Edit ArticleHow to Measure Bed Size Two Parts:Measuring a BedDetermining Bed SizeCommunity Q&A Beds are made in standard sizes, such as twin, full, queen and king sizes. It is recommended that you find a bed size that is at least four inches (10cm) longer than the tallest person who will sleep in it. The following measurements can be taken to ensure you get the right bed size. Strip the bed of all bedding. Grab a retractable measuring tape. Keep a pen and paper nearby to write down the measurements for future reference. Place one end of the measuring tape at the left side of the bed. Set the end of the tape at the middle top of the bed. Determine if your small bed is a twin. Most twin beds are 39 inches (99 cm) wide, while a “narrow” twin is 36 inches (91 cm) wide. Standard length will be 75 inches (191 cm) long. In the UK, a single bed is 36 inches (91 cm) wide. An extra-long twin, like the beds in most dorm rooms, is 80 inches (203 cm) long.
Look for sheet sets that say “x-long twin.” This bed size is used for most standard bunk beds. Move on to a full size bed if the bed is 54 inches (137 cm) wide. It should also be 75 inches (191 cm) long. In England and occasionally in the US, this is referred to as a “double” bed. While a twin bed fits one person, a full bed is best for one large person or two small children or adults. Increase your size to a queen bed if the width is 60 inches (152 cm). The length should be 80 inches (203 cm). If the length is 84 inches (213 cm), it is a California queen sized bed. There is no equivalent to a queen sized bed in the UK. The next largest size is a king. Another type of queen, called the “super,” or “expanded” queen is 66 inches (168 cm) wide and 80 inches (203 cm) long. The expanded is also thicker than the super or the standard queen. Queen sized beds and larger are designed with enough room for two adults. Judge if your bed is a king size.
Look through the additional options if your bed or space is even larger. A California king is 72 inches (183 cm) wide by 84 inches (213cm) long and a Grand king is 80 inches (203 cm) wide and 98 inches (249 cm) long. A super king bed in the UK is 72 inches (183 cm) wide and 78 inches (198 cm) long. Show more unanswered questions If you are choosing a bed for a room based on these measurements, remember that you should have a foot or two of space on each side for easy movement about the room. It is a good idea to measure the depth of your mattress before you purchase sheet sets. Pillow-top or extra thick mattresses require deeper pockets. Look for an indication that your sheet sets will fit a pillow-top or extra-thick mattress. It is harder to find non-standard sheet sets, like those for the California queen, super king, or expanded queen. They are likely to be more expensive because of their large size and scarcity.Separated by a Common Language British correspondent PurpleClaire was having trouble buying bedding on-line to be used in the US, so she tweeted "what on earth is a full-size bed?"
I gave her a tweet-sized answer...but here is a fuller version of the story--with lots of help from Wikipedia. The short version: the basic sizes for American beds are twin, full, queen, and king, in ascending order. The basic sizes for British beds, respectively, are single, double, king, and super-king. Single bed and double bed are understood and used in the US, but they are not precise bed sizes there. For example, in AmE I could say that a (AmE) cot/(BrE) camp bed is a 'single bed' (it fits a single person), but not that it's a 'twin bed', because twin is a particular size. Two twins make an AmE king--as one can find to one's back-breaking and love-dampening horror in hotels where they make AmE-king-size beds out of two twins and a king-size sheet. (You said king-size bed! I want my money back!!) So, if you buy king-size fitted sheets in one country, they won't work as king-size in the other. Will the other sheets transfer? Here's the relevant part of Wikipedia's table of sizes, with the differences between US and UK highlighted.
(Australia is different in other ways--see Wikipedia for the whole story.) Note that double/full are recorded here as the same--but it's a bit tricker than that. Mattress size (width × length) 0.99 m × 1.91 m 0.9 m × 1.90 m 1.37 m × 1.91 m 1.52 m × 2.03 m 1.5 m × 2 m 1.93 m × 2.03 m 1.83 m × 1.98 m 1.83 m × 2.13 m Much of the rest of the story is told by these handy-dandy diagrams from Wikipedia. Here's American bed sizes (XL = extra long). And here are the UK sizes--with an error that needs correcting: the prince size (a term I've never heard in the wild) should be small double (not small single--which is elsewhere in the diagram). So, sheets for a US full-size should fit a UK double, but only if it's not a funny kind of double. The small double or three quarter is also advertised as a four-foot (or 4ft) bed (or sheet size) (like here). Of course, if you buy your beds at IKEA, then that's a whole other kettle of Swedish fish.
(Wikipedia has more on other countries' bed sizes as well.) The UK bed sizes are reflected in housing descriptions. A house or (BrE + San Francisco) flat/(general AmE) apartment will be advertised, for example, with "3 double bedrooms" or just "3 double rooms". This means 'big enough to fit a double bed'. And it often means just that: big enough to fit a double bed in, but good luck getting a (BrE/general E) bedside table/(AmE) nightstand in there. There is a lot to say about bed linens beyond the size issues that I've approached here. But in the spirit of trying for more posts rather than longer posts, I'll save that for next time.What is the difference between full-size beds and king-size beds? The difference between a full-size and a king-size bed is one of size, with full-size mattresses being 53 inches wide and approximately 75 inches in length. A king-size mattress is 76 inches wide and 80 inches long. What is the size difference between a full size bed and a king size bed?
What is the standard size for a California king mattress? What are the dimensions of a California king-size bed? A full-size mattress provides only enough space for a single person to sleep under most circumstances, and is a popular choice for younger children and teenagers. King-sized mattresses, on the other hand, are recommended for couples who want a maximum amount of personal sleeping space. The problem with this size bed, however, is that due to its oversized bulk, placing them in smaller bedrooms may be difficult. Learn more about Beds & Mattresses What are the dimensions of a standard full-size bed? Full-size mattresses are typically 53 inches wide and 75 inches long. Sometimes called a double mattress, a full-size mattress can comfortably fit one pers... What is the difference between a king-sized bed and a California king-sized bed? The main difference between a king-sized bed and a California king bed is the length and width of the respective mattresses.