King size bed dimensions and mattress size: US and UK
A US King mattress is 76 × 80 in: 193 × 203.2 cm, or 6 ft 4 in × 6 ft 8 in. A UK King is a different bed, 150 × 200 cm (sold as a 5ft × 6ft 6in bed), which is 43 cm (17 in) narrower. A US King is as long as a Queen mattress and 16 inches wider; its close relative, the California King, is 72 × 84 in. With a 30-inch walkway on both sides and at the foot, a US King needs floor space of at least 11 ft 4 in × 9 ft 2 in.
Bedding sized for a King: California Design Den sateen sheet set (fits mattresses 8 to 16 in deep) and Coop Ultra-Tech waterproof protector (up to 18 in). Why these two. As an Amazon Associate, Bed Size Chart earns from qualifying purchases. These are affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
What we found
"King size" means a different bed in the US, the UK and France
People in the US and the UK search for the same words, "king size bed dimensions", and get different beds. In the US a King is 193 cm wide; in the UK it is 150 cm; IKEA France sells 180 × 200 cm as "king size", which is called a Super King in the UK. Frames and fitted sheets follow the local King, so a UK King frame or fitted sheet suits a different mattress size from its US counterpart, and vice versa.
One IKEA product page is internally inconsistent: IKEA's US TARVA King frame page gives an outer width of 63 in, narrower than the 76 in mattress it says the frame holds and the same figure as its Queen page, so we do not use that footprint.
Some King comforters give little cover at the sides. One at the narrow end of Sleep Foundation's range (90 in) hangs only 7 in over each side, less than the 12 in depth of Tuft & Needle's Original Mattress II.
King size bed dimensions in inches, cm, feet and metres
| Unit | Width | Length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inches | 76 in | 80 in | Target |
| Centimetres | 193 cm | 203.2 cm | Our conversion |
| Feet and inches | 6 ft 4 in | 6 ft 8 in | Our conversion |
| Metres | 1.93 m | 2.032 m | Our conversion |
Inches: Target's mattress size chart, which matches the chart from Sleep Foundation; both were checked on 2026-09-24. The other rows are conversions (1 in = 2.54 cm), rounded as shown. The surface is 6,080 sq in: 42.2 sq ft, or 3.92 m².
UK King size: 150 × 200 cm
In the UK, "king size" means 150 × 200 cm, sold as a 5ft × 6ft 6in bed (that imperial name converts to 152.4 × 198.1 cm), according to Which? and the National Bed Federation. IKEA UK prints it as 60" × 78", though 150 × 200 cm is 59.1 × 78.7 in. Which? calls it the most popular size among its members and lists its bedding as a fitted sheet of 150 × 200 cm, a flat sheet of 275 × 275 cm and a duvet of 225 × 220 cm. The next size up is the Super King, 180 × 200 cm: see UK Super King bed size, which compares the two. Every other UK size, from Small Single to Emperor, is on our UK mattress size chart.
| Measure | UK King | US King | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 59.1 in150.0 cm | 76 in193.0 cm | +16.9 in+43.0 cm |
| Length | 78.7 in200.0 cm | 80 in203.2 cm | +1.3 in+3.2 cm |
| Area | 4,650 sq in32.3 sq ft | 6,080 sq in42.2 sq ft | +1,430 sq in+30.8% |
| Area (m²) | 3.00 m² | 3.92 m² | +0.92 m² |
| Per person, two sharing | 29.5 in | 38 in | +8.5 in |
UK figure: Which? and the NBF, checked 2026-09-24. US figure: Target. Differences are our arithmetic.
Is a King the same as two Twin XLs?
Only on one of the two published Twin XL widths. Split down the middle, a King gives each sleeper 38 inches, which is exactly Sleep Foundation's Twin XL (38 × 80 in), so two of those make 76 × 80 in. On Target's 39-inch Twin XL, two make 78 × 80 in, 2 inches too wide for a King frame. Two ordinary Twins fall short the other way: they are 75 in long, 5 in shorter than a King. See Twin bed dimensions.
Length is the same 80 in as a Queen, so a King adds width and no length. The National Bed Federation advises a bed 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) longer than its tallest sleeper, which puts the limit at about 6 ft 2 in to 6 ft 4 in (188 to 193 cm). Taller sleepers get 4 more inches on a California King, below.
How much room does a King bed need?
Biltrite and Sleep Number give a 12 × 12 ft room for a King (Avocado says 12 × 10 ft), none citing a source. With a published 30 in walkway, the mattress alone needs floor space of 11 ft 4 in × 9 ft 2 in; on IKEA's MALM King frame (82¼ × 83⅛ in), the floor space needed grows to 11 ft 10¼ in × 9 ft 5⅛ in.
| Layout | Mattress only (76 × 80 in) | On the IKEA MALM bed frame (82¼ × 83⅛ in) |
|---|---|---|
| Walkway on both sides and at the foot30 in (76 cm) on both long sides and at the foot | 11 ft 4 in × 9 ft 2 in3.45 m × 2.79 m, 9.65 m² (103.9 sq ft) | 11 ft 10¼ in × 9 ft 5⅛ in3.61 m × 2.87 m, 10.38 m² (111.8 sq ft) |
| One long side against a wall30 in (76 cm) on one long side and at the foot | 8 ft 10 in × 9 ft 2 in2.69 m × 2.79 m, 7.52 m² (81 sq ft) | 9 ft 4¼ in × 9 ft 5⅛ in2.85 m × 2.87 m, 8.19 m² (88.2 sq ft) |
Walkway: 30 in, from Which? (2ft 6in) and the 2010 ADA Standards (305.3 and 806.2.3). For this King with both sides open, that is 76 + 30 + 30 = 136 in wide and 80 + 30 = 110 in long, or 11 ft 4 in × 9 ft 2 in.
