Murphy beds are getting more spotlight due to their functionality and versatility. They can help optimize space since you can tuck them into a wall during your waking hours. You can also easily pull the bed up and down whenever you want to take some rest.
But before you can use a Murphy bed, you need a mattress. Choosing a mattress that fits your Murphy bed will ensure you’ll get a good night’s sleep and use it for a long time.
Key Takeaways:
- How Murphy beds can benefit you
- Choosing a mattress for your Murphy bed
- The mattresses that suit Murphy beds
INDEX
Understanding Murphy Beds
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Mattress
Types of Mattresses for Murphy Beds
Tips for Selecting the Right Mattress
Mattress Maintenance and Care Tips
Final Words
Understanding Murphy Beds
Murphy beds, known as wall-mounted beds or hidden beds, combine beds and storage units. They’re mounted and hidden behind a wall when not in use. While traditional beds just remain where they are and take up space, Murphy beds give you the space you need when folded away.
Here are some other benefits of these space-saving beds:
- Maximized floor space: Murphy beds are best for small rooms and apartments with limited area. Once you fold the bed, you can turn your room into your desired space. It can be a living room, a workout room, or just a bare space for you to move around.
- Spare bed: When you install a Murphy bed in your home, you can let your visitor sleep on it if you have a separate bed for yourself. This is perfect for those who have guest rooms but don’t want to use a traditional bed.
- Aesthetically pleasing: Murphy beds can contribute to that goal if you want a minimalistic look in your home. The underside of the bed can match the color of your wall. When you fold the bed, it can give way to a clutter-free space.
- Versatile use: You can do so much more with your Murphy bed. Put a desk with lighting fixtures or install cabinets to make it a storage area. You can incorporate any style and aesthetics into your Murphy bed to make the most out of it when you’re not sleeping.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Mattress
Picking a mattress to sleep on is a decision that needs consideration. These are some factors that you need to take into account:
1. Support and Comfort
The mattress for your Murphy bed should support your body well, especially your spine. When your bed keeps your spine aligned, you can prevent back pain from reoccurring. It’s also important to select a bed between firm and soft to get a comfortable sleep at any time of the day. A firmer mattress might not be comfortable enough for you.
2. Size and Dimensions
You need to determine if the bed’s size fits with the Murphy bed you have at home. When the mattress fits the bed frame, you’ll be able to sleep comfortably at night without fearing you’ll suddenly fall off. A mattress that goes beyond the bed frame’s size may prevent you from properly closing it and damaging its mechanisms.
3. Thickness and Weight
The standard mattress thickness of 10 to 12 inches should support an adult sleeping on its back. It should support weights of 130 to 230 pounds.
Thick mattresses may strain the mechanism of the Murphy beds and ruin the material earlier than intended. It would also be too difficult to store an overly thick mattress when you fold the Murphy bed in the wall. Stick with the standard thickness when choosing a mattress to preserve it and the Murphy bed in the long run.
4. Material and Construction
Make sure your chosen mattress is made of high-quality materials and has a durable construction. Research the most common materials in Murphy beds and how they align with your needs. Compare your data and decide which kind of mattress you want to buy.
Types of Mattresses for Murphy Beds
These cabinet beds don’t just use any mattress—there are only a few Murphy bed mattresses that suit Murphy beds, including:
1. Memory Foam Mattresses
Memory foam contours a person’s body shape, making it an essential feature if you want to sleep comfortably and relieve pressure points in your body. These mattresses absorb motion—your sleep isn’t disrupted when somebody moves. Memory foam recovers well when you store it upright or vertically, making it an excellent choice for Murphy beds.
Since a memory foam bed is made of polyurethane and other chemicals, it can trap heat and make sleeping hotter for you. The newer ones might have a slightly initial foul odor that may disappear in a few days.
If you’ve decided to buy memory foam, try asking about other variants, like gel memory foam or a Nectar mattress. Research other memory foam models as well to expand your options.
2. Innerspring Mattresses
These mattresses have a familiar feel with their bouncy coil construction, excellent overall support, and budget-friendliness.
However, some of these mattresses can make some noise every time you move, which makes them unsuitable for a Murphy bed. Their metal coils can sag and deform in the long run when the bed is uprightly stored.
3. Latex Mattresses
These kinds of mattresses are made of rubber tree sap. They’re hypoallergenic and sustainable, too. Just like innerspring mattresses, latex offers a supporting and bouncy feel. Latex is durable and may last up to several years when maintained properly. These beds might also help regulate temperature, which is perfect for stomach sleepers who want a good sleep.
