Do-it-yourself or Pre-Manufactured?
After you have decided whether or not a wall bed is right for you, the next decision is a big one- to do it or not to do it yourself. While building a wall bed by yourself is not necessarily too complex, there are a number of factors that you will need to consider before you dive into the project. As well, there are a number of manufacturers of wall beds that offer great designs without the hassle of doing it yourself. In this article, we’ll go into the pros and cons of building a wall bed yourself versus purchasing a pre-manufactured one.
The Pros and Cons of Doing it Yourself
Building and installing your own wall bed can be a great alternative to buying a pre-manufactured unit. There are certainly a number of benefits that doing it yourself brings. However, it will take a bit of work and some skill in construction.
Benefits
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Cost.
On the whole, building your own wall bed is fairly cheaper than buying a pre-manufactured unit. Buying a pre-built unit can be fairly expensive. Building your own can significantly lower those costs.
Drawbacks
- Time and work.
- The major drawback of having to do it yourself is simply that: you have to do it yourself.
- The construction of a wall bed is fairly complex; it take some time, work, and access to tools.
- For a full list of tools and things you will need, check out our “how to build your own wall bed” section.
- Your end result, unless you are quite skilled at carpentry and construction, will not be as professional as a pre-maufactured wall bed.
The Pros and Cons of Buying a Pre-Manufactured Unit
If you are not confident in building your own wall bed, simply do not have the time, or are looking for something more professional, there are a great many wall bed manufacturers out there with great designs.
Benefits
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No hassle.
You won’t have the trouble of going to the lumber store, the hardware store, and the struggle of construction.
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Safety.
It is important that your wall be both durable and secure. You will want to make sure that it does not fall from the wall or somehow break when you are sleeping on it. A wall bed that is not made properly can be hazardous. Going with a pre-built unit will help ease any safety worries, since they have been professionally made.
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Quality.
While there is of course a wide spectrum of quality in pre-manufactured wall beds, a professionally made wall bed is guaranteed to be composed of good quality wood and components.
Drawbacks
- Depending on the model and the quality, a pre-manufactured unit can be a little more expensive.
- While you are paying for a more professional quality, this drawback may be cost prohibitive for some.
An Alternative: Wall Bed Mechanism Kits
An increasingly attractive alternative to either building your own from scratch or buying a pre-built unit, is getting a wall bed mechanism kit. These kits contain all of the hardware you need to build your own wall bed, except for the bookcases and the mattress.
Benefits
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Cost
Wall Bed Kits are much more affordable than complete wall beds. While they may not be as cheap as scrapping together lumber and other hardware from a lumber store, they are a nice “middle” ground between the high cost of pre-built units and the hassle of finding all of the hardware yourself.
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Quality
Since the kits contain all of the hardware, you can be sure that you have all that you need to build your own wall bed. This, again, helps speed the process and makes it much more manageable. As well, it will help ensure both durability and security, since you are guaranteed to get all the right parts in good quality.