King sheets, comforters and frames
| Item | Size | What it means for this bed |
|---|---|---|
| Fitted sheet | 76 × 80 in | Sold under the same size name as the mattress. Check the mattress's stated size and the pocket depth. See fitted sheet pocket depth. |
| Comforter | 90 to 108 × 86 to 108 in | Hangs 7 to 16 in over each side of a 76 in mattress. A side is covered only if the overhang is at least the mattress depth. |
Comforter range: Sleep Foundation comforter sizes, read on 2026-09-25; the overhang is our arithmetic. Parachute sells one King/Cal King duvet cover for both sizes. For the difference between a duvet and a comforter, see duvet vs comforter.
What to buy for a King bed
- California Design Den 400 Thread Count Cotton Sateen Sheet Set, King. The listing says its fitted sheet fits mattresses 8 to 16 in deep, with elastic all the way round. Not for a mattress under 8 in deep. Bob Vila's editors named it their best cotton sheet set in August 2026 and note it may be too heavy for summer.
- Coop Ultra-Tech Waterproof Mattress Protector, King. Tom's Guide's best overall mattress protector: their reviewer spilled coffee, tea and water on it and washed it repeatedly, and the pad underneath stayed dry. The listing says it fits mattresses up to 18 in deep. Tom's Guide found its backing slippery on the bed.
Measure your mattress with any topper before you pick a sheet: fitted sheet pocket depth.
As an Amazon Associate, Bed Size Chart earns from qualifying purchases. These are affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Search Amazon for King size sheets or King size mattress protectors. As an Amazon Associate, Bed Size Chart earns from qualifying purchases. These are affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
| Frame | Floor footprint | Mattress it states | Beyond a 76 × 80 in mattress |
|---|---|---|---|
| IKEA MALM bed frame, dark-brown veneerchecked 2026-09-24 | 82¼ × 83⅛ in | 76 × 79½ in | +6.3 in wide, +3.1 in long |
| IKEA TARVA bed frame, pine/Luröychecked 2026-09-24 | Not usable (see note) | 76 × 79½ in | IKEA's published outer width is narrower than its stated mattress width |
More frames: bed frame dimensions.
California King dimensions
A California King is 72 × 84 in (182.9 × 213.4 cm, 6 ft × 7 ft) according to both US references: 4 inches narrower and 4 inches longer than a King, with 0.5% less surface. By the NBF length rule, its tallest comfortable sleeper is about 198 to 203 cm (6 ft 6 in to 6 ft 8 in), 10 cm more than on a King. Sleep Foundation's Cal King comforter runs 90 to 110 × 92 to 108 in. Both sizes, drawn to scale: King vs California King.
| Measure | King | California King | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 76 in193.0 cm | 72 in182.9 cm | −4 in−10.1 cm |
| Length | 80 in203.2 cm | 84 in213.4 cm | +4 in+10.2 cm |
| Area | 6,080 sq in42.2 sq ft | 6,048 sq in42.0 sq ft | −32 sq in−0.5% |
| Area (m²) | 3.92 m² | 3.90 m² | −0.02 m² |
| Per person, two sharing | 38 in | 36 in | −2 in |
The US King in other countries
None of the UK or French sizes in our sources matches it. By measurement, the closest are the UK Emperor (200 × 200 cm, 7 cm wider) and the 180 × 200 cm size sold as a Super King in the UK and "king size" in France.
| Market and name | Size | Compared with the King |
|---|---|---|
| UK Emperor | 200 × 200 cm78.7 × 78.7 in | 7 cm (2.7 in) wider, 3.2 cm (1.3 in) shorter |
| French King 180 × 200 | 180 × 200 cm70.9 × 78.7 in | 13 cm (5.1 in) narrower, 3.2 cm (1.3 in) shorter |
| UK Super King | 180 × 200 cm70.9 × 78.7 in | 13 cm (5.1 in) narrower, 3.2 cm (1.3 in) shorter |
Common questions
How big is a King bed in feet?
A US King is 6 ft 4 in wide and 6 ft 8 in long. A UK King is about 4 ft 11 in × 6 ft 6¾ in (150 × 200 cm).
What is a King bed in metres?
US: 1.93 × 2.032 m. UK: 1.5 × 2 m.
Are there two sizes of King bed?
In the US, the King and the California King. Across markets there are more: the US King, the UK King and the 180 × 200 cm French "king size". Oversized beds such as the Alaskan King have no standard that we found; the sizes sellers print are on Alaskan king, Wyoming king and Texas king sizes.
Sources
- Target mattress size chart
- Sleep Foundation twin size guide
- Sleep Foundation comforter sizes
- Parachute percale duvet cover (size options)
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (305.3, 806.2.3)
- Which? bed, sheet and duvet sizes table
- National Bed Federation buyer's guide: "Size matters"
- Which? UK mattress size guide
- National Bed Federation bed buyer's guide
- IKEA UK mattress size guide
- IKEA France size guide
Sources are grouped by the market they are written for. Each figure was checked against its source on the date shown.