Murphy Bed vs Wall Bed: Is There Any Real Difference?

Quick answer: In the murphy bed vs wall bed question, there is no product difference. Both names describe a bed that folds up into a cabinet against the wall. “Murphy bed” is the older name, and a US appeals court ruled in 1989 that it is a generic term. The choices that matter are vertical or horizontal, and springs or pistons.

Same furniture. Two labels.

So if one shop says “wall bed” and another says “Murphy bed,” don’t pay extra for the name. I’d put that energy into three things instead: the lift mechanism, which way the bed folds, and how the cabinet gets fixed to your wall, because those decide whether it fits the room and whether anyone gets hurt.

Murphy Bed vs Wall Bed at a Glance

	“Murphy bed”	“Wall bed”
Where the name comes from	William L. Murphy, who patented a “pivot bed” in 1918	A plain description of what the bed does
What it describes today	A bed that folds up into a wall cabinet	The same thing
Trademark status	Ruled generic by the US Second Circuit in 1989	Never a brand name
Who tends to use it	Shoppers, DIY kit sellers, many retailers	Manufacturers, safety agencies, recall notices
Mechanisms sold under the name	Springs or gas pistons	Springs or gas pistons

Where Does the Name “Murphy Bed” Come From?

A 1989 court opinion tells the story. Around 1900, William Lawrence Murphy invented a sleeper that could hide in a closet, and the Patent Office granted him a patent for a “pivot bed” in 1918.

He incorporated the Murphy Door Bed Company in New York in 1925. Decades later, his firm tried to register “Murphy bed” as a trademark, and the Patent and Trademark Office refused twice, in 1981 and 1982. An appeal board agreed in 1984.

Then came the lawsuit, Murphy Door Bed Co. v. Interior Sleep Systems. The Second Circuit held that the public had taken the phrase over to mean a type of bed. Generic. Anyone can use it now.

My take: the name is history, not a spec. When I read a product listing, I go straight to the mechanism and the dimensions.

What Actually Differs Between Wall Beds?

Here’s where your money goes. Two products with identical labels can behave very differently once you live with them.

Vertical vs Horizontal Orientation

A vertical model stands on its foot end when closed, so the headboard sits up near the ceiling. Wilding Wallbeds says its vertical units need roughly 81.5 to 88 inches of height.

Lower ceiling? Wilding suggests a horizontal unit instead. It swings out sideways, needs less height and eats more wall width. In practice, I think horizontal makes sense for attic rooms, kids’ rooms and spots under a window.

Spring Lift vs Piston Lift

Both systems counterbalance the frame plus mattress so a person can raise it by hand.

• Spring lift: Wilding’s Studio series ships with 18 springs, 9 per side, and a queen generally uses 7 per side. You add springs for a heavier mattress or pull some out for a lighter one.
• Piston lift: two charged gas cylinders do the work. Wilding’s piston models come with locking legs, and the platform can’t drop until both legs are lifted.

Wilding says its spring designs are tested to 2,000 lbs and its piston designs to over 4,000 lbs. Treat those as one brand’s structural figures. They don’t tell you which mattress weight a given mechanism is tuned for.

The trick is balance, not brute strength. A mechanism tuned for one mattress can drift upward or feel heavy with another, which is why trouble often starts right after a mattress swap. Our guide on what to do when a Murphy bed won’t stay down covers that.

Cabinet Depth and Projection

Closed, you’ve got a shallow cabinet. Open, it reaches far into the room: Wilding lists a spring-lift queen at 16 inches deep with a 90-inch projection, and a piston queen at 16 inches deep with an 84-inch projection.

Measure from the wall to the nearest obstacle. Don’t forget door swings.

Is a Wall Bed Safe?

When it’s installed correctly, yes. When it isn’t, you’ve got a heavy panel that can come down on someone, and I don’t think that risk gets enough attention in showrooms.

The CPSC has recalled several of these. In April 2022 it announced a recall of about 129,000 Bestar units that could detach from the wall. A 79-year-old woman died in July 2018 after one fell on her, and Bestar had reports of 60 more incidents.

Notice the wording, too. Federal recall notices say “wall beds,” which is exactly what shoppers call Murphy beds. Before buying a used one, I’d search the model name on the CPSC recall site. If yours already feels loose, read what to do if a Murphy bed is not attached to the wall first.

Which Should You Choose?

Forget the label. Choose by these conditions:

1. Pick vertical if your ceiling clears the maker’s height figure and you want the closed cabinet to use less wall width.
2. Pick horizontal if the ceiling is low or the unit goes under a window or a sloped roof.
3. Pick springs if you might change mattresses later, since adding or removing springs rebalances the lift.
4. Pick pistons if you want locking legs and a smooth lift, and you’ll stay inside the mattress weight range listed by the manufacturer.
5. Pick professional installation if you can’t locate studs or your wall is anything other than standard wood framing or masonry.

Browse more ideas in our space-saving beds section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Murphy bed the same as a wall bed?

Yes. Both terms mean a bed that folds up into a wall cabinet. The Murphy name became generic after a 1989 federal appeals ruling.

Why is it called a Murphy bed?

It’s named after William Lawrence Murphy, who patented a “pivot bed” in 1918 and founded his company in 1925.

Is Murphy bed a brand name?

Not anymore. Since 1989, any manufacturer can legally use the term.

Do Murphy beds need a special mattress?

Not always. Wilding says a regular mattress can work, though standard ones aren’t designed to stand on end for long periods. Stay inside your maker’s weight and thickness range.

What ceiling height do you need for a vertical wall bed?

Wilding says about 81.5 to 88 inches. Lower rooms usually call for a horizontal model.

Last updated: November 10, 2026. Sources: Murphy Door Bed Co. v. Interior Sleep Systems, 874 F.2d 95 (2d Cir. 1989), Wilding Wallbeds: spring vs piston mechanisms, Wilding Wallbeds: installation Q&A and CPSC: Bestar wall bed recall.