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A wall-mounted twin murphy bed built from a simple plywood-and-1x12 box and a hinged mattress panel, using standard door hinges instead of a purchased murphy-bed hardware kit.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box sides | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 78 1/2" | Pine 1x12 | ☐ |
| Box bottom | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 42 1/4" | Pine 1x12 | ☐ |
| Box back supports | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 42 1/4" | Pine 1x4 | ☐ |
| Box front support trim, top | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 43 3/4" | Pine 1x2 | ☐ |
| Box side trim | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 77" | Pine 1x2 | ☐ |
| Box top side trim | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 12 1/4" | Pine 1x2 | ☐ |
| Box front top trim | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 45 1/4" | Pine 1x2 | ☐ |
| Box top, back | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 47 1/4" | Pine 1x3 | ☐ |
| Box top, front | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 47 1/4" | Pine 1x12 | ☐ |
| Mattress box back | 1 | 1/2" × 40 1/2" × 76 1/2" | Plywood or MDF | ☐ |
| Mattress box bottom | 1 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 40 1/2" | Pine 1x8 | ☐ |
| Mattress box sides Cut lengthwise at a diagonal from one board to get both sides. | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 55" | Pine 1x8 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood or MDF, 1/2", 4x8 sheet | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pine, 1x12, 8 ft | 3 each | ☐ |
| Pine, 1x8, 8 ft | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pine, 1x4, 8 ft | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pine, 1x3, 8 ft | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pine, 1x2, 8 ft | 3 each | ☐ |
| Hobby stock, 1/4" thick For door decoration trim. | 2 sheet | ☐ |
| Wood screws, 2" | 1 box | ☐ |
| Finish nails, 2" | 1 box | ☐ |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box | ☐ |
| Brad nails, 5/8" | 1 box | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 4 oz | ☐ |
| Wood filler | 1 can | ☐ |
| Sandpaper, assorted grit | 3 sheet | ☐ |
| Heavy-duty hinges or continuous piano hinge | 1 each | ☐ |
| Heavy-duty magnetic clasp | 1 each | ☐ |
| Compression hinges Optional; slows the bed lowering into place. | 1 pair | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Pine, 1x12, 8 ft, Wood glue
Fasten the sides to the bottom with 2" screws and glue.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Pine, 1x4, 8 ft, Wood glue
Fasten the back supports to the box, flush with the top and back, using 2" screws and glue. Also fasten through the bottom of the box into the bottom support.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Hammer. Materials: Pine, 1x2, 8 ft, Wood glue
Fasten the front support trim to the box with 2" screws and glue, top edges flush. Using 2" nails and glue, fasten the side trim to the box with outside edges flush — also fasten to the bottom of the box, and fasten through the top trim into the top end edge of the side trim.
Tools: Hammer. Materials: Pine, 1x2, 8 ft, Wood glue
Fasten the front top trim in place with 1-1/4" nails and glue, keeping top and outside edges flush. Use 2" nails at the ends to fasten to the side trim and sides.
Tools: Hammer. Materials: Pine, 1x12, 8 ft, Pine, 1x3, 8 ft, Wood glue
Using 2" nails and glue, fasten the top back piece to the box top, leaving a 1" overhang at both ends and keeping the back flush. Attach the top front piece the same way, leaving a 1" overhang on the front and sides.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Jigsaw. Materials: Plywood or MDF, 1/2", 4x8 sheet, Pine, 1x8, 8 ft, Wood glue
Screw the bottom board to the plywood back with 2" screws and glue. Fasten the diagonally-cut sides to the bottom and back with 2" screws and glue.
Tools: Brad Nailer. Materials: Hobby stock, 1/4" thick, Wood glue
Using 1/4" hobby stock, fasten your desired decorative pattern to the face of the mattress box door. Secure with glue, 5/8" brad nails, and clamps, and let dry.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Heavy-duty hinges or continuous piano hinge, Heavy-duty magnetic clasp, Compression hinges
Use heavy-duty hinges (or a continuous piano hinge) to attach the mattress box to the wall box. Add a magnetic clasp to keep the door from falling open when shut. Optional compression hinges keep the door from free-falling open when unlatched.
Tools: Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Wood filler, Sandpaper, assorted grit
Fill any nail or screw holes with wood filler, sand, and finish as desired.
Tools: Drill / Driver
Screw through the back-support boards into wall studs, at both the top and bottom of the box. A wide elastic strap secured to the plywood door is also recommended to keep the mattress in place when the bed is closed. Sized to fit a standard twin mattress, 39" x 75".