Double bed size (UK)
A UK Double mattress is 135 × 190 cm (1350 × 1900 mm), sold as a 4ft 6in bed. Which?, the National Bed Federation and IKEA UK all give 135 × 190 cm. The feet-and-inches name, 4ft 6in × 6ft 3in, converts to 137.2 × 190.5 cm, so the mattress as labelled is 2.2 cm narrower and 0.5 cm shorter than its imperial name implies. Shared by two, a Double gives each person 67.5 cm.
What we found
Accessible-home guidance specifies a Double for other double bedrooms and a King for the principal bedroom
When a new home in England is built to the optional accessible and adaptable standard (M4(2)), Approved Document M lists the beds its plans must show in each bedroom. For the principal bedroom it uses a 1500 × 2000 mm double bed, which is a UK King. For every other double bedroom it specifies a 1350 × 1900 mm bed, the UK Double covered here. Around that bed it asks for a 750 mm clear zone on one side and at the foot, or on both sides and at the foot in the principal bedroom. The room sizes below apply those same zones to a Double.
Published imperial figures also vary. IKEA UK prints the Double as 54" × 75", which is its imperial name; 135 × 190 cm is 53.1 × 74.8 in when converted.
Approved Document M, Volume 1, paragraph 2.25 and Appendix D; IKEA UK size guide. Both read 25 September 2026.
Double bed size in cm, mm, metres, feet and inches
| Unit | Width | Length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centimetres (label) | 135 cm | 190 cm | Which?, NBF, IKEA UK |
| Millimetres | 1350 mm | 1900 mm | Our conversion |
| Metres | 1.35 m | 1.9 m | Our conversion |
| Imperial size name | 4 ft 6 in | 6 ft 3 in | Which? ("approximately") |
| Imperial name, converted exactly | 137.2 cm | 190.5 cm | Our conversion |
| Inches (exact, from the cm label) | 53.1 in | 74.8 in | Our conversion |
| Inches as IKEA UK prints them | 54 in | 75 in | IKEA UK |
Metric size and imperial name: Which? and the NBF buyer's guide, checked 2026-09-24; IKEA UK read on 2026-09-25. In feet and inches the 135 × 190 cm label is 4 ft 5⅛ in × 6 ft 2¾ in. The surface is 2.57 m² (27.6 sq ft).
The Double among the other UK sizes, to scale
Room size for a Double bed
| Layout | Mattress only (135 × 190 cm) | On the IKEA MALM bed frame (150 × 199 cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Both sides and the foot750 mm each; Approved Document M 2.25b asks this in a home's principal bedroom | 2.85 m × 2.65 m7.55 m²; 9 ft 4¼ in × 8 ft 8⅜ in | 3.00 m × 2.74 m8.22 m²; 9 ft 10⅛ in × 8 ft 11⅞ in |
| One side and the foot750 mm each; Approved Document M 2.25c asks this in other double bedrooms | 2.10 m × 2.65 m5.57 m²; 6 ft 10⅝ in × 8 ft 8⅜ in | 2.25 m × 2.74 m6.17 m²; 7 ft 4⅝ in × 8 ft 11⅞ in |
Walkway zones: Approved Document M, Volume 1, paragraph 2.25 (the optional M4(2) accessible and adaptable standard for new homes in England), read on 2026-09-25. Which? gives a similar consumer figure: at least 2ft 6in (76 cm) at the sides and foot. We work out each room size by adding 750 mm to the bed width for each open side and 750 mm to its length for the zone at the foot.
For comparison, the government's nationally described space standard sets the smallest double (two-person) bedroom in a new home at 11.5 m², at least 2.75 m wide (2.55 m for any further double bedroom). The Double and its walkway zones account for 7.55 m² of that, leaving about 4 m² in area terms; whether a wardrobe, drawers and the door swing fit depends on the room's shape.
Who a Double fits
- Length. The National Bed Federation says a bed should be 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) longer than the tallest person in it. At 190 cm (6 ft 2¾ in), that puts the tallest comfortable sleeper at about 175 to 180 cm (5 ft 9 in to 5 ft 11 in).
