Murphy Bed Installation — We Install the Wall Bed Kit You Bought
The wall bed arrived in eight boxes and the instructions want two people, a level and a stud finder. We put it together, anchor it to the wall and set the lift so it works right the first time.
Murphy bed installation is the assembly and anchoring of a wall bed you already bought: a hardware kit with a plywood cabinet we build, or a finished cabinet bed from a retailer or online. JMB Builders installs Murphy beds across the Twin Cities metro: cabinet assembled square, screwed into the studs, lift mechanism mounted and adjusted so the bed opens and closes with one hand. Priced per unit, labor only.
- Priced per unit, labor only
- Hardware kit or finished cabinet bed
- Anchored into the studs
- Lift adjusted to your mattress weight
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A Murphy bed is a cabinet fastened to the wall with a bed frame that pivots up into it on pistons or springs. There are two kinds of purchase. A hardware kit gives you the mechanism, the legs and a cut list, and someone has to build the cabinet and frame from plywood. A cabinet bed from a furniture retailer or online arrives flat-packed and has to be assembled, squared, anchored and adjusted. We do both, labor only, with the bed you bought.
The part that matters is the anchoring. A wall bed is heavy and it pivots, so the cabinet has to be screwed into the studs through the back or a mounting cleat, with the wall checked for what is behind it first. The lift is then adjusted to the mattress: too little tension and the bed slams down, too much and it will not stay open. We set it with your mattress on the frame and check it through a dozen cycles.
Send the make and model, or the kit's cut list, with a photo of the wall and the ceiling height. We tell you before you order if the wall is wide enough, if the ceiling clears the cabinet, and if the mattress you have is the right depth. Side cabinets, a desk that folds with the bed, or trim to blend the cabinet into the room can be added to the same visit.
What you supply
- The Murphy bed: a hardware kit with its cut list, or a flat-packed cabinet bed, delivered to the room before we arrive
- The mattress, within the depth and weight the kit or cabinet is rated for
- Photos of the wall straight on, the wall width, the ceiling height and where the outlets, registers and baseboard are
- Whether you want side cabinets, a fold-down desk or trim to tie it into the room
- Paint or stain if we are building a kit cabinet and finishing it, quoted as a separate line
What JMB supplies
- Assembly of a flat-packed cabinet bed square and true, with the hardware in the order the maker intends
- Plywood cabinet and bed frame built to the cut list for a hardware kit, edged and ready for finish
- Stud finding and anchoring through the back or cleat into the studs, with the correct fasteners for the wall
- Mounting the lift mechanism, legs and latches, and setting the piston or spring tension to your mattress
- Baseboard cut back so the cabinet sits flat to the wall, and returned at the ends
- Side cabinets, shelves or trim to blend the bed into the room when you want them
- A test of the full cycle with the mattress on, and a walk-through of how to operate it
- Photos of the finished bed in your job folder
How it is priced: per unit
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Flat-packed cabinet bed to assemble vs. a hardware kit where we also build the cabinet and frame
- Vertical vs. horizontal (side-fold) bed
- Twin, full or queen
- Side cabinets, a fold-down desk or a sofa front in the same install
- Baseboard that has to be cut back, or crown or trim to tie the cabinet into the room
- Wall condition: drywall over studs vs. plaster, block or a wall with a chase behind it
- Painting or staining a kit cabinet, quoted as its own line
Send the make and model or a link to the kit, a photo of the wall with a tape measure across it, and the ceiling height. We confirm it fits before you order.
How long it takes
A flat-packed cabinet bed: most of a day to assemble, anchor and adjust. A hardware kit where we build the cabinet: two to three days. Side cabinets or a desk add a half day to a day.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Flat-packed cabinet bed
A finished wall bed from a furniture retailer or online store that arrives in boxes. We assemble it, square it, anchor it into the studs and set the lift to your mattress.
Hardware kit with a site-built cabinet
A piston or spring mechanism with a cut list. We build the cabinet and bed frame from plywood to the kit's dimensions, mount the hardware, anchor it and finish it or leave it ready for paint.
Horizontal wall bed
A side-fold bed for low ceilings or narrow walls, where the cabinet is wider than it is tall. Same anchoring and adjustment; the layout on the wall is different.
Bed with side cabinets or a desk
Bookcases or wardrobes on each side of the bed, or a desk that folds flat with the bed as it comes down. Assembled from the maker's matching pieces or built on site to match.
Murphy Bed Installation — We Install the Wall Bed Kit You Bought: questions, answered
Do you install Murphy beds that I bought online?
Yes. That is what this service is. Buy the wall bed or the hardware kit wherever you like and have it delivered to the room. We assemble it, anchor it into the studs, mount the lift and adjust it to your mattress. Send the make and model, or a link, with a photo of the wall first and we check that it fits the wall and the ceiling before you order.
How is a Murphy bed attached to the wall?
Through the cabinet back or a mounting cleat into the wall studs with structural screws or lag bolts, at the points the maker calls for. We find the studs first and check what is behind the wall. On a block or plaster wall the anchors change. A wall bed is never held by drywall anchors alone; it pivots and it is heavy.
Can you build the cabinet for a Murphy bed hardware kit?
Yes. Kits from the hardware makers come with a mechanism and a cut list, not a cabinet. We cut the cabinet sides, top, face panels and the bed frame from plywood to the kit's dimensions, edge them, assemble the frame, mount the hardware and anchor it. Painting or staining is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What mattress works with a Murphy bed?
One within the depth and weight the kit or cabinet is rated for; most take a standard mattress up to a certain thickness and not a heavy pillow-top. The lift is tuned to the mattress weight, so a lighter or heavier mattress later means re-tuning. Tell us what mattress you have when you send the model and we check it against the maker's limits.
How long does Murphy bed installation take?
A flat-packed cabinet bed takes most of a day: unpack, assemble, square, anchor, mount the lift, set the tension and test the cycle. A hardware kit where we also build the cabinet takes two to three days. Side cabinets or a desk add a half day or more. You get the bed the same day it is anchored.
Will you remove the baseboard behind the Murphy bed?
The cabinet has to sit flat against the wall, so the baseboard behind it is cut out and the ends are returned so it looks finished on both sides of the cabinet. Some cabinet beds have a notch or a spacer for the baseboard instead. We look at the model and tell you which before we start.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All built-ins pages
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