Murphy Beds rely on a powerful hinge; this allows the entire bed (both the mattress and bed frame) to be flipped at a 90-degree angle and stowed vertically when not in use. Modern Murphy Beds commonly use spring or piston lift mechanisms to keep them from falling or springing up.

Murphy beds raise and lower using spring or piston lift mechanisms and tension to keep them from springing up or falling down. Most modern beds will come with locking mechanisms for safety reasons. Murphy beds become harder to lift the older they get due to worn down lifting mechanisms.

A murphy bed works by folding into a space in a wall or cabinet using a hinge when it isn’t being used. Bi-fold bookcase murphy beds work by flipping vertically into the wall with a bookcase to hide the bed. Flip-up desk murphy beds work by flipping open a desk when stowed in the vertical position.

There are basically two main styles of Murphy Bed mechanism. A system that used springs and one that uses pistons. When Murphy Beds were first created, they used a spring mechanism to operate the bed. Although, it wasn’t always a smooth operation. These mechanisms are still used today, but they have certainly been improved.

The lifting mechanism is one of the most important things to consider when shopping for a Murphy bed. Typically, these beds will feature one of the following lifts: piston (hinge) or spring. Alternatively, some Murphy beds have a manual opening mechanism, which means that you raise and lower the bed using your own strength.