Fitted sheet pocket depth: match it to your mattress
Pocket depth is the maximum mattress thickness a fitted sheet is designed to cover, and makers publish it as a maximum: IKEA's DVALA Queen sheet fits mattresses up to 10 in; its RÖNNVECKMAL Queen sheet fits mattresses up to 18 in. Measure your mattress from its bottom edge to its top, add any topper or protector, and choose a sheet whose stated maximum is at least that deep. There is no standard depth: Which? has tested mattresses from 11.5 cm to 69.5 cm deep.
Our fit checks
Six Queen mattresses against six Queen sheets
Each cell compares a mattress's published thickness with a sheet's published maximum. It says whether the mattress is at or below the sheet's stated maximum depth, not how snug it feels.
| Mattress (depth) | BÄRGLIMmax 9⅞ in | DVALAmax 10 in | NATTJASMINmax 14⅝ in | ULLVIDEmax 14⅝ in | Parachute Percalemax 16 in | RÖNNVECKMALmax 18 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ÅSBYGDA6¼ in (15.9 cm) | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range |
| ÅBROTTEN7⅞ in (20 cm) | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range |
| VALEVÅG9½ in (24.1 cm) | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range |
| ÅNNELAND9½ in (24.1 cm) | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range | In range |
| VÅGSTRANDA11 in (27.9 cm) | Too deep | Too deep | In range | In range | In range | In range |
| Tuft & Needle Original II12 in (30.5 cm) | Too deep | Too deep | In range | In range | In range | In range |
All are Queen mattresses and Queen sheets. Depths and maximums are read from each maker's product page on 2026-09-24 (links in the table and in the product references below). "In range" means the mattress is at or under the sheet's published maximum; "too deep" means it is over it.
The same mattresses against one sheet
Exceeds the published figure Too deep for DVALA: Tuft & Needle's 12 in Original II is 2 in over its maximum, and IKEA's own 11 in VÅGSTRANDA is 1 in over it.
What we found: product pages that give two depths
Several IKEA sheet pages publish conflicting maximum depths for the same product:
- NATTJASMIN and ULLVIDE: 15 in in the measurements list, 14⅝ in in the description. We use 14⅝ in.
- BÄRGLIM: 10 in in the measurements list, 25 cm (9⅞ in) in the description. We use 25 cm.
- BALSAMPOPPEL: 15 in in the measurements list, 10 in in the description. The two figures are too far apart to choose between, so we record the depth as unknown (see the product page).
Where a page disagrees with itself, we use the lower figure or leave the depth unknown, never the higher one.
How to find the pocket depth you need
- Find the mattress depth.
Use the maker's published thickness, or measure from the bottom edge to the top surface.
- Add toppers and protectors.
A topper and a protector add depth; include their thickness in your total. Which? warns that with a thicker mattress or a topper and protector you may need an extra-deep fitted sheet.
- Compare the number, not the label.
"Deep pocket" is not a defined size: shops use the term for different ranges. Pick a sheet whose published maximum is at least your total.
- Check the sheet size too.
A deep-pocket sheet in the wrong mattress size will still not fit. See the bed size chart for width and length.
Common questions
What is a standard depth for a fitted sheet?
There is no standard. Published maximums on IKEA's Queen sheets in our table run from 9⅞ in (25 cm) to 18 in (45.7 cm), and Which? has tested UK mattresses from 11.5 cm to 69.5 cm deep.
Is a 14- or 16-inch pocket considered deep?
It depends on who is selling it. What matters is whether 14 or 16 inches is deep enough for your mattress plus any topper. NATTJASMIN's stated 14⅝ in maximum is deeper than every Queen mattress in our table; DVALA's 10 in maximum is shallower than two of them.
Sources
Sources are grouped by the market they are written for. Each figure was checked against its source on the date shown.
Which? mattress-depth figures from its UK mattress size guide, checked 2026-09-24. Other product pages are linked in the tables above.