Small Double Bed Size

A UK small double bed is 120 cm wide and 190 cm long (4ft x 6ft 3in, 47 x 75 inches). It is 30 cm wider than a single and 15 cm narrower than a double. The frame around it measures about 126 cm by 198 cm on the outside.

Small double bed size chart (UK)

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You will also see it called a 4ft bed or a three quarter bed. All three names mean the same 120 x 190 cm mattress.

Is a small double the same as a queen?

No, and this is where most of the confusion sits. There is no standard UK size called a queen. When a British listing says queen it usually means a small double, 120 x 190 cm. When an American listing says queen it means 152 x 203 cm, which is wider and longer than a UK king size. If you are buying bedding or a mattress from a US site, check the centimetres, never the name.

Small double bed frame dimensions (outside)

The mattress is 120 x 190 cm; the frame is about 126 cm wide by 198 cm long. That six centimetres of side rail is what decides whether the bed clears a radiator or a door swing, which is why we publish the assembled outside size on every product page rather than only the mattress size.

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

The minimum is about 250 x 300 cm, with the bed against one wall and a 60 cm walkway on the open side. For access on both sides you need roughly 305 cm of width.

This is the size that rescues a room that cannot take a full double. Fifteen centimetres sounds like nothing written down, but it is often the whole argument between a bed that fits and one that does not.

Small double vs double: which one?

Two adults on a small double get 60 cm each, against 67.5 cm on a double and 75 cm on a king size. It is comfortable for one adult who wants room to spread out, and workable but tight for two.

If the wall takes 265 cm, take the double: you gain width and, more importantly, bedding becomes cheaper and easier to find.

Mattress and bedding for a small double bed

A UK small double mattress is 120 x 190 cm. There is no European equivalent at that length: the nearest continental size is 120 x 200 cm, ten centimetres longer, which will not fit a UK 4ft frame.

Bedding is the practical catch. Small double sheets and fitted sheets are sold as their own size but stocked far less widely than double, and many people use a double duvet (200 x 200 cm), which simply overhangs a little more. Buy the set at the same time as the frame rather than assuming you will find it later.

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