apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Brilliant! and good looking!

oh that is, good looking! just one question, how strong is the support given that they'd be hung on sheetrock!

i just don't get this. i think it would be much more practical and space saving to have an air mattress. then you could use the wall for actual storage.

Hi all--This is Rebecca. You need to have at least 4 studs to attach the (full size) bed to. I have fully assembled my bed (did it over a weekend) but haven't actually hung it on the wall yet because I can only reliably find 3 in my plaster/lathe wall. A contractor friend says I can get sufficiently large/strong toggle bolts to handle the rest of the load. So I plan to try that this weekend. I'll let you know how it works out! And as for why not an air bed--well this is my one and only bed. Air mattresses are NOT comfortable in the long term. I've been on the couch for a few months and this was the best solution for my studio.

BY the way please be advised that there are a couple of typos and mistakes in the Moddi plans so read them carefully before you start. It's just a regular person who made them up so I suppose that's to be expected. And--you really DO need a box of colored pencils :-) I had to run out to buy them at the last minute

Looks amazing! I wish it worked for a double, because I would do it in my bedroom.

Hi Rebecca, can you provide a link that lets you purchase the plans? I saw the Moddi on Ikeahacker earlier and loved the idea. Unfortunately the link on the website seems to be dead, and I haven't heard back from the Moddi people after emailing. Thanks!

As for the support, my understanding is that it's hung on a french cleat, which attaches to the studs. Given some of the cabinets I've seen in workshops that were hung on french cleats, I doubt weight's a big issue.

The fact that this looks more than decent for about 1/10th of the price of any other Murphy bed I would consider buying still amazes me.

That's amazing! How far does it stick out from the wall when closed?

I had to sleep on an air mattress for about 4 months when I moved back to CA and my living situation was unsettled (topic for a book!!) and my stuff was waiting to be shipped from NYC. The air mattress for that time is NOT that great. This is genius for a small space--I lived in about 450 SF for 9 years with a Queen bed that I gave to a friend's mom when I left. (Now I have over 1500SF and can't believe how much fun my cats have running around, but it's about 2x what I really need.)

I saw my neighbor's Moddi and thought it was the coolest thing. I didn't even know it was a bed at first. It looked like a really expensive cabinet or something. When she showed me what it was, I was so amazed. I'm a big IkeaHacker fan and this was the most clever idea I've seen. I've done a little more research and I convinced myself to build one. I just bought the plans and they are very user-friendly instructions with nice diagrams and tips.

Claymover, I measured my neighbor's and it sticks out about 11.5 inches.

hi all, sorry I haven't been here in a week or so.
the moddi link is:
http://moddidaypeople.com/murphy_bed_wall_bed/murphy_bed.html

AND among the things I found problematic was getting a hold of this part. I ordered it directly from Stanley, eventually:
http://www.drillspot.com/products/419234/Stanley_Hardware_808873_White_Fence_Gate_Latch

I saw this on AT and spent the last 2 days making a full size one for a guest "room," actually a small space that was otherwise unusable. For some reason they have you make the bed frame even though the instructions later call it the "Lillehammer." Since the frame was a major pain to make, and feels somewhat unsturdy, I recommend buying the Lillehammer if you can.

The instructions are pretty good, and the shopping list is great. I don't really recommend their homemade drill guide, because I spent forever looking for the right washers (thinking they were needed for the structure itself) and was annoyed that they only use (most of the washers) for a drill guide that is too big anyway.

They use MDF, which is an iffy material. I would have used plywood if I knew how the MDF would bulge and react to drilling, etc. It does seem fairly sturdy but for frequent use I would substitute quality 3/4" plywood. And it is important to predrill all the holes using MDF to prevent cracking and bulging. Don't be lazy.

The bed looks really sweet and I'm glad I did it. You need a lot of room to make it, a lot of patience, and some skill. Moddi's website wins the Worst Site of the Year award -- love the FAQs that have Qs but no A's (it would have taken an extra 3 minutes to actually type in the answer)....

Oh, one more thing. The site doesn't give you actual dimensions of the finished bed (even though that is a question on their "FAQ"). I can't remember off the top of my head but it is roughly 12 inches wider than the bed frame-- 6 inches extending from each side. I hung my cleat 8 inches from the side wall to give me an extra couple inches, and it was fine. You also don't have to hang the cleat at the level they say, but you need to adjust the length of the legs up or down to compensate for raising or lowering the cleat. (I raised the cleat 3 inches to not cover the outlets, and added 3 inches to their 7 7/8 leg size.

Hi - I am enamored with this murphy bed and purchased the full/double kit from Moddi. But for as easy as everyone says it is, it looks a little complicated to me - I don't think I have quite the experience or patience to get it done. Is there anyone on this board who would build it for a fee? or could recommend a contractor to do it?

loved the look of the moddi and want to put it in my guest room! Purchased the full/double plan two days ago, but instead of downloading after entering my info in PayPal, it said I wd receive an email w/ download info in 30 minutes...it's been two days, still have not received plans, emailed Moddi...no reply...any one else run into this issue?? I have paid but did not get the plans! Anyone have a phone number for Moddi?

