Double Bed Size

A standard UK double bed is 135 cm wide and 190 cm long (4ft 6in x 6ft 3in, 53 x 75 inches). It is the most common bed size in the country. The frame around it measures about 145 cm by 198 cm on the outside.

Double bed size chart (UK)

Swipe sideways to see the whole table

Because it is the default size, double bedding is the cheapest and the most widely stocked of any UK size. That is a real argument for it over a small double.

Double bed frame dimensions (outside)

The mattress is 135 x 190 cm; the frame is about 145 cm wide by 198 cm long. Upholstered and ottoman frames sit at the wider end of that range because of the padding, and a frame with a rolled footboard can add another 10 cm of length. Every product page here publishes the assembled outside size.

How big a room do you need for a double bed?

The minimum is about 265 x 300 cm with a single 60 cm walkway. Comfortable is roughly 305 x 340 cm: 75 cm on both sides, which leaves room for two bedside tables of 45 cm.

Add 90 cm of clear floor in front of any wardrobe so the doors open, and 40 cm at the foot or along one side if the frame is an ottoman that lifts.

Double vs king size: which one?

A king size is 150 x 200 cm, so 15 cm wider and 10 cm longer than a double. Each sleeper goes from 67.5 cm to 75 cm of width, and the extra 10 cm of length matters if either of you is over six foot.

The room decides it. A king size frame needs about 160 cm of wall against 145 cm for a double, so if your wall is 280 cm or more you can take the king size and still keep a usable walkway.

Mattress and bedding for a double bed

A UK double mattress is 135 x 190 cm. The European double is 140 x 200 cm, five centimetres wider and ten longer, and it will not sit inside a UK 4ft6 frame. The US full is 137 x 191 cm, close but not the same. A UK double duvet is 200 x 200 cm.

See all double bed frames, compare with king size beds, or go back to the UK bed size guide.