Wilding Wallbeds is the all wood Murphy Bed manufacturer based out of St. George, UT (located in the southwest corner of the state). From day one it was apparent to owners, Dan and Dennis Wilding, that the trickiest part about building Murphy Beds was getting them to the customers’ homes in the same condition that they left the factory in. When Wilding Wallbeds initially set up their website, their very first sale from the site was to a family in Alabama. They went right to work building the furniture and upon completion, they called a shipping company to come to pick up the bed. By the time it was unloaded in Alabama at the customer’s home there were two forklift holes right through the face of the bed. Dennis knew that they would have to figure out a way to ship their beautiful product or they would never be able to make it as a business.

After meetings with shipping professionals and hours reviewing shipping regulations, Wilding Wallbeds had their solution. They needed to build custom shipping enclosures that would still fit within shipping standards. Preparing their beds to ship is now broken up into three steps.

1. Wrapping each piece in foam.
2. Building the shipping boxes around the furniture.
3. Attaching the boxed furniture to the pallets.

Wrapping Things Up

Wilding Wallbeds takes the time to wrap each piece of furniture in ¼” thick foam to ensure that no finished wood is exposed during the boxing process. This foam comes in huge rolls that are cut to size for each piece. Leftover pieces are saved and used on later jobs. When certain stains are used Wilding Wallbeds takes the time to wrap the pieces first in a wax paper, then in the foam to ensure that the finish is not damaged by friction during shipping.

The foam is then wrapped in Shrink Wrap to keep the foam in place and to bind multiple pieces together. The same thing happens for side cabinets and desk units. All of the shelves are pinned into place using special shelf pins, then the cabinets are wrapped and bound.

Boxed Up Securely

Due to the fact that Wilding Wallbed’s products are so unique, Wilding Wallbeds buys large sheets of cardboard that are cut and folded on site around the furniture. The bed is set on top of a cardboard sheet, then surrounded by ¾” foam. The cardboard is then cut and folded to fit tight around the furniture then stapled in place. Another sheet is then set on top of the bed and the sheet is cut, folded and stapled creating a top to the box.

The bed box is then bound with metal straps that are ratcheted and clamped in place. This assures that the box will not open until the customer cuts the straps. The cabinets are boxed individually to ensure that they are protected as well.

Pallets Made From Scrap

Now that all of the furniture is boxed and protected it is time to put it on a pallet and schedule shipping. This seems pretty straight forward, but once again Wilding Wallbeds goes the extra mile to ensure the safe passage of their product. Each pallet is built in the Wilding Wallbeds facility using scrap wood from the Murphy Bed construction process. These pallets have been designed to fit a Wallbed, a mattress and two cabinets. If your order is larger than that, they simply build a second pallet for the remainder of the furniture. The pallets are designed to fit the forks for just about any forklift and are built slightly longer and wider than the murphy beds to reduce the risk of the product getting bumped.

After extensive testing, they have developed a specific technique for stacking the beds on the pallet to ensure safety and conserve space. The furniture is attached to the pallet using metal straps and then ratcheted and clamped in place. Cardboard corner protectors are placed on the corners of each box under the strap to avoid tearing the boxes as the straps are ratcheted. Just to go the extra mile Wilding Wallbeds then wraps the entire pallet in Shrinkwrap to keep the product tight together and to prevent shifting.

What if the Unthinkable Happens?

Accidents happen. In very rare occasions the shipping company does not follow the shipping specifications that Wilding Wallbeds has set, and the product shows up to the customer’s home damaged. Don’t panic! If the bed is visibly damaged before it is signed for, the shipment can simply be denied. It is then brought back to the factory, fixed and returned to the customer’s home. If the package was signed for and damage was found as the furniture was unpackaged, still don’t panic! Just call Wilding Wallbeds Customer Service department’s toll-free number 866-725-6401, and they will get the problem taken care of. Customer Service is all taken care of personally by Dennis Wilding and his Customer Service representatives.

What’s the Big Deal?

The big deal is that Wilding Wallbeds builds the highest quality of Murphy Beds on the market. This quality is mirrored in everything they do, from the quality of their plywoods and hardwoods to the way they box their finished furniture. Every finished job is a masterpiece and it is treated as such. Taking these extra steps in preparing the beds to ship has lowered the percentage of damaged furniture far below the shipping company averages. Building their own pallets not only helps protect their beds but also reduces the amount of waste from production.

All of this care gives the owners and the employees the confidence to sell beds all over the world with the peace of mind that the beds will arrive in perfect condition. If by some rare accident the furniture arrives damaged, Wilding Wallbeds will take care of its customers. Customer satisfaction is taken very seriously and is the top priority. Wilding Wallbeds is quality in absolutely everything that they do.

Written by
Brandon Wilding
St. George Showroom Team Leader