Follow up here....As I said above I had reservations about using MDF, which were confirmed this weekend when the Moddi cam crashing down, pulling apart the MDF frame. I am going to re-make the frame (the U-shaped structure that rests above the cleat and holds the bed onto the wall) out fo 3/4 plywood, which I think should do the trick. Other re-hack : put the latch in the middle of the bed, not on one side (which causes significant twisting due to uneven distribution of weight). It is a good design, but I am puzzled about the use of MDF. Use plywood.

I too, just purchased the Moddi design on May 3rd, 2008 and have yet to receive it. It was just as jenbrimm said in her comments. There is no way to contact this person other than email. I opened a complaint with Paypal to try and resolve this issue. It looks great, but poor communication. I am highly disappointed with the customer service. Does anyone else have a copy of the plans???

If anyone can help me out with plans for the single bed or how to contact the Moddi people contact me at: srh579121atgmaildotcom

With the help of Pay pal, Moddi finally emailed me with the download link for the plans. They apologized for the technical difficulties and thanked me for my patience. Time to build a bed...

Wow...this is very very cool -- anythoughts on why a queen sized bed would be inappropriate? Is it a weight issue...it can't be that much heavier than a full or is the fact that the lack tables would not provide enough overhang to hide a queensize?

Thoughts?

Wow. This is beautiful, however Murphy Bed installations are not for the faint of heart. I purchased mine from Murphy Bed Depot, and the directions were off. Luckily a kind friend and I had the common sense to know when NOT to follow the directions. I love the horizontal mounting, takes up less space in the middle of the room. I was lucky enough to have an older apt with double doors built in to conceal my Murphy Bed. I love it, and it provides me extra space in my home office/living area.

Check out pics!

www.dcrinteriors.com

I really am loving the looks of this bed, I've ordered the plans and I am ready to start. But first, I was hoping all of you who have navigated these waters before could help me.

I'm not an expert craftsman, I'm exactly the person who they are marketing this project for...a beginner. So, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions any of you have. Any modifications you made, any errors you found...because I certainly won't find them until its too late!

I am going with the 3/4" plywood rather than the MDF. I'm willing to spend the extra money if it means my bed is staying on the wall.

I'm planning on having Home Depot cut my wood to specification. What else to I NEED to know!?!?!?

2 questions here, and I really hope for answers!

First off, I haven't purchased the instructions yet. Can someone please tell me if I'll have to use the Lack tables? Our 600 sq ft of sunshine already has quite a bit of Ikea, so I'd much rather have a different surface.
Would it work to have all one big board, or to somehow use strips of material?

Secondly, a couple commenters have mentioned knowing when NOT to follow the instructions. Like stacyjkcmo, I don't trust myself to recognize when that's necessary.
I've seen Greep's advice and will follow it. What else is there that I should be aware of?

Thanks for your help!

Can anyone who has built the moddi bed and used it frequently for a while comment on the following:

1. ease of use
2. durability issues

I'm thinking of building the double-bed version, incorporating some of the comments noted above, but wanted to see how actual users have found it after using for a time.

Thanks!

I'm in the process of building one of these right now, the double bed size (well a friend of mine is building it for me!). I don't leave near an ikea and wanted a piece that was more durable, but liked the style of this bed. So, he was able to use other materials to make it sturdier (pine plywood for the frame, mdf for the front). I actually didn't purchase any materials from ikea, but still acheived the same look for about the same price. He did however make quite a few modifications (I can find these out if anyone wants to know) to the instructions, as he does this for a living and wanted to make the bed as sturdy and solid as possible.

As for the question about using the lack tables, he cut squares of mdf to a similar size to create the same type of facade and I'm planning on painting them. However, you can use a large board if you want or cut mdf in other sizes and secure them on the front. I also added a bookshelf to the top and will add some underlighting so that guests can use that to read by.

Overall, the project is going well and I'll post some pictures once I finish painting it!

abf or anyone else who can help, yes, PLEASE tell me what modifications are necessary. I'm going to be doing this in Germany so the materials may be slightly different anyway, so I really need to have the steps down pat.

abf, thanks for commenting on the lack tables vs. other surface. i might be doing this without Ikea too, just like you.

p.s. my email is saacnmama@hotmail.com

Thanks!

starting to panic now...doesn't anyone visit this site anymore?

I went ahead and ordered the directions--not much longer til my parents come to visit--and am not reassured.

Does one pop the legs on and off every time the bed is raised/lowered?

The moddi site claims they'll include alternate ideas for the outside, but they don't. Ikea is far away and rental cars aren't cheap. If I don't use the lack tables, then what do I do about legs?

