WOOD VS. MELAMINE

Murphy beds are typically manufactured using one of two types of material: Real Wood or Melamine. We offer either option to fit your material preference, home decor and budget. What is the difference? The biggest difference between the two products is price. Real wood murphy beds will be higher in price due to material cost and workmanship. They are cut, shaped, joined, sanded and finished (stained/painted/weathered.) Each step of our real wood process is carefully executed by skilled craftsmen. Melamine has a pre-colored surface which requires less handling and no finishing. This results in a slightly shorter production time-frame, and combined with a lower material cost, giving you a lower overall price. Despite the exterior material difference, our melamine beds use the same real wood bed frame as our real wood murphy beds, so you do not have to compromise build quality for a lower priced product.

YES, WE BUILD REAL WOOD MUPRHY BEDS

We are one of the largest manufactures of real wood Murphy Beds in the United States, and we are proud to offer a variety of face designs, finishes, wood species, hardware, and options to help fit the decor you are looking to achieve in your room. Real wood has always been our primary business from the very beginning, and it continues to be to this day. Our real wood murphy beds use some of the most environmentally conscious building materials, consisting of solid wood and furniture grade hardwood plywood, in the industry. The materials are hand-picked, cut, joined, shaped, built, sanded and finished to provide our customers with a beautiful piece of furniture they can feel proud to display in their home.

Need extra storage or a place to display your decorations? We also build accompanying side cabinetry in a variety of combinations: open shelves, drawers, doors, pull-out night stands, etc. Our side cabinetry is built and finished to match your murphy bed and consists of solid wood face frames and full extension ball-bearing slides.

YES, WE BUILD MELAMINE MUPRHY BEDS

Looking for a more economical murphy bed? Look no further! Melamine murphy beds are just as durable as our real wood murphy beds. These beds are built using the same body strut structure and mechanism as the real wood beds we construct. Melamine is a particle board substrate combined with a thermally fused paper/resin coating to provide a durable hard surface. It is resistant to scratches, chemicals and staining. Melamine comes in a variety of colors and faux wood grains, which give the appearance of real wood. Melamine murphy beds are great alternative to our real wood murphy beds because they are less labor intensive and come at a lower raw material cost. Our customers are not only placing Melamine murphy beds in their bedrooms, but in rooms they are utilizing as a kids room or guest room. Melamine can take more of a beating with objects (like toys) without the fear of dents or scratches. If you are still unfamiliar with melamine cabinetry, take a peak at the cabinets the next time you are in a hospital, doctors, dentist or commercial office. They may seem like wood, but more than likely they are melamine cabinetry. These industries use them for the durability and ease cleaning they provide. Melamine murphy beds are easy cleaned without the use of harsh chemicals, but by a damp cloth.

LOOK FOR THE BEIGE BACKGROUND

Look for the Beige background that is placed behind both Murphy Beds and Side Cabinets listed on our website. The Beige background (as well as the word “Melamine”) is a helpful reminder it is a Melamine murphy bed and not a Real Wood murphy Bed.

 

COMMON QUESTIONS

Q: Is Wood stronger than Melamine, or is it the other way around?

A: Both Materials are equally as strong when the murphy bed (and/or Side Cabinet) is assembled. Melamine will not dent like wood will and is also scratch and stain resistant. Our real wood beds are built out of your choice of either Oak or Maple wood, which are both considered “hard woods.”

 

Q: Melamine is laid up on particle board, but I have had furniture made from Melamine that seems to break or is brittle when moving it form one location to another. Will this furniture do the same?

A: Melamine is laid up on particle board (or is the substrate.) Most people think of Melamine from furniture purchased at a common Swedish company; which could fall apart when breaking it down or moving it. Melamine is not ideal for screws being driving in and out multiple times; which is why we use fasteners that allow the bed to be broken down easier- without the fear of damage that you may be used to by other furniture companies.