Bed Sizes in Ireland: Every Standard Size in cm, and How to Measure Your Room
Last updated: August 2026. Written by the M&I Interiors showroom team in Portlaoise.
Bed sizes in Ireland follow the UK standard, which is not the same as the European standard โ and a lot of furniture sold here is made in Europe. That is why a โkingโ mattress from one shop can be 10 cm narrower than a โkingโ frame from another. This guide gives every size in centimetres, explains where the confusion comes from, and shows how to work out what actually fits your room.
Standard bed sizes in Ireland (UK sizes)
These are mattress sizes. The frame is always larger โ allow 5โ10 cm on each side, and more for an upholstered headboard or a footboard.
| Size | Width ร length (cm) | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 90 ร 190 | 3ft |
| Small double | 120 ร 190 | 4ft, three-quarter |
| Double | 135 ร 190 | 4ft 6 |
| King | 150 ร 200 | 5ft |
| Super king | 180 ร 200 | 6ft |
Two things catch people out. A double is only 15 cm wider than a small double, so two adults on a double have 67 cm each โ less than a single bed. And king and super king are 10 cm longer than the smaller sizes, which matters if you are over 6ft.
European bed sizes, and why they matter here
Much of the upholstered and designer bed furniture sold in Ireland is manufactured in continental Europe, where the standard sizes are different. Several of the beds we stock are offered in both.
| EU size | Width ร length (cm) | Nearest Irish size |
|---|---|---|
| EU single | 90 ร 200 | Single (10 cm longer) |
| EU small double | 120 ร 200 | Small double (10 cm longer) |
| EU double | 140 ร 200 | Between double and king |
| EU king | 160 ร 200 | Between king and super king |
| EU super king | 180 ร 200 | Super king (same) |
The practical rule: buy the mattress and the frame as a matched pair, or confirm both sizes in centimetres before ordering either. An Irish 150 ร 200 king mattress will sit in a European 160 ร 200 frame, but with a 5 cm gap either side. A 140 ร 200 EU double mattress will not fit an Irish 135 ร 190 double frame at all.
How to measure the room
Start from the frame size, not the mattress size โ then add the clearances below. If the total does not fit, drop a size rather than sacrificing the walkway; a bed you have to shuffle sideways past is a daily irritation.
- Getting in and out: 60 cm of clear floor down each side you use. If the bed goes against a wall, 75 cm on the open side.
- Foot of the bed: 60 cm to pass, 90 cm if a wardrobe door opens into that space.
- Bedside lockers: 40โ60 cm wide each. Add them to the bed width when checking the wall.
- Headboard height: check window sills. A tall upholstered headboard under a low window looks wrong and blocks the light.
- Doors and radiators: mark where the door swings and where the radiator is before you decide which wall the bed goes on.
A worked example: a super king frame around 190 cm wide, with two 50 cm lockers and 60 cm each side to get in, needs a wall of roughly 410 cm. That is why super kings suit master bedrooms in newer builds and rarely suit older Irish houses, where 350 cm is a generous bedroom wall.
Storage and ottoman beds need headroom, not just floor
An ottoman bed lifts its mattress platform upwards on gas struts, so you need clearance above the bed as well as around it. Check for sloped ceilings, low shelves, wall lights and window sills in the arc the mattress will travel through. Drawer-storage beds pull out sideways instead, so they need the side clearances above plus the drawer depth.
Which size should you buy?
- One adult: a small double is the comfortable minimum; a double if the room allows.
- Two adults: a king is the realistic minimum for two people sleeping well. A double is a compromise that most couples regret within a year.
- Anyone over 6ft: go to king or super king for the extra 10 cm of length, whatever the width.
- Guest room: a double or a small double. Guests are grateful for a bed, not a wide one.
See the sizes side by side
Browse our beds, bed frames, headboards and bedside lockers online, or come and lie on them. Every bed in the Portlaoise showroom is labelled with its size in centimetres, and the team will help you work out what fits your room. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10amโ5pm โ or call (045) 433 585.