Thanks,
saacnmama@hotmail.com

A Carpenter friend and I just completed a Moddi double. The finished bed looks and works great, but there were problems. Here;s my list:

Step 3: The 5/8" drill and hole are too small. 5/8" is the inside dimension of the couplers, not the OD. We re-drilled to 3/4", but that is a bit loose. I recommend 11/16".

Step 4: The Stanley gate latch (from Lowes) is too long. It prevents the bed from coming to the full vertical position. You can see this in Stacy's photo. It cannot be repositioned and still latch. We deleted the gate latch.

Step 5: With the flat brackets mounted as shown, the shock is fully open before the bed is completely vertical. In order to allow the bed to become vertical, we lowered the top bracket 1" below the specified position.
Step 10: The instructions and photo place the ball of the flat bracket pointing away from the bed frame and towards the bed caddy. There is insufficient clearance between the bed caddy and the bed frame to mount the shock with this orientation. However, steps 20, 21, 22 and 24 show the bracket correctly mounted with the ball pointed away from the bed caddy.

There is a more serious problem though. The MDF is not strong enough to handle the pressure of the shocks. Nor is there sufficient clearance for the ball of the shock to rotate freely without hitting the top of the bed frame.
On my, the bracket is pulled loose and the corner of the MDF was destroyed. Because we had to repair this after the damage was done, we had the flat brackets spot welded to a stainless steel plate with a 90 degree bend to go around the damaged corner. This let us lift the bracket slightly, just enough to clear the top of the MDF and to screw it down on both sides of the bed frame.

Step 11: The 3/8" hole is too small to hold the 1/2" x 3" carriage bolt specified. However this hole can be deleted if the gate latch is deleted.

Step 13: The 1/8" holes will not allow the screws to bite into wood in the Lack side table tops as positioned. They only bite the Masonite backing, which is not terribly strong. If you think of the four hole pattern as a square, by moving the holes about 1" inward on the diagonal, the screws will catch the wood in the corners of the Lack tops. This assumes you are using the pencil spacers.

Step 18: Even if you could use the gate latch, the 1/2" x 3" bolt to catch the gate latch will not mount as shown. We used a T-bolt on the outside of the bed frame and a standard bolt on the inside of the bed frame. Only later did we discover the problem with the gate latch. We ended up removing both the gate latch and bolt.

Step 21: The 4" carriage bolts are too long. We replaced them with 3". They are also shown with the head of the bolt on the outside of the bed caddy. This will cause the end of the bolt to damage the mattress. We mounted the head of the bolt to the inside of the bed frame.

Step 21: The 6 1 3/4" x 5/8" cut washers between the bed caddy and the bed frame will not slip over the couplers. We drilled out the washers to fit. This is related to the problem at Step 3,i.e., the coupler OD is larger than 5/8".

Finally we added two things. We glued as well as screwed the table tops to the bed bottom to help stiffen it. And to replace the gate latch and the safety chain, we drilled a 3/8" hole through the bed caddy side and the bed frame side and dropped a carriage bolt into it. The hole is drilled at a slight downward angle so the bolt cannot fall out accidentally.

One final note, there is nothing in the plans about installing the safety clips at both ends of the shocks. Without them the shocks can, and do, come loose from the mounts. I have already seen in other blogs folks mentioning this. The clips are an important safety feature and really need to be installed.

I have photos of all of this is you want them. The bed is done and looks and works great.

Ksitew - I'd love to see your photos. Could you email them to me?

Hi All,

Our handyman just finished building a Moddi Twin Murphy bed for us. While it works and we are mostly happy with it, the materials cost us very nearly twice the supposed $275, and it took a few full days to build. In addition, the Moddi plans have a handful of errors, some serious. Most important is the need to use 3/4" plywood (NOT MDF) for the supporting structure which is attached to the wall. Also, the gas springs and brackets did not fit together when we ordered them (using the exact part numbers listed on the plans), and it took 2 additional shipments and quite a long time on the phone with MSC Industrial (who are very nice people) to get it right. In addition, note that the latch is not necessary -- you can omit it due to the pressure of the springs keeping the bed firmly up.

Due to their structural weakness and the fact that they add unnecessary width and height to a product which is supposed to save space, you may want to consider not using the Ikea LACK side tables at all. Put the rest of the bed together and you will easily find an attractive alternative for them (paint, paneling, etc..).

Finally, note that the gas springs are VERY strong (200 lbs of pressure each, impossible for the handyman or myself to compress using our own strength. They are probably at least 30-40% stronger than they need to be, and this is the main reason why you need plywood and not MDF. I mention this again because it's a bit unnerving to have so much pressure so close to one's sleeping head, and this is one of my misgivings about the bed. For some, the potential safety issue could be a dealbreaker.

Again, in the end it works and allows us to have a twin bed in a room which would otherwise not accomodate one. Still, it ain't perfect by any means. And good luck with Moddi customer service -- no phone number anywhere, and no reply to my email.