Home Guides Home Home Improvement Troubleshoot, Fix and Repair The Standard Height of a Bed and Mattress From the Floor A bed high off the floor is easier to clean under. While mattress lengths and widths are standardized, how high your bed sits off the floor is not. The depth of your mattress and box springs combine with the height of the bed frame to determine the height of your bed from the floor. Standard Dimensions Typical mattress pocket depths vary from 8 to 18 inches, and box springs usually measure 8 to 12 inches deep. “Bunkie boards” allow for a lower bed height, since they measure only 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches deep. Standard bed frames raise box springs and mattresses 7 1/2 inches off the floor. Different Bed Heights The average bed height today is about 25 inches. At this height, your feet can reach the floor when you're seated on the edge of the mattress. Built 36 inches off the floor, an antique bed is quite high, while a modern platform bed is typically only about 18 inches high.
Benefits of Various Bed Heights Higher beds may provide more storage room, assuming a taller-than-standard bed frame contributes to the height. Lower beds have a more modern look and may provide the aesthetic you like. Lower beds are also appropriate for children since they are easier to climb into and offer a shorter distance to fall if the child rolls out of bed. Older people sometimes like higher beds since they're easier to get in and out of. /Getty Images Suggest a Correction This chart shows available foundations and their approximate heights. Please note that these heights may vary 0.5" depending on the manufacturer. Tips on Selecting a Profile: Both foundations will provide the same quality support for your mattress purchase. The profile height will determine how high your selected mattress sits off the ground and how much of your headboard is visible. A high profile foundation is generally 9 inches in height. A low profile foundation is 5-6 inches in height and is a popular choice for thicker mattresses.
Every foundation’s height can vary by 0.5 inches depending on the manufacturer.Even a bed with a medium-high mattress can do double duty for storage. Mattress heights -- or depths -- can vary by as much as 10 inches or more. Coupled with the box spring and side-board height of the bedstead, mattress heights can make a big difference both to the look of your bed, and in terms of comfort and providing under-bed storage. Determining a mattress height begins with an examination of the bedroom's design and any unique requirements you may have in mind for the bed. Preferences Begin with your vision for the bedroom. Whether chrome-and-mirrors modern or formal Tudor, sizing your bed height can help to create the right look. Early American, primitive or traditional design schemes lend themselves to high-mattress beds. The more modernistic the decorating theme, the lower the mattress height. Other concerns that may enter into purchasing decisions are back or knee problems for getting in an out of bed, toddlers who might roll off the bed, comfort while sleeping and storage needs.
Low and Sleek Low, sleek beds fit well in modern bedrooms. Beginning with a bed foundation only a few inches above the floor then building on this foundation with a marginal-depth mattress ensures a contemporary silhouette. Hollywood bed frames are an ideal match for low-line beds. Should you be interested in a high-depth mattress with a low contour, one option is to alter the bed frame by attaching a 3/4-inch plywood base, eliminating the need for the box spring; the mattress can lie directly on the plywood platform, assuring a low-profile bed in spite of the generous mattress height. If under-bed storage is a priority, consider buying, building or having built a custom wooden frame with under-the-bed drawers. When appraising mattress height for a modern bedroom style, keep the finished bed mattress height at about 18 inches or less. Arts and Crafts Mid-Height Art Nouveau, Scandinavian contemporary, humble Shaker, early prairie and Mission -- or arts and crafts -- room styles sport mid-height beds with a maximum top-mattress height of 20 to 25 inches.
Play around with a wide variety of mattress heights by customizing the bed frame to accommodate the finished sleeping height. Mid-height beds with appropriately sized mattresses generally have more storage room underneath the bed frame than low-line beds. While mid-height beds may be of more concern for little ones, they can be easier on body parts if you contend with arthritic knees or frequent trips to the bathroom during the night. High for a Lot of Reasons Early American bed mattresses often had a height of 25 inches or more to provide room for trundles. Colonial, Queen Anne, Tudor, country chic and Jacobean room decor are good matches for beds with high mattresses. Such bedding styles allow for storage, are easiest on bad backs in terms of getting in and out of the bed and when making the bed. A comfortable total-bed maximum height is 33 inches. Any higher becomes problematic for utilizing the bed. A range of 30 to 32 inches for sleeping height makes a visually attractive design statement, supports a traditional theme as well as allows under-bed storage.
A high-bed strategy is the largest option for mattress heights. Even if you have a tried-and-true mattress that is comfortable but not deep enough to meet an overall high-bed dimension, you can add a 4-inch foam-topper mattress. References The Oregonian: What to Watch Out for When Buying a Mattress, Bed and Bedding Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionCustom Loft & Bunk Beds for Youth Teen College & Adults How much Space will I get Above and Underneath the Mattress? We custom build each bed to your exact specifications so we can make it fit any ceiling height and mattress thickness. The amount of space you will get Underneath the Mattress depends on your Ceiling Height, Mattress Thickness and the amount of space you request Above the Mattress. Enter your specifications below and press Calculate Space Underneath. The system will calculate the amount of Space Underneath the Loft Bed and the Space Between the bunks for a Bunk Bed.
