Many Murphy beds ship as frame and cabinet only, with no mattress included — and when one is included, the bed itself still caps how thick that mattress can be.
Whether a mattress arrives in the box depends entirely on the seller and model. Even when it does, the frame sets a hard thickness limit — a mattress that’s too thick or too heavy jams the mechanism or leaves the bed sticking out from the wall.
Does A Murphy Bed Include A Mattress?
Mattress inclusion is a seller-by-seller decision, not a standard — the same size bed may ship as a bare frame from one brand and as a bundle from another.
Most manufacturers sell the bed system or cabinet alone; you buy the mattress separately. Mattress preference is personal — firmness, material, and budget vary too much for one stock mattress to suit every buyer. Some sellers do offer bundles, so look for “mattress included” at checkout. A bundle price that looks high usually means a mattress is folded in; a bare frame at the same price means it isn’t.
Confirm in writing before you buy. Ask two questions: does this model ship with a mattress, and what’s the maximum mattress thickness? The second matters more.
What Mattress Thickness Works In A Murphy Bed?
The sourced range across major US makers runs roughly 8 to 12 inches, and 12 inches is a common ceiling — but the limit is brand- and model-specific.
Thickness limits exist because a Murphy bed folds against a wall, so the mattress must compress and clear the cabinet every time you close it. Too thick, and the bed won’t fully retract. Too heavy, and the lifting mechanism strains or fails.
- National Murphy Beds fits any standard innerspring mattress up to 12 inches thick; it can deepen the cabinet to fit up to 15 inches for an extra fee.
- Wilding Wallbeds designs its beds around standard mattress sizes up to 12 inches thick.
- Murphy Bed Depot caps its beds at 11 inches at the thickest point and requires a mattress under 80 pounds. Its Majestic Library Beds with Standard cabinet depth max out at 9 inches; the Deep cabinet version allows 11.
One brand allows 15 inches in a custom cabinet; another stops at 9 in its shallowest model. The number that matters is the one printed for your specific bed. Murphy Bed Depot also requires a mattress rigid enough to stand on end without sagging or folding over — flexibility and weight count as much as thickness.
| Manufacturer | Max Mattress Thickness | Weight / Build Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National Murphy Beds | 12 in (up to 15 in with deeper cabinet, extra fee) | Standard innerspring mattresses accepted |
| Wilding Wallbeds | 12 in | Fits standard mattress sizes |
| Murphy Bed Depot (standard) | 11 in | Must be under 80 lbs and rigid enough to stand on end |
| Murphy Bed Depot (Majestic, Standard depth) | 9 in | Shallow cabinet limits thickness |
| Murphy Bed Depot (Majestic, Deep depth) | 11 in | Deeper cabinet allows thicker mattress |
Mattress thickness also changes how far the bed projects into the room. Murphy Bed Depot’s size chart is built around an 8-inch mattress, and thicker mattresses push the folded bed out further from the wall — an inch or two matters when floor space is tight. Sheets that stay put on a fold-away frame make the bed easier to close, and this tested roundup of bedding for a Murphy bed covers the options that hold.
How To Match A Mattress Size To Your Bed
Murphy bed sizes track standard US mattress dimensions, so match the bed’s listed size to the mattress size — but confirm the bed’s own published frame dimensions, since cabinet depth varies.
Murphy Bed Depot’s size chart, measured against an 8-inch mattress reference, lists: Single/Twin at 39 x 79 inches, Double/Full at 54 x 79, Queen at 60 x 84, and King at 78 x 84.
Before ordering: pull the bed’s spec sheet, note the size and thickness ceiling, then buy a mattress inside both limits. If your existing mattress is too thick, check whether the maker offers a deeper cabinet option. Buy the mattress after the bed, not before — the reversed order is where most returns start.
References & Sources
- National Murphy Beds. “Mattress Requirements” States the 12-inch standard maximum and the 15-inch deeper-cabinet upgrade.
- Wilding Wallbeds. “Murphy Bed Mattress Guide” Confirms the 12-inch thickness design limit.
- Murphy Bed Depot. “Mattress Information” Covers the 11-inch cap, the 80-lb weight limit, and cabinet-depth thickness ranges.
FAQs
Can I use any mattress in a wall bed?
No. The mattress must fit within the bed’s thickness limit and often its weight limit, and be flexible enough to fold without sagging. A too-thick mattress keeps the bed from closing; a too-heavy one strains the lift mechanism. Always check the specific model’s published maximums before buying.
What happens if my mattress is too thick for the bed?
A too-thick mattress blocks the bed from retracting fully and can push it out from the wall. Some manufacturers, including National Murphy Beds, offer a deeper cabinet built to fit a thicker mattress for an extra fee. If your bed doesn’t offer that upgrade, you’ll need a thinner mattress.
Do Murphy beds use standard mattress sizes?
Yes — Twin, Full, Queen, and King wall beds are built around standard US mattress dimensions. Buy the matching standard size, but confirm the bed’s own frame dimensions too, because cabinet depth and the reference mattress thickness can shift how the finished bed fits your room.
