure on site. If something about your wall is unusual, call us at (423) 373-5566 with your numbers and photos and we’ll go through them with you before you order.
Does the bed have to be centered on the wall?
No. Put it wherever the studs and the room work best, as long as the cabinet can be screwed to the studs.
What if I’m between two sizes?
Call us at (423) 373-5566. A side cabinet can be built to any width from 18″ to 33″, to the sixteenth, which often makes a wall work.
Ready to plan yours?
Every bed is priced live on its page, built to the measurements you give us.
