Shorty mattresses

What size is a shorty mattress?

A shorty mattress measures 75 x 175 cm, or 2ft6 x 5ft9. It's the same width as a small single but 15 cm shorter, and it's 15 cm narrower and 15 cm shorter than a standard single.

Names overlap, so go by the centimetres. Some brands sell a 90 x 175 cm short single, the same length as a shorty but 15 cm wider. Junior and extendable beds are different again, and some take a 160 x 70 or 160 x 80 cm mattress. Measure the inside of the frame, width and length, before you order, and use our mattress size guide if you're unsure which you have.

What is a shorty bed?

A shorty bed is a children's bed built to take a 75 x 175 cm mattress, shorter and narrower than a standard single. You'll find the size on shorty bunk beds and compact children's beds.

The shorter frame takes up less floor space, which helps in a small or shared bedroom. The trade-off is that a child outgrows a shorty sooner than a full-length bed.

Will a single or small single mattress fit a shorty bed?

Neither a single nor a small single mattress will fit a shorty bed, because both are 15 cm too long and a single is 15 cm too wide as well. Neither can lie flat in a shorty frame.

The opposite causes problems too. A shorty mattress in a small single frame leaves 15 cm empty at the foot, and in a single frame there's a gap along the side as well. On a bunk, that kind of gap lets the mattress shift and leaves room for a foot to slip down beside it. If your frame turns out to be 75 x 190 cm, you need small single mattresses; for other near-miss sizes, see awkward size mattresses.

How deep should a shorty bunk bed mattress be?

A shorty bunk bed mattress should be no deeper than the maximum mattress line marked on the bunk, which on many raised beds works out at around 15 to 16 cm. The line on your own bed is the figure that counts.

Under BS EN 747, the line keeps the guard rail at least 16 cm above the top of the mattress, and a topper counts towards the depth. The same standard says the upper bunk isn't suitable for children under 6. Within that depth, a light foam mattress is easier to lift when you change the sheets on a top bunk, while a slim pocket sprung one lets more air through for a child who sleeps warm. Our thin mattresses are a good place to start for a top bunk, and bunk bed mattresses covers top and bottom bunks in more detail.

When will my child outgrow a shorty mattress?

A shorty mattress suits a child up to about 160 to 165 cm tall, using the rule that a mattress should be 10 to 15 cm longer than the person sleeping on it. If your child's head and feet touch both ends, they've outgrown it.

Families often move to a full-length bed somewhere around the early teens. The next step is a small single or single, both 190 cm long, or a 200 cm European single for a tall teenager. Until then, most children sleep well on a medium to medium-firm mattress, and a waterproof protector makes accidents easier to deal with. Like all our mattresses, each shorty meets UK fire safety rules (BS 7177). See kids mattresses for more on choosing for a child.

Shorty beds are one of the awkward sizes this family-run shop specialises in. If your bed doesn't match any size above, send us its measurements and we'll tell you whether we have a mattress that fits.

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