- Width for two. Split down the middle, each of two sleepers gets 67.5 cm (26.6 in).
Which? calls a Double "generally long and wide enough to accommodate two average-sized adults, but there might not be much wiggle room". Which? and the NBF suggest the same test: lie on your backs with your hands behind your heads and check that your elbows touch neither each other nor the edge. A King adds 7.5 cm per person and 10 cm of length.
Sheets, duvet and frame for a Double
| Item | Size | What it means for this bed |
|---|---|---|
| Fitted sheet | 135 × 190 cm | Cut to the mattress size; check the pocket depth. |
| Flat sheet | 230 × 260 cm | 47.5 cm over each side, part of it taken by the mattress depth before any tuck. |
| Duvet | 200 × 200 cm | Hangs 32.5 cm over each side. |
Bedding sizes: Which? bed, sheet and duvet sizes, read on 2026-09-25; Which? adds that sizes vary by brand. The overhangs are our arithmetic. Pocket depth: fitted sheet pocket depth.
| Frame | Floor footprint | Mattress it states | Beyond a 135 × 190 cm mattress |
|---|---|---|---|
| IKEA MALM bed frame, highchecked 2026-09-24 | 150 × 199 cm | 135 × 190 cm | +15 cm wide, +9 cm long |
IKEA UK MALM, checked 2026-09-24. More frames: bed frame dimensions.
UK Double vs US Full
A US Full is also called a Double and measures 54 × 75 in, the UK Double's imperial size. As sold, the UK Double is 2.2 cm narrower and 0.5 cm shorter, so check fitted-sheet sizes before buying bedding made for the other market.
| Measure | UK Double | US Full | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 53.1 in135.0 cm | 54 in137.2 cm | +0.9 in+2.2 cm |
| Length | 74.8 in190.0 cm | 75 in190.5 cm | +0.2 in+0.5 cm |
| Area | 3,976 sq in27.6 sq ft | 4,050 sq in28.1 sq ft | +74 sq in+1.9% |
| Area (m²) | 2.57 m² | 2.61 m² | +0.04 m² |
| Per person, two sharing | 26.6 in | 27 in | +0.4 in |
UK Double: Which? and the NBF; US Full: Target (Sleep Foundation's twin guide gives 54 × 74 in). Both checked 2026-09-24. See Full size bed dimensions. One size down is the UK Small Double, 120 × 190 cm.
The Double in other countries
| Market and name | Size | Compared with the Double |
|---|---|---|
| US Full | 137.2 × 190.5 cm54 × 75 in | 2.2 cm (0.9 in) wider, 0.5 cm (0.2 in) longer |
| French Double 140 × 190 | 140 × 190 cm55.1 × 74.8 in | 5 cm (2 in) wider, same length |
| French Double 140 × 200 | 140 × 200 cm55.1 × 78.7 in | 5 cm (2 in) wider, 10 cm (3.9 in) longer |
Common questions
Is 140 × 200 cm a Double bed?
It is a Euro Double, which Which? lists at 140 × 200 cm: 5 cm wider and 10 cm longer than a UK Double, so a UK Double fitted sheet is too short and too narrow for it. France sells the same size; see French bed sizes.
What size bed is 150 × 200 cm?
A UK King. It is 15 cm wider and 10 cm longer than a Double; see UK King size.
How big is a 200 × 200 cm bed?
That is the Emperor, the largest size Which? lists: 65 cm wider and 10 cm longer than a Double.
What is a 4ft 6in bed called?
A Double. A 4ft bed is a Small Double, a 5ft bed a King and a 6ft bed a Super King.
Sources
- Target mattress size chart
- Sleep Foundation twin size guide
- Which? UK mattress size guide
- National Bed Federation bed buyer's guide
- IKEA UK mattress size guide
- Which? bed, sheet and duvet sizes table
- National Bed Federation buyer's guide: "Size matters"
- Approved Document M, Volume 1 (2015, 2016 amendments), paragraph 2.25
- Technical housing standards: nationally described space standard (2015)
- IKEA UK MALM bed frame (Standard Double)
- 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.