Quick Answer: Murphy beds fold into the wall when not in use, freeing up 15-20 square feet of floor space. Twin Murphy beds start around $1,200 in Canada, while full size units range from $1,500 to $4,000+. Daybeds serve as a sofa during the day and a bed at night, with twin-to-king expandable models offering the most flexibility. Both are excellent solutions for guest rooms, home offices, and small condos.
In This Guide
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Square footage costs money, and most Canadian homeowners cannot afford to dedicate a full room to a bed that gets used 30 nights a year. Murphy beds and daybeds solve this problem differently, but both earn their space in ways a traditional bed cannot.
Murphy Beds in Canada
A Murphy bed (also called a wall bed) is a bed frame with a mattress that folds up vertically into a cabinet mounted to the wall. When folded up, the front of the cabinet can look like a bookshelf, a desk, or simply a flat panel. When folded down, it is a full bed with a real mattress.
How They Work
Modern Murphy beds use a counterbalanced piston or spring mechanism that makes folding the bed up and down easy. A good mechanism requires 10-15 pounds of effort, roughly the same as opening a heavy door. The mattress is held in place by straps or a retention bar when the bed is in the upright position.
Most Murphy beds require wall mounting for stability. The cabinet anchors to wall studs (not just drywall), and the combined weight of the cabinet, mechanism, and mattress can exceed 200 pounds. Professional installation is recommended unless you are experienced with heavy wall-mounting projects.
What Mattress Works With a Murphy Bed
Murphy beds require a mattress that is flexible enough to fold and light enough for the mechanism to handle. The standard recommendation is a mattress 10 inches thick or less, weighing under 60 pounds for a twin or 80 pounds for a queen.
- Memory foam: Works well. Compresses easily and is lightweight. Most Murphy bed manufacturers recommend memory foam as the default choice.
- Latex foam: Works but is heavier. Check the weight limit of your specific Murphy bed mechanism.
- Innerspring: Can work if the mattress is thin enough (under 10 inches) and the coils flex without permanent deformation. Pocketed coil mattresses handle folding better than Bonnell coil models.
- Hybrid: Check thickness and weight. Many hybrids are 12+ inches thick, which exceeds Murphy bed limits.
Brad, Owner, 40+ years of experience: "People assume they need a special Murphy bed mattress, but most standard mattresses under 10 inches work fine. Our Restonic ComfortCare twin at $625 is 10 inches and fits most Murphy bed frames. Just check the weight limit of your specific unit before buying. And do not let anyone tell you that a Murphy bed mattress needs to be uncomfortable. Your guests deserve a real mattress, not a 4-inch foam pad."
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Twin Murphy Beds
Twin Murphy beds are the most space-efficient option. When folded up, the cabinet takes up roughly 16 square feet of wall space (about 40 inches wide by 6 feet tall). When folded down, the bed extends 75-80 inches into the room.
Twin Murphy Bed Options in Canada
| Type | Price Range (CAD) | Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic cabinet | $1,200-1,800 | Simple fold-down, panel front | Budget guest room |
| With shelving | $1,800-2,500 | Side shelves or top shelf built in | Small bedrooms, studios |
| With desk | $2,000-3,500 | Desk stays level when bed folds down | Home office/guest combo |
| DIY hardware kit | $300-600 (mechanism only) | You build or supply the cabinet | Handy homeowners, custom builds |
In Canada, Murphy bed cabinets are available from retailers like Costco (seasonal), Wayfair, and specialty stores. DIY hardware kits from companies like Lori Wall Beds and Create-A-Bed let you build your own cabinet around the mechanism, which can save $500-1,000 if you have woodworking skills.
Full Size Murphy Beds
A full size (double) Murphy bed provides a 54 x 75 inch sleeping surface, which comfortably sleeps one adult or two in a pinch. The cabinet is about 58-60 inches wide when folded up.
Full size Murphy beds are a good middle ground between twin (too narrow for some adult guests) and queen (the cabinet takes up significant wall space). They fit well in rooms that are at least 10 feet deep, giving 3-4 feet of clearance in front of the folded-down bed.
Murphy Bed With Desk Combos
The most popular Murphy bed configuration for home offices is the desk combo, where a work surface is integrated into the bed mechanism. Two main designs exist:
- Flip desk: The desk surface is attached to the front of the bed panel. When the bed folds down, the desk folds out of the way. You must clear the desk before folding the bed down. Less convenient but more affordable.