A typical college dorm room mattress is 6" thick and a typical home mattress is 8" thick. For the Minimum Space Above the Mattress we recommend 30" which meets the Consumer Products Safety Commission and most College's Guidelines. Leg Heights: Standard for 8' ceilings, Extra Tall for 9' ceilings and Super Tall for ceilings greater than 9'. All values below are in inches. 8' = 96" 9' = 108" 10' = 120". Enter Your Specifications then press Calculate Space Underneath Space ▼ Legs ► Our Standard Legs are for ceilings up to 8' (72" Max Leg Height). The Extra Tall Legs are for ceilings up to 9' or when adding additional safety rails (84" Max Leg Height). The Super Tall Legs are for ceilings greater than 9' or when adding additional safety rails (96" Max Leg Height). Please contact us if you need legs taller than 96". We cut the legs to the proper length based on your ceiling height, mattress thickness and the number of extra safety rails requested.
For the Super Tall Legs the bed may be slightly top heavy and we require you to also use our Corner & Rung Braces to further stabilize the bed. We can also drill the legs for multiple heights. We position the top of the Safety Rail 5" above the top of the mattress to meet the Consumer Products Safety Commission Guidelines. If you order additional Safety Rails to go 10" or 15" above you will need to order the next size taller legs. For Bunk Beds we leave 4" of space underneath the lower rail and the lower mattress starts at 10" from the floor. Please let us know if you would like this to be higher or lower. We can set it as low as 1/2" from the floor. We offer Square Top and Round Top Legs. The Round Top Legs adds a nice decorative look and is very popular with loft beds for kid's bedrooms. If you order the Double Bookshelf which goes above the top of the mattress it will be Half-Rounded. Standard Mattress Sizes: Twin: 39" x 75" Twin-XL: 39" x 80" Full: 54" x 75" Queen: 60" x 80" King: 76" x 80" Cal King: 72" x 84".
Standard Footprint Sizes: Twin: 44" x 79" Twin-XL: 44" x 84" Full: 59" x 79" Queen: 65" x 84" King: 81" x 84" or if a Headboard or End Safety Rails are included then the footprint is 81" x 92" Cal King: 77" x 88" or if a Headboard or End Safety Rails are included then the footprint is 77" x 96". Please contact us if you need a custom size built. Click on photo to enlarge. How much space will I get above and underneath? We custom build each bed to your exact specifications, so it depends on your ceiling height and mattress thickness. We normally set the space above the mattress to 30" unless you specify something different. For most people 30" space above is adequate and most colleges also recommend this. For example, the loft shown here has a 6" mattress and there is 58" of space underneath the bed slats. The student in the picture is 5'-9" tall and when sitting down, has about 6" of space from the top of his head to the bed slats. From the top of the mattress there is 30" of space to the 8' ceiling above.
How much space do I need if I want to sit underneath? It depends on how tall you are but we recommend a minimum of 52" underneath. Sit at your chair and measure yourself to see how much space you need. Remember that kids grow (too) fast, so estimate their height during their teen years. I have a young child, can I have it drilled for multiple heights, lower to start then move it up as he grows? During checkout there is a box where you can enter custom specifications. For example, you may say: Please drill for space underneath at 45" and 58". Please note that safety is always a concern when using loft or bunk beds. With the space above at 30", it is more difficult for a child to stand up. If you lower the frame to have more space above, this may give your child enough room to be able to stand up in bed. Children must never stand up or jump on the bed as they could easily fall over the side. If you do want it lower we recommend you add additional safety rails to go 20" or 30" above the top of the mattress.
The space underneath is to the bottom of the bed slats, how much space is underneath the bed rail? The bottom of the bed rail is 4" below the bed slats. See diagram at left for more detail. Can you lower the loft or can I use a custom size mattress? We have a High Rise Platform Bed that has 30" of space underneath. If you need the regular loft a little shorter we can cut it down to any size you need. If you have an odd size mattress or are confined to a tight space, we can custom build your loft to your specifications. Please contact us with any custom specifications. What is the Total Mattress Thickness? It is the total thickness of the mattress, box spring and mattress topper. Note, you do not need to use a box spring, bunkie board, plywood or MDF board to support the mattress. The mattress will lay on top of our mattress foundation bed slats (see left photo) which is included with each bed. Our mattress foundation gives you 1,000 lbs. of Weight Capacity.
What is the Space Above Mattress to Ceiling? It is the minimum space you want between the top of the mattress and the ceiling. The Consumer Products Safety Commission Guidelines and most colleges recommend 30". On the order form, we ask you How Much Space Do You Want Underneath? If you select Maximum (which is the typical answer) we will position the mattress to give you a minimum of 30" above. You may also enter a custom value on the order form. Can I go closer to the ceiling to get more space underneath? Basically, we can position the mattress platform at any height, so for every inch you gain underneath you lose an inch above. Most colleges recommend a minimum of 30" of space from the top of the mattress to the ceiling. If this is for a home or an apartment use you can go closer to the ceiling. We recommend you try it out first to make sure you feel comfortable being closer to the ceiling. We recommend you lay down on your current bed face up and place a sheet of cardboard 30" above your mattress.
Then move it down to 29", 28" and so on until you get the right amount of space to make you feel comfortable. We don't recommend going closer than 24" though, but it is totally up to you. For lofts used in dorm rooms: If your dorm room has fixed furniture that can't be moved you should double check the room measurements against our bed measurements to verify the bed will fit into the room. Each dorm room layout is different and the customer is responsible to make sure the bed will fit into the room. We can shorten the bed to fit the available space if needed. Safety Rails 5" Above Top of Mattress We position the top of the Safety Rail 5" above the top of the mattress, which follows the Consumer Products Safety Commission Guidelines. If you order additional Safety Rails to go higher you will need to order the taller legs. This photo shows the standard safety rails going 5" above the top of the mattress. Safety Rails 10" Above Top of Mattress This customer's photo shows the safety rails going 10" above the top of the mattress.