Murphy beds — in use for over a century, innovative, and a great space-saving solution.
These beds fold up and store away into the wall, making them an excellent option for an easily-hidden bed.
But when purchasing a mattress for a Murphy bed, you’ll need to consider a variety of factors that aren’t necessary when finding a typical mattress:
- The height and weight of the mattress.
- The behavior of the mattress when stored away in a vertical position.
In this article, we will cover everything you’ll need to know when choosing the best mattress for a Murphy bed, in addition to highlighting some of our top picks!
Our 6 Top Picks for the Best Mattress for A Murphy Bed
1. - 8” Luxury Gel Foam Mattress with Organic Cotton
Several layers of foam combine to make this mattress so comfortable and able to provide amazing support — all at an affordable price!
This popular mattress has over 20,000 satisfied buyers, and can be custom-built to whatever size or shape your Murphy bed requires.
Mattress Highlights:
- 8” height that will fit most Murphy beds perfectly (also available in an 11.5” height)
- Cooling gel foam for a cooler sleeping environment
- Non-toxic construction
- 20-year warranty, with a 365-night sleep trial
- Flippable mattress to easily adjust firmness level
2. - The Sedona Mattress
Designed for use in RVs, the Sedona has a variety of features that also make it a perfect fit for a Murphy bed!
Offering both support and pressure relief, this mattress is a great option for either back or side sleepers.
Mattress Highlights:
- 5.5” height with a low enough profile to almost any Murphy with room to spare
- Non-toxic
- Customizable — can be ordered to fit any bed size or shape
- 10-year warranty with a 365-night sleep trial
- Available eco-friendly option, with an organic cotton cover and plant-based high density support foam
3. - Elation Gel Foam Mattress with Organic Cotton
The Elation Gel Foam is another mattress that — no surprise — was designed for RV use. Still, its features make it another great option for use on Murphy beds!
Both comfortable and supportive, it can be customized to fit any size or shape of Murphy bed. This option is an especially good choice for those who suffer from back pain or experience night sweating.
Mattress Highlights:
- 6” height will fit well with most Murphy beds
- Premium quality at an affordable price
- Cooling gel memory foam and an organic cotton cover to get a dry and cool night’s sleep
- Non-toxic
- 15-year warranty, with a 365-night sleep trial
4. - Scarsdale Luxury Hybrid Mattress with Organic Cotton
The ultimate in high-end luxury, this hybrid mattress combines both gel memory foam and individually pocketed coils. This variety of layers create a mattress that is both supportive and comfortable.
Mattress Highlights:
- 9” height will fit most Murphy beds
- Cooling gel that ensures a cool night’s sleep
- Hybrid construction for both spinal alignment and pressure point relief
- Non-toxic
- 20-year warranty, with a 365-day sleep trial
- Customizable!
5. - 8” Park Meadow Pocketed Coil Mattress II
This mattress is an affordable and comfortable innerspring that is a great option for those suffering from back pain. It is rated for two adults each weighing up to 300 lbs.
Mattress Highlights:
- 8” height that puts it in the sweet size spot for Murphy beds
- Pocketed coils offer both comfort and support
- Eco-friendly foam that sleeps cool and is odor free
- Double-insulated cover to completely mask the feel of the coils
- 20-year warranty, with a 365-night sleep trial
6. - 8.5” Latex RV Mattress with Organic Cotton
This is a mattress designed for RV use, but its low profile ensures that it is also a great fit with Murphy beds! The blended latex provides great support without the need of coils, and helps to wick away heat for a cool night’s sleep.
Mattress Highlights:
- 8.5” height to work with most Murphy beds
- Extremely durable and long-lasting
- Non-toxic
- 20-year warranty, with a 365-day sleep trial
Can’t Find What You Need? Customize Your Murphy Bed Mattress With Us!
Beds come in all shapes and sizes… shouldn’t mattresses do the same?
MattressInsider has been custom building mattresses for everything from boats and RVs, to cots and oddly-shaped frames since 2008.
In addition to mattresses, we can also custom build toppers, sheets, and mattress protectors to go with them.
While we get most of our requests for custom foam mattresses, we can also custom build latex, innerspring, and other mattress types. You can get more information on our customization options on our Custom Mattress page.
Tailor your mattress to your comfort and needs. Browse through our incredible mattresses today!
Why Murphy Beds Are So Popular
Simply put, space! Whether you use it as your primary bed, or as a spare fold-down in a home office or workout room, a Murphy bed will provide a sleeping option that takes up minimal space.
Some of these beds even include added storage options, so your Murphy bed will be doing double-duty in terms of creating space options.
And, because many different types of traditional mattresses can be used with Murphy beds, you can also easily set it up to provide the support, comfort, and quality sleep that you want.
Two Very Important Factors to Consider
In addition to the typical mattress benchmarks (Is it durable? Are you buying the right sized mattress for your particular bed? Is it the right type of mattress for me?), some of the most important considerations for a Murphy bed mattress include:
Mattress Height
One area that people may not consider with a traditional mattress — but one that is vitally important in a Murphy bed — is mattress height.
Because a Murphy bed is folded up and into a wall or other limited space, the height of the mattress used is super important. Too high and it simply won’t fit in the space!
At best, this will lead to an unsightly wedge of mattress sticking out, and at worst the bed won’t be able to close up at all.
Be sure to carefully measure your Murphy bed’s dimensions to determine how tall your mattress needs to be.
Mattress Weight
Weight is another factor that will mean much more for a Murphy bed than it will for a traditional bed.
Because Murphy beds are raised and lowered frequently, going with a heavier mattress can make this harder to accomplish, negating the entire purpose.
If you’re planning to leave the bed either up or down most of the time, this won’t be as much of an issue. For typical Murphy bed use, however, be sure to keep weight in mind!
This doesn’t mean you should buy the lightest mattress you can find, though.
Too-light and the bed will swing down too easily, resulting in damage to the bed’s spring and hinge mechanisms over time. These mattresses can also move around too much on the bed’s frame, leading to problems when trying to raise the bed.
Make sure to keep this in mind when finding the right mattress for your Murphy bed!
Mattress Types
A wide variety of mattress types will work with a Murphy bed. However, based largely on their construction, you may find that some types meet your needs better.
Innerspring: Typically one of the cheapest types that you can buy, it offers excellent support and regulates your temperature during the night. However, if you leave your Murphy bed folded up most of the time, the springs (which are designed to lay flat) can warp and lose their form.
Hybrid: Lighter than foam mattresses, these can be a great option if you plan on frequently raising and lowering your Murphy bed. However, some hybrids can suffer from bunching problems if stored vertically for long periods of time.
Latex: Responsive, buoyant, and hypoallergenic. Like a hybrid, however, some latex mattresses can develop “bunching” issues if stored for a long amount of time in a vertical position.
Memory Foam: One of the best mattress types you can buy for a Murphy bed, these won’t bunch up as much when stored vertically for long periods of time. Memory foam is also very durable, and typically includes a number of features – such as good pressure relief and movement isolation – that have made it an extremely popular mattress type.
However, a potential con is the weight, as some can be on the heavy side, making raising and lowering the bed more difficult.
Your Perfect Murphy Bed Mattress
Choosing the best mattress for a Murphy bed involves considering unique factors such as mattress height and weight, as well as the behavior of the mattress when stored in a vertical position.
Don’t forget that customizing your Murphy bed mattress with MattressInsider is also an excellent way to ensure a perfect fit!
So, measure your Murphy bed carefully and select a mattress type that suits your needs and enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.
