Double bed size (UK)
A UK Double mattress is 135 × 190 cm, sold as a 4ft 6in × 6ft 3in bed. In inches the metric size is 53.1 × 74.8 in. Two people sharing it get 67.5 cm of width each, and a King gives each of them 7.5 cm more.
What we found
Accessible-home guidance specifies a Double for other double bedrooms and a King for the principal bedroom
If you're checking a new-home plan in England, the optional M4(2) accessible and adaptable standard uses these bedroom layouts. Approved Document M specifies the bed and the clear space around it:
- Principal bedroom: a UK King, 1500 × 2000 mm, with a 750 mm clear zone on both sides and at the foot.
- Other double bedrooms: a UK Double, 1350 × 1900 mm, with a 750 mm clear zone on one side and at the foot.
Use the room table to compare a Double mattress and frame with those same clear zones.
IKEA UK prints the Double as 54" × 75". The dimensions table below sets that beside the exact conversion of 135 × 190 cm.
Approved Document M, Volume 1, paragraph 2.25 and Appendix D; IKEA UK size guide, both read 25 September 2026.
UK sources read on 30 September 2026:
- Metric figures: 13 of 14 pages give 135 × 190 cm.
- Imperial figures: 11 pages also print an imperial size; all convert to 137.2 × 190.5 cm.
Compare the individual entries on Mattress size disagreements.
Double bed size in cm, 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 |
Match your frame or fitted sheet to the metric label, since the imperial name isn't an exact conversion of those measurements:
- Metric label in feet and inches: 4 ft 5⅛ in × 6 ft 2¾ in.
- Mattress surface: 2.57 m², or 27.6 sq ft.
Metric size and imperial name: Which? and the NBF buyer's guide, checked 2026-09-24; IKEA UK read on 2026-09-25.
Is a Double big enough for two? Double vs King
Which? says a Double can fit two average-sized adults, though there may be little room to move. Each of you gets 67.5 cm (26.6 in). Try the test Which? shares with the NBF: lie on your backs with your hands behind your heads and check that your elbows touch neither each other nor the edge of the bed.
The step up is a King, 150 × 200 cm, which is 15 cm wider and 10 cm longer. The National Bed Federation recommends a bed 10 to 15 cm longer than the tallest person in it, which on a 190 cm Double means about 175 to 180 cm (5 ft 9 in to 5 ft 11 in), and on a King about 185 to 190 cm.
| Measure | Double | King | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 53.1 in135.0 cm | 59.1 in150.0 cm | +5.9 in+15.0 cm |
| Length | 74.8 in190.0 cm | 78.7 in200.0 cm | +3.9 in+10.0 cm |
| Area | 3,976 sq in27.6 sq ft | 4,650 sq in32.3 sq ft | +674 sq in+17.0% |
| Area (m²) | 2.57 m² | 3.00 m² | +0.43 m² |
| Per person, two sharing | 26.6 in | 29.5 in | +2.9 in |
Both sizes: Which? and the NBF, checked 2026-09-24. Differences are our arithmetic. More on the larger bed: UK King size.
What size room does a Double bed need?
With 750 mm clear on both sides and at the foot, a Double mattress needs 2.85 × 2.65 m of floor. Against a wall on one side, the frame column of the "One side and the foot" row is the figure to plan with; your furniture and door swing still need to fit the shape of the room.
| 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: 750 mm, from Approved Document M, Volume 1, paragraph 2.25. For this Double with both sides open, that is 135 + 75 + 75 = 285 cm wide and 190 + 75 = 265 cm long.
The government's nationally described space standard for new homes sets the smallest double bedroom for two people at 11.5 m², at least 2.75 m wide (2.55 m for any further double bedroom). A Double with walkways on both sides and the foot takes 7.55 m² of that, leaving about 4 m².
Double bed sheets, duvet and frame sizes
| 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. Sizes vary by brand, so check the sheet's measurements and whether its pocket will fit your mattress depth. The overhangs are our arithmetic; check fitted sheet pocket depth before you order.
| 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; use bed frame dimensions to compare other frames and check their footprint against your room.
UK Double vs US Full and other countries
A US Full is also called a Double, but the UK mattress is slightly narrower and shorter as sold. If you're buying bedding from the other market, check the fitted-sheet measurements, since the shared name doesn't guarantee a fit.
| 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, both checked 2026-09-24.
- Alternative US Full in Sleep Foundation's twin guide: 54 × 74 in.
See Full size bed dimensions; one size down is the UK Small Double, 120 × 190 cm.
| 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 |
To see the Double next to every other UK size, from Small Single to Emperor, use our chart of UK mattress sizes.
Common questions
Is 140 × 200 cm a Double bed?
It's a Euro Double, and your UK Double fitted sheet won't fit because it's too short and too narrow. France sells the same size; see French bed sizes.
- Euro Double, as listed by Which?: 140 × 200 cm, 5 cm wider and 10 cm longer than a UK Double.
What size bed is 150 × 200 cm?
A UK King; compare it with a Double on UK King size.
- King's extra space over a Double: 15 cm wider and 10 cm longer.
How big is a 200 × 200 cm bed?
It's an Emperor, the largest size Which? lists.
- Emperor's extra space over a Double: 65 cm wider and 10 cm longer.
What is a 4ft 6in bed called?
A Double; check these other width names if you're comparing beds:
- UK width names: 4ft is a Small Double; 5ft is a King; 6ft is 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.