Thread: Building a bed

Bizzy, welcome.. do yourself, and hubby a favour, go visit you local CARAVAN dealer and look at how the caravan industry handles the storage situation, I think you may find the answers you are looking for there.

Sounds like a variation of a Murphy Bed to me. Might try doing a Google Search on Murphy Bed and see if it turns up anything you like.

Paul

Originally Posted by bizzy

New user, so hopefully I am in the right section :confused:.....My husband is planning to build a queen or king size bed that lifts up for storage, (similar to the one in the picture),

What picture are you referring to??

This thread was posted twice but the other thread got the picture. The other thread is here http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=25883. I didnt reply to either as I thought Brudda's comments might yeald a solution.

Corbs

Hi there,
If it's a folding type bed you're after, I looked into making a Murphy Bed / Wall bed / Fold Up Bed whatever name you like a few months back.
There is a company CreateABed that sells the hardware kits to make these http://www.wallbed.com/ I spoke with them anf got a quote for a kit and it was going to cost almost $500 delivered for the kit.

There is also a bloke here in Melbourne that sells a different type of kit that includes aluminium frame for the mattress as well. His kit was going to cost me over $1000. I think there is a mob in Sydney doing same. Google is your friend.

I decided against both of these and decided to build my own. Google "murphy bed' and you'll find a fair few ideas on alternative methods and plans.

Not the easiest project but hey if it wasn't a challenge where would the fun be?

Cheers.

It was worth the effort of posting and attaching the pic eventually, thanks for all your suggestions at least I have a better idea of where to start looking....thanks

Bizzy,
Lee Valley makes/sells two different kits for Murphy beds. They're in Canada, but don't let that stop you from buying off them. Lots of people on this BB have used them - excellent service and good prices. It's sometimes cheaper and quicker to buy off them than a local or interstate supplier.

Mick

That looks to be some serious metal work in there as well. If you/ your hubby/ his mates can weld, then you have a chance to build your own. You can buy gas struts from one of the large engineering distributors that cater to the truck & ute body builders - you can get struts that will lift up to 250kg & have throws from 6" (15cm) up to around 2 ft(60cm).

Or you can buy a 'Murphy bed' kit from Lee Valley or Rockler - both are very easy to deal with & are very reliable.

Another, completely different approach is the 'Captain's Bed' originally a 'single' bed design with drawers that goes against the wall, in a double/queen/king size you could have 2-3 large drawers on each side on roller slides & the top does not have to lift up.

Contact Wison & Bradley - they're in most capital cities, I'm sure they sell the folding mechanism for folding beds.

I can not believe the wealth of ideas that are being added to my query, thanks a million and dont stop the more info I have the easier the job will be...thanks

It seems like you're referring to a lift-up storage bed. This is a type of bed whose platform (not the entire frame) raises up to reveal underbin storage. It's a great storage soloution. I'm actually going to be building one myself. There are kits available online, but seeing that you're in australia I don't know if the two sites I know of will help you. One is :
http://www.liftandstorbeds.com/storage.html
and the other is
http://www.spacesaverswallbeds.com/page/834628
Hopefully this helps.

There's also an article in which a woman and her husband actually dictate how they built their own version:
http://www.43things.com/entries/view/1398716

Good luck to you


~ Nando
"We Must Remember That One Man Is Much The Same As Another, And That He Is Best Who Is Trained In The Severest School"