UK bed sizes explained
UK bed sizes are still specified in imperial — feet and inches — even though the frames themselves are built to millimetre tolerances. Here's what each size means, and how it compares to continental Europe.
Why UK sizes aren't continental sizes
UK bed and mattress sizes are based on imperial measurements that predate metrication and were never replaced — a UK Double is 4'6" (roughly 135 cm) wide, not the 140 cm that's standard across most of continental Europe. A UK King is 5'0" (roughly 150 cm), again narrower than a typical continental king. The lengths differ too: UK beds are traditionally 6'3" (190 cm) for smaller sizes and 6'6" (200 cm) for King and above, rather than the flat 200 cm/210 cm most of Europe uses regardless of width.
The practical effect for a retailer: a mattress bought to a continental size will not fit a UK-size frame, and vice versa. If you're sourcing frames from a continental manufacturer, always confirm the frame is built to UK nominal sizes — not simply relabelled from a European range.
UK bed sizes and our frame dimensions
The table below shows the standard UK nominal size alongside the exact external frame dimensions of our ottoman bed base for that size — the frame is built slightly larger than the nominal mattress size so the mattress sits inside it correctly.
| UK size | Nominal (imperial) | Our frame (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 3'0" × 6'3" | 890 × 1905 |
| Small Double | 4'0" × 6'3" | 1190 × 1905 |
| Double | 4'6" × 6'3" | 1357 × 1902 |
| King | 5'0" × 6'6" | 1507 × 2002 |
| Super King | 6'0" × 6'6" | 1805 × 2002 |
| Emperor | 6'6" × 6'6" | 1990 × 2005 |
Sourcing frames to the right size?
See full specifications for all six sizes, or ask us a question directly.