European single mattresses

How big is a European single mattress?

A European single mattress is 90 cm wide and 200 cm long, or 3ft x 6ft6. It's exactly as wide as a UK single (90 x 190 cm) and 10 cm longer, so the whole difference is in the length.

Ten centimetres doesn't sound like much, but it decides whether a mattress fits. A lot of European-made single beds are built for 90 x 200 cm, including many from IKEA, but not every IKEA bed is a European size, so measure the inside of your frame rather than going by where it came from.

Will a UK single mattress fit a European single bed?

A UK single mattress will go into a European single bed but leaves a 10 cm gap, because the mattress is 190 cm long and the frame is 200 cm.

On an adult's bed, that gap mostly means a mattress that shifts up and down the frame, and pillows that slip into the space when it opens up at the head end. On a child's bed, bunk or high sleeper it's more serious, because a gap between mattress and frame is a place where an arm or leg can get trapped. Many European-made bunks take 90 x 200 cm, so check before reusing an old UK mattress on one.

It doesn't work the other way round either. A 90 x 200 cm mattress is 10 cm too long for a UK single frame, so it won't lie flat in it. For a 190 cm bed, choose from our UK single mattresses instead.

Who is a European single mattress good for?

A European single is good for anyone who needs a single bed with more length: tall teenagers, tall adults, and anyone whose single, bunk or high sleeper frame was made for 90 x 200 cm.

A mattress should be about 10 to 15 cm longer than the tallest person who sleeps on it. On that rule, a 190 cm UK single suits sleepers up to about 175 to 180 cm, and a 200 cm European single suits sleepers up to about 185 to 190 cm. For a teenager who's still growing, that extra length is room to grow into. Our teen mattresses page has more on choosing for that age.

On a raised bed, check the depth as well. European-made high sleepers have a maximum mattress line like any other, and many raised beds take a mattress up to 15 to 16 cm deep, but the line on your own bed is the figure that counts. Our high sleeper and cabin bed mattresses page explains how to read it.

Can two European singles make a super king?

Yes, two European singles side by side make exactly 180 x 200 cm, the size of a UK super king. Two UK singles only make 180 x 190 cm, which is 10 cm too short.

That's handy in a guest room that switches between twin beds and one big bed, or for a couple who want a different firmness each side. You will feel a join down the middle, and the two mattresses need a frame that holds them snugly together. If you'd rather have one unbroken surface, our super king mattresses are the simpler choice.

What bedding fits a European single bed?

A European single bed needs fitted sheets and a mattress protector made for 90 x 200 cm, because UK single ones are cut for a 190 cm mattress and come up 10 cm short. A standard UK single duvet (135 x 200 cm) works well.

When you buy fitted sheets, check the pocket depth as well as the size: it needs to be deeper than the mattress.

For the rest of the European range, from small double to king, see our guide to European size mattresses. If your frame measures something other than 90 x 200 cm, send us the numbers through our contact page and we'll point you to the right size.

Written by the Mattress Town team. Last updated 9 October 2026.