How to measure a room for a wall bed

The planner needs three numbers and one door. Getting them right takes about ten minutes and a tape measure.

1. The wall

Measure the full length of the wall where the bed would stand, at floor level. Then note anything on it: outlets, switches, vents, a thermostat, a window sill. A closed cabinet covers them, and an open bed may sit right in front of them.

Baseboards matter more than people expect. A cabinet pushed against a thick baseboard stands a little proud of the wall, which adds that thickness to the depth.

2. The depth

Measure straight out from that wall to the wall facing it. If something permanent sticks out (a radiator, a built-in, a chimney breast), measure to that instead. This is the number the open bed has to fit inside, with your walking room left over.

3. The ceiling

Measure at the wall the bed goes on, at its lowest point. Older houses sag. Crown molding, a soffit, a beam or a sloped section can steal several inches. Ceiling fans and light fixtures near the wall need checking too, because a vertical bed sweeps up close to the ceiling as it opens.

Why the exact figure matters: Bestar's queen beds in our data list minimums from 87.5 to 93.8 inches. Under an 8-foot ceiling that is a margin of 2.2 to 8.5 inches, and a fan housing can be bigger than that.

4. The door

Note which wall it is on, how far its hinge side sits from the nearest corner, how wide the door is, and which way it swings. A 32-inch door swinging into the room sweeps a 32-inch square. If the open bed lands inside that square, you will be climbing over the bed to get in.

5. Your walking room

Decide how much space you want at the foot of the open bed. Thirty inches lets one person walk past without turning sideways. Thirty-six feels easy. Bestar recommends 30 to 36 inches around its open beds, and some of its pages say at least 30.

Put your numbers in the planner

This page is about measuring for fit only. Wall construction, studs and anchoring are covered by each maker's install manual.