How Do I Compare European Bed Sizes With American Bed Sizes?

For historical reasons, America and Europe have different standards when it comes to bed sizes. To complicate matters further, UK and Ireland sizes differ from continental European sizes. Comparing European and American bed sizes is not difficult, however, and you can convert the sizes. Generally, American sizes have names (twin, full or double, queen and king), as do UK/Ireland sizes (single, double, king, super king), while European sizes are simply referred to by their width and length in centimeters (e.g., 90 x 200).

Step 1

Determine the size of your beds and in what system they are measured (inches or centimeters).

Step 2

Locate a conversion chart, which should indicate the width and length of bed sizes either in inches or centimeters. There are many conversion charts available on the Internet.

Step 3

Convert all the sizes into one measurement system. To simplify calculations, choose either centimeters or inches to measure the width and length of a bed.

Step 4

Compare the resulting measurements. Generally, there are equivalents for American sizes in Europe, although they are rough. A U.S. twin bed is 39" x 75" (97 x 191 cm), which roughly compares with UK/Ireland's single (36" x 75" or 91 x 191 cm) and continental European 90 x 200 cm (35" x 79"). A U.S. full or double bed (54" x 75" or 137 x 191 cm) is similar to UK/Ireland's double bed (54" x 75" or 137 x 191 cm) and European 140 x 200 cm (55" x 79"). A U.S. queen (60" x 80" or 152 x 203 cm) is equivalent to UK/Ireland's king size (60" x 78" or 152 x 198 cm) and Europe's 160 x 200 cm (63" x 79"). A U.S. king size bed (76" x 80" or 193 x 203 cm) roughly corresponds to UK/Ireland's super king (72" x 78" or 183 x 198 cm) and the European 180 x 200 cm (71" x 79").