Standard Dimensions Of Bed Sheets

Bed sheets and sizing can be befuddling. Some sheets fit like a glove, while others snap back from the corners or create puddles of fabric in the middle of the bed. Whether you are attempting to fit your dorm room bed, your new RV sleeping areas or a comfortable king with layers of padding, there are ways to find bed sheets that will create a comfortable respite in your room.

There are sheets, and then there are the sheets that work best for all you have to work with atop the mattress. This includes a mattress protector, gel pad, mattress topper or another comfort layer that will affect the size of sheet you need. If you have any of these, the width and depth of the mattress may change. The more layers you add to the mattress, the larger the sheets will need to be, from the fitted sheet to the final top sheet. If not, you may end up wrestling with ill-fitted sheets as you attempt to get a good night's rest.

Since the dimensions of one sheet brand or style vary from the next one on the shelf, consider the depth of the sheets if using foam or gel mattress toppers, for instance, or a pillow-top mattress. Anything that makes the over all mattress height taller than a standard mattress means you need deeper sheets for it.

The standard twin mattress is 38" wide by 75" long, with the average twin fitted sheet measuring 39" by 75." The flat sheet for a twin bed is 66" wide by 96" long, on average. A twin XL mattress is similar to a twin, just a little longer at 38" by 80." Its fitted sheet averages 39" by 80," with the flat twin XL sheet averaging 66" x 96."

A full size mattress is 54" by 75," with its fitted sheet averaging 54" x 75" and its flat sheet at 96" wide, 102" long. A queen mattress is 60" by 80" with its fitted sheet approximately the same size; look for something a tad wider and longer for one that's easier to put on the mattress. A queen flat sheet averages 96" x 102." A king mattress is 76" wide by 80" long, with its fitted sheet about the same size once again. The flat king sheet averages 102" by 112."

A California king mattress is a bit of an oddity, as it's both narrower and longer than a regular king mattress. The California king measures 72" wide and 84" long, with the average fitted Cali king sheet being the same size at the mattress. Its flat sheet measures 102" x 112." The flat sheet is the same size as that of a standard king mattress; just be sure to doublecheck that the fitted sheet is sized for a Cali king and not a standard king.

Sheets that fit the different size beds in a recreational vehicle can be hard to find, as the measurements for RV mattresses vary from one to the next, even for two mattresses both called RV bunk mattresses. For best results, measure the size of the RV mattress and write down those measurements when you shop for sheets. In some cases, your household sheets just may fit those RV beds after all.

There are many companies that sell zippered sheets that offer a snug fit to a recreational vehicle bed. Camping and outdoor big box chains offer a wide selection of sheets just for RV owners.