But latex mattresses can be quite pricey and heavy, given their material. Weigh the pros and cons before deciding if a latex bed is the best mattress for a Murphy bed.
4. Hybrid Mattress
Hybrid mattresses help strike a balance between the coils of an innerspring with foam and latex layers. It offers support and pressure relief in one go. Hybrid mattresses can be bulky and vary in price, depending on the materials used to assemble them.
Tips for Selecting the Right Mattress
Here are a few tips for choosing the right mattress that could go along with your fold-down beds:
1. Research and Compare
Do your research when you plan to buy a mattress for your Murphy bed. Look for reputable manufacturers that have mattresses designed for Murphy beds. Review customer reviews and ratings to know each mattress's durability and comfort before shelling out some cash.
Some beds have additional features like cooling properties and hypoallergenic materials. Take note of these since you might take an interest in them. Compare the brands you’ve researched to decide which one gives the best value for your money. A cooling mattress can be a good feature for your bed, especially during hot weather.
2. Test the Mattress
When you’ve decided to buy a mattress for your wall beds, you can visit the local mattress store to test it in person if possible. Spend a few minutes lying on the mattress in your favorite sleeping position. Feel its comfort and support, particularly on how the bed contours to your body.
If you buy online, choose a seller with generous return policies and trial periods. Some stores may offer extended trial periods that span weeks to allow you to decide if the bed fits right for you. Use the trial period to get the feel and comfort of the bed before sending it back to the store or keeping it with you for good.
3. Consider the Budget You Have
Budget is a crucial factor when shopping for a Murphy bed mattress. Sometimes, you need to make compromises if the bed you want doesn’t align with the money you have. Look for a high-quality bed that fits your preferences while you spend less.
Mattress Maintenance and Care Tips
Caring for the mattress of your pull-down beds and folding beds is important to maintain stellar quality. Make the mattress last longer with these practices:
1. Use a Proper Bed Support
Every bed, including convertible beds and hideaway beds, needs bed support to ensure maximum comfort to any user. You won’t be worried about falling off the bed or hurting yourself while sleeping.
A bed support prevents the bed from premature sagging and maintains its shape. It also helps in distributing weight evenly on the mattress. Most importantly, bed support prevents moisture from building up on the mattress since it elevates the bed. The mattress can have proper air circulation underneath.
2. Rotating and Flipping
The mattress of your folding beds doesn’t have to stay in one position all throughout its lifespan. You need to:
- Rotate your mattress to a different angle every 3 to 6 months to distribute wear across all directions.
- Flip your mattress every 6 months to a year, if it’s a double-sided one, to prevent sagging in one area.
- Use a mattress handle to lift it when flipping or rotating. Get help from others when you flip the bed if it’s too heavy to do it alone.
- Avoid dragging the mattress on rough surfaces and sharp edges to protect its fabric.
- Check the mattress every now and then for any signs of wear and tear.
3. Cleaning and Protecting
A clean mattress is a joy to sleep on. Changing the bedsheets is just one part of making it happen. Take these tips into consideration when cleaning your mattress:
- Strip the bed of any bedsheets and protectors and vacuum it well. Vacuuming removes all the dust and mites on the bed.
- Clean the bed stains with a stain remover. If you don’t have one, you can use a solution of mild detergent and water. Use a clean piece of cloth and dab a small amount of the solution on the bed. Blot it with a damp cloth to fully remove the stain.
- Sprinkle baking soda on the mattress, leave it on for about 20 minutes, and vacuum it again. Baking soda can help deodorize your mattress to remove any foul odor.
- Wash and dry all the bedsheets before using them again.
- Keep stains, spills, dust, and mites from infiltrating the bed by using a mattress protector.
Clean your mattress every six months or when it sustains spills and any kind of dirt. Don’t wash the bed with water to prevent mold and mildew growth.
Final Words
Choosing the best Murphy bed mattress is not an overnight decision. It’s a product of research, comparison, and compromises. It’s important to decide which mattress to buy so you can experience sleeping comfortably while using the remaining floor space however you want.
Take some time to learn the materials of common mattresses and how they cater to your needs. Whether you want to buy an innerspring or memory foam mattress, make sure it fits in your bed and doesn’t lose shape as time passes. The right Murphy bed mattress will give you the value you paid for while keeping you comfortable.
