Best mattress for a Murphy bed (wall bed): thickness, size and picks
Hi, we’re John and Mimi. A Murphy bed (also called a wall bed) is a great way to get a real bed into a studio, office or guest room, but it’s pickier about the mattress than a regular frame. Here’s what to check before you buy, why thinner all-foam mattresses are usually the easiest fit, and every mattress we sell at 10" or thinner, at today’s prices.
The short answer
- Your Murphy bed’s manual decides. Every wall bed maker lists the mattress size it takes and a maximum thickness, and many also list a weight range. Stay inside those numbers, even if a thicker mattress looks like it would squeeze in.
- Match the size exactly. A queen Murphy bed needs a standard queen (60" × 80"), a full needs a full (54" × 75"). See our mattress size chart.
- Thinner and all-foam is usually the easy fit. Most of our picks below are 8" to 10" all-foam mattresses, with no coils to add weight. The lowest queen price among our all-foam mattresses 10" or thinner today is the 6” Essentials Firm Memory Foam Mattress - 6ESS at $309.
- The mattress stays flat. A Murphy bed tips the whole bed up against the wall; it doesn’t fold the mattress. That matters, because our care instructions say not to fold or bend a mattress for long periods.
Before you buy: read the label and measure
- Maximum mattress thickness. It’s in the manual or on a label on the bed. If the mattress is too thick, the bed may not close, or the front panel may not sit flush.
- Weight range. Many Murphy beds use springs or gas pistons to balance the bed as you raise and lower it, and the maker sets them up for a range of mattress weights. A mattress far outside that range can make the bed harder to lift or lower. Some mechanisms can be adjusted; your manual says how.
- Size. Murphy beds usually come in twin, full or queen. Only buy a Twin XL if your bed’s manual says Twin XL; a twin and a Twin XL are not interchangeable (more in twin vs Twin XL).
- What the mattress sits on. Our mattress listings ask for “a continuously solid surface, an adjustable base, or slats no more than two (2) inches apart.” Most wall beds have a solid panel or a slat deck; if yours has wide-spaced slats, ask the maker about a support panel. Our what to put under a memory foam mattress guide explains why.
- Straps. Wall beds usually come with straps or a bar that hold the mattress in place when the bed is up. Check that they reach around the thickness you’re buying.
Not sure what your bed takes? Text John the make and model, or a photo of the label, and he’ll tell you honestly which of ours fit.
Memory foam or hybrid on a Murphy bed?
- All-foam. Usually the simpler choice for a wall bed: coils add weight, so an all-foam mattress is generally lighter than a hybrid of the same size and thickness. Our product listings don’t give mattress weights, so if your bed has a tight weight range, text John before you order and he’ll check the model you’re looking at.
- Hybrid. If your Murphy bed’s weight range allows it and you like a bouncier feel, our two 10" hybrids (the 10" EcoCore Hybrid Premium and the 10" Allureluxe Hybrid) use pocketed coils under foam. Check the weight range first. More in memory foam vs hybrid.
- A non-skid bottom helps. The 10" Rose and 8" Daisy listings both list “non-skid bottom fabric,” which helps the mattress stay put on the bed’s deck as it moves up and down. Use the straps either way.
How thick should a Murphy bed mattress be?
Whatever your manual says is the limit. Within that limit, here’s how we’d think about it:
- 6": for wall beds with a shallow cabinet or a low thickness limit. Our 6" Essentials Firm is a firm, low-profile mattress whose listing names sofa beds, trundles and “any sleeping space that requires a shorter profile height.”
- 8": a good fit for a guest wall bed used now and then. The 8" Daisy (2" gel air memory foam over a 6" Air Grid base) and the 8" Comfort Reactive (gel-infused air memory foam over an Air Channel base) are both firm.
- 10": the most cushion we’d put on a wall bed that someone sleeps on every night, as long as the manual allows 10". Several of ours are medium or medium firm at this height.
The full 6" to 14" range is in our how thick should a mattress be guide, and every 10" model is compared in best 10-inch mattress.
Every mattress we sell at 10" or thinner, today
Every mattress we have in stock today that’s 10" or thinner and comes in a twin, full or queen, thinnest first, then by today’s queen price. “Sold out today” means that size isn’t available right now; “not offered” means the mattress doesn’t come in that size.
Our picks for a Murphy bed
| Pick | Best for | Model code | Twin | Full | Queen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10" Rose | Everyday wall bed: medium feel, non-skid bottom, washable cover | 10BNV-T |
$279 | $369 | $399 |
| 10" Gel Comfort Reactive | Everyday wall bed on a budget: medium firm, quilted cover | 10ESSCA-T |
$269 | $329 | $399 |
| 8" Daisy | Guest wall bed: firm, non-skid bottom, a lower profile | 8BNV-T |
$249 | $309 | $349 |
| 6" Essentials Firm | Shallow cabinets or a low thickness limit | 6ESS-T |
Sold out today | $299 | $309 |
| 10" EcoCore Hybrid Premium | A hybrid feel, only if your bed’s weight range allows coils | 10HSOY-TL |
— | $499 | $699 |
Prices are today’s prices, read live from our catalog, with free FedEx shipping included. A dash means that model isn’t made in that size.