- Floating desk: The desk is a separate piece mounted beside the Murphy bed cabinet. It remains in place when the bed is up or down. More expensive but far more practical since your computer, papers, and monitors stay undisturbed.
For more ideas on combining a guest bedroom with a home office, our guest bedroom office combo guide covers layout options, furniture choices, and how to make a dual-purpose room work.
Local Note: Brantford's housing market has seen more young buyers purchasing smaller homes and condos, where a dedicated guest bedroom is a luxury. A Murphy bed in a home office is one of the smartest investments for these spaces. Several Brantford contractors offer Murphy bed installation, and the hardware kits are available at most Southern Ontario home improvement stores.
Daybeds
A daybed is a cross between a bed and a sofa. It has a mattress (usually twin size) supported on a frame with a back and two side arms, making it look like a couch when styled with cushions and throws. At night, it functions as a single bed.
Daybed Sizes
- Twin daybed (39 x 75): The standard size. Fits a regular twin mattress and works as a compact sofa during the day.
- Twin XL daybed (39 x 80): Five inches longer, which matters for taller teens and adults. Harder to find but worth seeking out if the daybed is for regular use rather than occasional guests.
- Full daybed (54 x 75): Less common but offers a wider sleeping surface. These are large pieces of furniture and need a spacious room to not overwhelm the space.
Daybed Styles
- Metal frame: Classic, lightweight, and affordable ($200-500). Works in traditional, shabby chic, and cottage bedrooms.
- Upholstered: Looks more like a sofa, which is ideal for rooms where the daybed serves as a primary seating option. ($400-900)
- Wood frame: Solid and durable. Pairs well with mission, craftsman, and Scandinavian interiors. ($300-800)
- With trundle: A second mattress stored under the daybed on a pull-out frame. This gives you two sleeping surfaces in the footprint of one. Essential for kids' rooms that host sleepovers.
Twin-to-King Daybeds
Twin-to-king daybeds (also called expandable daybeds or pop-up trundle daybeds) are one of the most versatile pieces of furniture you can buy for a guest room. In the daytime position, they function as a twin daybed (sofa). When guests arrive, the trundle pulls out and locks at the same height as the main frame, creating a king-size sleeping surface from two twin mattresses.
How They Work
- During the day, the trundle is tucked under the main daybed frame, hidden from view.
- When needed, you pull the trundle out and use the pop-up mechanism to raise it to the same height as the main frame.
- The two twin mattresses sit side by side, creating a 78 x 75 inch surface (slightly narrower than a standard king but close enough).
- Add a king-size mattress pad over both mattresses to bridge the gap and create a smooth sleeping surface.
The twin-to-king daybed is particularly popular for cottages and vacation properties where space is limited but hosting flexibility is important. During the week it is a reading nook, on weekends it is a king bed for visiting family.
Dorothy, Sleep Specialist: "The pop-up trundle daybed is one of those products that customers do not know exists until they see it. We have had families buy them for basement guest rooms and cottages in places like Paris and Port Dover. Two twin mattresses during the week for the kids, one king surface on weekends when grandparents visit. It is clever engineering."
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We are a family-owned mattress store in Brantford, helping our community sleep better since 1997. Come try mattresses in person and get honest, no-pressure advice.
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Call 519-770-0001Murphy beds across Canada
Murphy beds are available from specialty furniture retailers and custom cabinet makers across Canada. Availability and lead times vary significantly by city.
Murphy beds in Vancouver
Vancouver has a competitive murphy bed market driven by the small-space apartment culture. Look for cabinet makers in the Mount Pleasant and Main Street areas who do custom built-in murphy beds, as well as furniture retailers carrying flatpack murphy bed systems (Resource Furniture, Murphy Beds of Canada). Custom lead times in Vancouver are typically 6 to 10 weeks; flatpack systems arrive in 2 to 3 weeks.
Murphy beds in Ottawa
Ottawa's federal government workforce and condo market drives demand for murphy beds as home office and guest room solutions. Retailers on Merivale Road and in the Barrhaven area carry murphy bed systems. Custom cabinet makers in the Glebe and Westboro neighborhoods also do built-in murphy bed installations.
