Need a Guide to Bed Size Dimensions? Here Are the Essentials

By Mario Esposito
Last Updated: January 12, 2019

Jump to:

 

Going shopping for a mattress and sleeping surface? When setting up or designing a bedroom, it’s imperative that you know what mattress size and/or bed dimensions you’re looking for before going further.

What’s the Difference Between Mattress Size and Bed Dimensions?

Bed dimensions are usually based on but not the same as mattress size. Generally, if you’re looking at a mattress size to get exact measurements for furniture placement, remember to add a few inches on each side. 

In the UK, in the particular, it can be confusing: “bed size” to them actually refers to mattress size. But the term “bed dimensions” is a vague term at best, wherever you come across it. Some brands may use it to refer to mattress size. Some may use it to refer to the measurements of a bed frame, platform bed, adjustable base, or other support surface.

Keep in mind that these support surfaces and are often wider and longer than the mattress sizes intended to be used with them because of structural or design purposes. Mattress thickness can vary, too! Mattress size typically only refers to width and length.

What Is the Global Standard for Mattress Sizes?

There is no global standard. In fact, several regions may use the same terminology, but for completely different mattress sizes. Conventional sizing varies from country to country.

For instance, a queen-sized mattress is 60 by 80 inches—or 152 by 203 centimeters—in both the US and Canada. In Australia it is slightly wider, in continental Europe it is much wider and slightly shorter. On top of this, there are more than three other countries that define the queen size differently.

The lack of an internationally agreed upon standard may not be a problem for most, but it can be a point of confusion for immigrants and expats. People may also run into difficulties when vacationing and/or purchasing bedding from overseas. Size mix-ups are particularly bothersome when it comes to fitted sheets.

What Are the Differences Between the Regional Mattress Size Conventions?

Below we’ll go through some common terminologies and run through the dimensions that define them in different locations; especially the US and Canada, the UK and Ireland, Australia, and continental Europe.

We’ll show the measurements in both inches and centimeters, too! Worth noting here that the Imperial system notation will be more exact for the US and Canada, but for the rest it’s best to stick to the metric system.

a twin bed

1. The Single or Twin

US & CanadaUK & IrelandAustraliaEurope
Imperial38in x 75in35in x 75in36in x 74in35in x 79in
Metric97cm x 191cm90cm x 190cm92cm x 187cm90cm x 200cm

This is one of the most common and widely used mattress terms worldwide, which is why it’s so important to note the small differences. Practically all the prominent US mattress brands have products available in this size. A striking outlier is Eight Sleep, offering only four size options—not including twin or twin XL.

In addition to the dimensions above, there are also various Asian ones. For example: In comparison to the US single or twin, Japan’s is two inches longer; Taiwan’s is four inches wider but slightly shorter; Singapore’s is a little narrower.

Some non-standard sizes similar to the US single or twin include the US small single or cot at eight inches narrower, and the US twin XL at five inches longer.

2. The Double or Full

US & CanadaUK & IrelandAustraliaEurope
Imperial53in x 75in53in x 75in54in x 74in55in x 79in
Metric135cm x 191cm135cm x 190cm137cm x 187cm140cm x 200cm

Double or full beds—usually the smallest that can fit two people—suffer from little to no variation in actual measurements when you compare the standards of three of the four biggest markets.

Thailand’s double or full mattress is much narrower than the US full size at about 48 inches, but comes very close to the extreme length of continental Europe’s, with barely an inch of difference. Taiwan’s is again a little shorter, but as wide as a US queen size.

In the US, there’s also the small double or three-quarter at 10 inches wider. We haven’t reviewed a mattress brand offering this size yet, but we have come across a small double mattress pad. There is also the non-standard full XL—like the twin XL, it adds five inches to the mattress length.

3. The Queen

US & CanadaUK & IrelandAustraliaEurope
Imperial60in x 80inN.A.60in x 80in63in x 79in
Metric152cm x 203cmN.A.153 x 203cm160cm x 200cm

Queen size mattresses are the most popular these days. They’re typically used as the display size as well as the basis of the advertised price of a mattress.

The North American and Australian queen sizes might as well be identical, with a mere centimeter of difference that’s lost when rounding down the converted measurement. Curiously, a UK queen size does not exist. The UK king size, though, is closer to the US queen size than it is to the US king size, as we will see later on.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that there are three North American non-standard queen sizes, and one of them is even known by three different names! The super, Olympic or expanded queen size is six inches wider than the US standard. The California queen is four inches longer.

The split queen—specifically for use with adjustable bed bases—is the same size as the US standard, but it’s split into two parts each measuring 30 inches wide. Split mattresses of a larger size also exist, as we will note later on.

Still frame from the official music video of Rihanna’s California King Bed

4. The King

US & CanadaUK & IrelandAustraliaEurope
Imperial76in x 80in59in x 79in72in x 80in71in x 79in
Metric193cm x 203cm150cm x 200cm183cm x 203cm180cm x 200cm

For most markets, the king size is the most spacious and luxurious. In many Asian countries, their respective king sizes—mostly smaller than the US standard—tend to be their biggest mattress sizes, too.

As previously noted and as seen here, the UK king size is closer to the US queen. A more comparable UK mattress measurement to the other king sizes is the UK super king, which has exactly the same dimensions as the Euro king and the standard Swedish double bed.

The US does king sizes differently. The standard US California king is a little narrower but a little longer than the normal US king; and while the much harder to find, the non-standard US Texas king or grand king is huge at 80 inches by 98 inches. There’s also the split king, which DreamCloud offers. It is one of the few online mattress brands to highlight this fact.

Note though, that a split king may also be formed by using two identical twin XL mattresses. We mention this in our review of the Leesa Sapira mattress, but it should be doable with any brand offering the twin XL size.