European vs UK Mattress Sizes: What's the Difference and Does It Matter?
UK and European mattress sizes use the same names but different measurements, which catches people out when they buy a bed abroad, move house internationally or order bedding from a European retailer. The differences are usually a few centimetres in width and length, and whether that matters depends on what you're trying to fit together. This guide sets out the standard measurements on both sides, explains where the gap causes problems, and covers what to check before you order.
The Standard UK Mattress Sizes
Our mattresses and beds follow the standard UK sizes:
- Single: 90cm wide by 190cm long
- Double: 135cm wide by 190cm long
- King: 150cm wide by 200cm long
- Super king: 180cm wide by 200cm long
A double is the most common choice for UK bedrooms because it fits two people while still leaving room to move around a standard room. A king adds 15cm of width and 10cm of length over a double, which is noticeable if you're tall.
How European Sizes Compare
Continental European sizes are built around a 200cm length across the board, and the widths step up differently:
- European single: typically 90cm by 200cm
- European double: typically 140cm by 200cm
- European king: typically 160cm by 200cm
- European super king: typically 180cm by 200cm
The pattern to notice is that European singles and doubles are 10cm longer than their UK equivalents, and a European double is 5cm wider than a UK double. At the super king end the two systems line up closely, both at 180cm by 200cm.
Sizes do vary between European countries, and some manufacturers use their own dimensions, so the figures above are the common standards and not a universal rule.
Where The Difference Actually Matters
A few centimetres sounds trivial, and in some situations it genuinely is. The places it causes real difficulty are:
- Mattress and frame together. A UK double mattress at 190cm long in a European frame built for 200cm leaves a 10cm gap at one end, which the mattress will gradually slide into.
- Fitted sheets. A fitted sheet cut for a 140cm by 200cm mattress won't sit tightly on a 135cm by 190cm one, and the corners will lift.
- Mattress protectors. The same issue applies, and a loose protector bunches under you during the night.
- Duvets. Duvet sizing follows its own conventions, and a European duvet on a UK bed often hangs differently from what you expect.
Where it matters less is with pillows, valances and throws, where a small variance isn't noticeable in daily use. Pillowcases follow their own standard sizes entirely, so they're unaffected by which system your mattress belongs to.
If You've Bought A Bed Abroad
This comes up most often when someone moves a bed over from France, Germany, Italy or Scandinavia, or buys from a European furniture retailer with UK delivery.
The frame will be built for European dimensions, so a UK mattress may not fill it. The practical options are to buy a mattress in the matching European size, or to accept the gap and use a rolled towel or foam filler at the head end, which is a compromise. If the frame has adjustable side rails, check the range before assuming either way.
Moving in the opposite direction is easier, because a European mattress in a UK frame is usually too long to fit at all, which tells you straight away that the sizes don't match.
Why The Two Systems Differ
The UK developed its bed sizes separately from continental Europe, and the standards settled at different points. UK sizing grew out of imperial measurements converted into centimetres, which is why a double lands on 135cm and 190cm rather than round numbers. European sizing was set in metric from the start, which is why the figures are cleaner at 140cm and 200cm.
Neither system is more correct, and both are well established in their own markets. The practical consequence for shoppers is simply that the size names don't transfer, so a double bought in one system won't necessarily suit bedding bought in the other.
Checking Before You Order
Whether you're buying a mattress, a frame or bedding, three measurements settle it:
- Measure your existing mattress across the width and the length, and note the depth as well if you're buying a fitted sheet.
- Measure the internal dimensions of the frame, taking the figure from rail to rail.
- Compare both against the size chart for the product you're buying.
Our beds and mattresses are made to match each other, so a Simba king bed and a Simba king mattress fit together without any measuring needed. Our king size mattresses measuring 150cm by 200cm can be paired with our king beds directly, and the same applies across single, double and super king.
Buying Bedding For Either Size
If you already own a mattress in a European size and you're buying bedding in the UK, look at the centimetre measurements on the product page rather than going by the size name. Most retailers list both, and the figures are what tell you whether something will fit.
Depth matters too, and it's the measurement people forget. A fitted sheet has a stated skirt depth, and a mattress deeper than that will pull the corners off during the night. Measure the side of your mattress from the top surface to the base and check that figure against the sheet before ordering.
Does It Matter For Comfort?
Size affects comfort mainly through space, not through support. If you share a bed and regularly wake each other up, moving up a size gives you both more room, and a super king at 180cm wide gives each person more width than a single mattress would. That's usually a bigger comfort change than the few centimetres between UK and European standards.
If you're already comfortable with the size you have, matching it exactly is the simplest route, and it keeps your existing bedding usable.
FAQs
No. A UK king is 150cm by 200cm and a European king is typically 160cm by 200cm, so the European version is around 10cm wider.
Not reliably. Fitted sheets and protectors are cut to specific dimensions, so a UK double sheet on a European double mattress will be both too narrow and too short.
A UK double measures 135cm wide by 190cm long. Our double beds are built to the same dimensions.
They're very close. Both are commonly 180cm by 200cm, which makes super king the size where the two systems line up most closely.
Measure the width and length with a tape measure, and check the depth too if you're buying fitted sheets. Comparing those figures against a size chart is more reliable than going by the name on the label.