Murphy beds in Victoria
Victoria's small-space culture (similar to Vancouver) supports a strong murphy bed market. The downtown core has several specialty furniture retailers who stock murphy bed systems, with custom installation available through local millwork shops.
If you are in southern Ontario, Mattress Miracle in Brantford advises on murphy bed mattress selection (the mattress must be under 12 inches thick for most wall bed mechanisms) and carries compatible mattress options. Call 519-770-0001 for guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What mattress works best in a murphy bed?
Murphy bed mechanisms require a mattress no thicker than 10 to 12 inches (some systems allow up to 14 inches - check your specific mechanism specs). Memory foam and latex are the most common choices because they are flexible enough to fold with the mechanism without cracking or deforming. Innerspring mattresses are not suitable for most murphy beds because the springs can permanently distort when stored vertically.
A medium-firm mattress works best for guest room use - firm enough to support different body types, soft enough to be comfortable for one-off stays. Most murphy bed manufacturers recommend mattresses specifically labeled "murphy bed compatible" or "RV compatible."
How much does a Murphy bed cost in Canada?
Twin Murphy beds range from $1,200 to $2,500. Full size units cost $1,500 to $3,500. Queen Murphy beds with desk combos can reach $4,000 or more. DIY hardware kits (mechanism only) start at $300-600, with you supplying or building the cabinet. Installation typically adds $200-500 if you hire a contractor.
Can you use a regular mattress in a Murphy bed?
Yes, if the mattress is 10 inches thick or less and within the weight limit of the mechanism (usually 60-80 pounds depending on size). Memory foam mattresses are the most commonly recommended because they compress well and are lightweight. Avoid pillow-top and very thick mattresses.
What is a twin XL daybed?
A twin XL daybed uses a 39 x 80 inch mattress instead of the standard 39 x 75. The extra 5 inches of length accommodates taller teens and adults more comfortably. Twin XL daybeds are harder to find in stores but available online from most major furniture retailers.
Do daybeds use regular twin mattresses?
Yes. Standard daybeds use a regular twin mattress (39 x 75 inches). Some daybeds with trundles use thinner mattresses (6-8 inches) so the trundle fits underneath. Check the clearance of your specific daybed frame before buying the mattress.
Is a Murphy bed comfortable to sleep on?
Yes, as long as you use a proper mattress. The sleep surface is a real mattress on a solid panel, which is comparable to sleeping on a platform bed. Comfort depends entirely on the mattress quality, not the Murphy bed mechanism. Do not settle for the thin foam pads some Murphy bed retailers bundle with their units.
Where can I find Murphy beds for cheap in Canada, and what should I avoid?
Budget Murphy beds in Canada start around $899 from chains like Wayfair, Costco, and IKEA, with DIY hardware kits available from $299 if you build your own cabinet. The trade-off in cheap units is almost always the lift mechanism: budget options use coil-spring or piston systems with shorter cycle ratings (the number of times the bed can fold up before the mechanism wears out).
Quality Murphy bed manufacturers rate their mechanisms for 8,000 to 15,000 cycles; bargain units rate 2,000 to 5,000.
Talia, who fits Brantford customers with mattresses for guest-room Murphy installations, says: "Cheap is fine if it's actually a guest bed used a few times a year. If it's the everyday bed in a small condo, the budget mechanism will fail in two to three years and replacing the hardware costs more than buying a quality unit upfront." A 2015 study published in Sleep Health by Radwan and colleagues found that medium-firm sleep surfaces produced statistically significant improvements in back pain and sleep quality, and the same logic applies to a Murphy bed's mattress: a cheap 6-inch foam pad that comes bundled with a budget unit will not provide sustainable spinal alignment, even if the mechanism itself works.
Browse our twin mattress collection or our queen mattress collection for a Murphy-compatible foam mattress, and read our complete Murphy beds in Canada guide for the long version.
Visit Our Brantford Showroom
Mattress Miracle
441 1/2 West Street, Brantford
Phone: (519) 770-0001
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thu-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-4
Need a mattress for a Murphy bed or daybed? Our Restonic ComfortCare line offers quality mattresses in twin, double, and queen at the right thickness. White glove delivery across Southern Ontario includes setup. Call Brad at (519) 770-0001.
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