10" Rose - Medium Firmness - 10BNV
Our first pick for a wall bed someone sleeps on every night: a medium 10" all-foam mattress with a non-skid bottom, if your manual allows 10".
- 2" gel air memory foam on top
- Non-skid bottom fabric
- Hypoallergenic & antimicrobial, per the listing
- Machine-washable zip-off cover
- Compressed and rolled for small parcel shipping
- 10-year limited warranty
From $279 (Twin) · Queen $399 · See sizes & details
8" Daisy - Firm Mattress - 8BNV
For a guest wall bed or a cabinet that wants a thinner mattress: a firm 8" that also lists a non-skid bottom.
- 2" gel air memory foam over a 6" Air Grid base
- Non-skid bottom fabric
- Hypoallergenic & antimicrobial, per the listing
- Zip-off, machine-washable cover
- 10-year limited warranty
From $249 (Twin) · Queen $349 · See sizes & details
Setting up and living with a Murphy bed mattress
- Let it expand flat first. Our listings say a mattress “may take up to 72 hours to fully recover and return to its original shape.” We’d leave the bed down until it has, before you strap it and fold the bed up. More in our mattress in a box expansion guide.
- Strap it every time. Fasten the straps or bar before you raise the bed, so the mattress doesn’t slump or slide.
- Use a protector. A wall bed is often in a living space. Our listings recommend a protector, and say liquid damage isn’t covered by the warranty. See do you need a mattress protector.
- Rotate it, and don’t stand on it. The care instructions ask you to “rotate your mattress to give uniform wear” and “do not stand or jump on the mattress.”
- Air it out. If the bed stays up most of the day, lower it now and then and let the mattress breathe; our listings say not to let moisture saturate it. Our how to clean a mattress guide has the rest.
Setting up a guest room instead of a wall bed? See best mattress for a guest room, and for a small bedroom or studio, best full size mattress.
Shop this guide
Shopping for a wall bed? Start with these.
- 10" Rose - Medium Firmness - 10BNV, from $279. Medium 10" with a non-skid bottom.
- 10" Gel Infused Comfort Reactive Memory Foam Mattress - Medium Firm, Back & Side Sleepers, from $269. Medium firm 10", quilted cover.
- 8" Daisy - Firm Mattress - 8BNV, from $249. Firm 8" with a non-skid bottom.
- 6” Essentials Firm Memory Foam Mattress - 6ESS, from $299. Low-profile 6" for shallow cabinets.
Questions we hear a lot
What thickness mattress do I need for a Murphy bed?
Check your Murphy bed’s manual or label: every maker lists a maximum mattress thickness, and many list a weight range too. Within that limit, 8" works well for a guest wall bed and 10" gives more cushion for an everyday bed, if the manual allows 10". For shallow cabinets, a 6" mattress is the low-profile option.
Can you use a regular mattress on a Murphy bed?
Usually, yes, as long as it is the standard size the bed is built for (twin, full or queen), no thicker than the maker’s limit, and inside any weight range the manual gives. A Murphy bed tips the whole bed up and keeps the mattress flat, so it isn’t folded the way a sofa-bed mattress is.
Is memory foam or a hybrid better for a Murphy bed?
All-foam is usually the easier fit, because coils add weight and a lighter mattress is less likely to fall outside the bed’s weight range. A hybrid can work if the manual’s weight range allows it. Our listings don’t give mattress weights, so text John if your bed has a tight weight range.
Will the mattress slide when the Murphy bed is up?
Use the straps or retainer bar that come with the bed every time you raise it. A non-skid bottom also helps; of our mattresses 10" or thinner, the 10" Rose and 8" Daisy list non-skid bottom fabric.
What size mattress fits a queen Murphy bed?
A standard queen, 60" × 80". A full Murphy bed takes a standard full (54" × 75") and a twin takes a twin (38" × 75"). Buy a Twin XL only if the manual says Twin XL.
Questions? Just ask us
Tell John your Murphy bed’s size, its maximum mattress thickness and any weight range from the manual, and he’ll tell you honestly which of our mattresses fits. Text or call 818-924-3744, 6 AM to 9 PM Pacific, or use Help me choose. See our Purchase Policy & Warranty for the details.
Written by John & Mimi Venti, MimiJohn. Heights, layers, non-skid bottoms and setup and care rules are quoted from the product listings on this site; general points about Murphy beds are typical, so always follow your bed maker’s manual and labels. We don’t sell Murphy beds. Prices are read live from our catalog and update automatically.