UK bed and mattress sizes
Every UK bed size, what each gives two people, and the European and US sizes that share the names but not the dimensions.
Buy by centimetres, not by name
Size names are not international. A European double, a US queen and a UK double are three different beds, and all three appear in UK listings under familiar names.
| Name | Centimetres | Imperial | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small single | 75 × 190 | 2'6" × 6'3" | Children, box rooms, cabin beds |
| Single | 90 × 190 | 3'0" × 6'3" | One adult, children, guest rooms |
| Small double | 120 × 190 | 4'0" × 6'3" | One adult with space, two at a squeeze |
| Double | 135 × 190 | 4'6" × 6'3" | Two adults. The UK default. |
| King | 150 × 200 | 5'0" × 6'6" | Two adults with room, or anyone over 6ft |
| Super king | 180 × 200 | 6'0" × 6'6" | Two adults, a child, or a dog |
| Emperor | 200 × 200 and up | 6'6" × 6'6" | Not standardised. Sizes vary by maker. |
What each size gives two people
| Size | Each | Compare |
|---|---|---|
| Small double | 60cm | The width of a standard UK cot |
| Double | 67.5cm | Less than a single bed each |
| King | 75cm | Where dual firmness starts working |
| Super king | 90cm | Exactly a UK single each |
Two consequences worth acting on. Motion isolation matters most at the narrow end, which makes pocket springs the floor rather than an upgrade on a double. And dual firmness needs king width or more, because every dual firmness mattress has a transition zone down the middle you both need to be clear of.
Length changes at king
Small single, single, small double and double are all 190cm long. King and super king are 200.
The usual guidance is a mattress at least 10 to 15 centimetres longer than the tallest person, which puts the 190 sizes at a ceiling of roughly 5'11" and the 200 sizes at roughly 6'3".
So for a tall person, moving to a king is a length decision, available without going to super king width. On a frame with a footboard there is no overhang at all, making the limit absolute.
How much room the bed needs
Allow 60 to 75 centimetres each side to walk past and make the bed. Below about 60 the room stops working and making the far side becomes a daily irritation.
Rough minimum room widths: a double needs about 2.6 metres, a king about 2.7, a super king about 3.1, and more where wardrobe doors open into that space.
A king in a room that fits beats a super king in a room that does not.
And check access before ordering: doorways, stair width, the landing turn, and any low ceiling. A super king pocket sprung mattress can weigh 60 to 80 kilograms and does not bend. Zip and link comes up as two singles and solves it.
European and US sizes with the same names are different
This is where most sizing mistakes come from, and it catches people buying from IKEA and from imported ranges.
| Name | UK | Europe |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 90 × 190cm | 90 × 200cm |
| Double | 135 × 190cm | 140 × 200cm |
| King | 150 × 200cm | 160 × 200cm |
Every row differs, and the length differs as well as the width on singles and doubles. A European double is ten centimetres longer than a UK one, which is the part people miss.
A US queen is roughly 152 by 203cm, closest to a UK king. There is no UK queen size, so a listing offering one is using an imported name.
Zip and link, and why the singles are longer
Zip and link singles are made at 90 by 200 centimetres rather than 190, so two make a full super king at 180 by 200.
Pushing two ordinary UK singles together gives 180 by 190, which is super king width and ten centimetres short in length, so super king bedding will not fit properly.
Zip and link also solves access, since each half comes up the stairs separately, and handling, since one person can turn a single.
Depth is the measurement nobody checks
Bed sizes describe length and width. Depth is not standardised at all, and it is what decides whether your sheets fit.
Standard UK fitted sheets are cut for about 25 centimetres. Modern hybrids run 28 to 35, and a topper adds 5 to 10 on top of that.
Add the mattress depth to the topper depth and buy a few centimetres over, because the fabric has to fold under rather than merely reach the edge.
Measure the base, not the old mattress
An old mattress has compressed and may have distorted, so measuring it gives you the wrong number.
Measure the internal dimensions of the bed frame, at the longest and widest points, and check the depth the frame will take.
Manufacturers vary by a centimetre or two even within standard sizes, which matters most on frames with a headboard and footboard where the mattress has to drop between them rather than sit proud.
Related reading
Individual size guides
Unusual sizes
How this site works
Nothing here is paid for by a brand. No manufacturer has copy approval, a preview, or the ability to change a score, and where a link earns a commission that never changes a ranking.
Where a brand does not publish a specification, that is stated rather than estimated, because an absent number is itself information. The corrections log and the products I will not recommend page are both public.
Questions people ask
What are the UK bed sizes?
Small single 75 by 190cm, single 90 by 190, small double 120 by 190, double 135 by 190, king 150 by 200 and super king 180 by 200. Emperor starts around 200 by 200 and is not standardised.
How much space does each person get in a double?
Sixty seven and a half centimetres each, which is less than a single bed would give them. A small double gives 60 centimetres each, the width of a standard UK cot.
Which UK bed sizes are 200cm long?
King and super king. The smaller sizes are all 190 centimetres, so for anyone over about 5'11" moving to a king is a length decision as much as a width one.
How much room do I need around a bed?
Sixty to 75 centimetres each side to walk past and make it. Roughly, a double needs a room about 2.6 metres wide, a king 2.7 and a super king 3.1, and more if wardrobe doors open into that space.