Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
Small single mattresses
A small single mattress is 75 x 190 cm (2ft6 x 6ft3): the same length as a single but 15 cm narrower. It suits many cabin beds, compact bunks, day beds and box rooms. Don't confuse it with a 75 x 175 cm shorty.
Read our buying guide
75 x 190 cm drawn to scale
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
- Fits bunk bedsMade in Britain
What size is a small single mattress?
A UK small single mattress measures 75 x 190 cm, or 2ft6 x 6ft3. It's the same length as a standard single but 15 cm narrower, and it's often sold simply as a 2ft6 mattress.
| Size | Centimetres | Feet |
|---|---|---|
| Narrow 2ft (rare) | 60 x 190 cm | 2ft x 6ft3 |
| Shorty | 75 x 175 cm | 2ft6 x 5ft9 |
| Small single | 75 x 190 cm | 2ft6 x 6ft3 |
| Single | 90 x 190 cm | 3ft x 6ft3 |
The names cause plenty of mix-ups. A shorty shares the 2ft6 width but is 15 cm shorter, and narrow single can mean either a small single or the rarer 2ft size. If your bed came from a European brand, measure it carefully, because European sizes don't follow UK widths and lengths. Go by the centimetres, not the name on the old mattress, and check them against our mattress size guide.
Will a single mattress fit a small single bed?
A single mattress won't fit a small single bed: at 90 cm wide it's 15 cm wider than the frame, so it can't lie flat and will curl up at the sides.
Going smaller doesn't work either. A small single dropped into a 3ft frame leaves a 15 cm gap down one side. On cabin beds and high sleepers especially, a mattress that doesn't fill the frame can slide about and leave a space for a child's arm or leg to slip into. Measure the inside of the frame before you order. If it's 90 cm wide, you need single mattresses; if it's 75 cm wide but only 175 cm long, you need shorty mattresses.
Which beds take a small single mattress?
Small single mattresses fit beds built for a 2ft6 frame: many cabin beds, mid sleepers and high sleepers, some compact bunk beds, day beds, guest beds and beds made for box rooms.
| Bed | What to check |
|---|---|
| Cabin bed, mid or high sleeper | The maximum mattress line marked on the bed |
| Compact bunk bed | The line on the top bunk, and the size of each bunk |
| Day bed | A slimmer mattress keeps the seat at a comfortable height |
| Guest or box room bed | A standard depth of about 18 to 25 cm is fine |
On raised beds the maximum mattress line matters most. Under BS EN 747 it keeps the guard rail at least 16 cm above the mattress, and many raised beds take a mattress up to 15 to 16 cm deep. A topper counts towards that depth. For a raised bed, browse high sleeper and cabin bed mattresses; for a bed that doubles as a sofa, see day bed mattresses.
Can an adult sleep on a small single mattress?
An adult can sleep on a small single mattress, and at 190 cm long it suits people up to about 175 to 180 cm tall. Width is the limit: 75 cm is exactly what each person gets on a shared king size bed.
That's fine for a guest or a slim adult. If it's your own bed every night, a 90 cm single gives you 15 cm more room to turn over. Heavier adults usually need firmer support and a deeper mattress, so check both the firmness rating and the depth before you choose.
Which small single mattress is best for a child?
For most children, the best small single mattress is a medium to medium-firm one, 5 to 8 on our 1 to 10 scale, that's slim enough to sit at or below the maximum mattress line if the bed is raised.
Foam is light, which makes changing sheets on a high sleeper easier, and it usually arrives rolled. Pocket springs let air move through, which helps a child who sleeps warm. A waterproof protector or a removable, washable cover makes accidents much easier to deal with. Like every mattress we sell, our small singles meet UK fire safety rules (BS 7177).
If your bed is narrower than 75 cm or an unusual length, look at awkward size mattresses, or send us the measurements and we'll check them for you.
Small single mattresses: your questions answered
Can't see your question? Ask us and we'll get back to you.
Is a small single the same as a 2ft6 mattress?
Yes. Small single and 2ft6 are two names for the same UK size, 75 x 190 cm, which is 2ft6 wide and 6ft3 long. Check the length as well as the width, though: a shorty mattress is also 2ft6 wide but only 5ft9 (175 cm) long, so the two aren't interchangeable.
What's the difference between a small single and a shorty?
A small single and a shorty are both 75 cm wide, but a small single is 190 cm long and a shorty is 175 cm long. A small single won't fit a shorty bed, and a shorty leaves a 15 cm gap at the foot of a small single frame. Measure the length of the frame to tell them apart.
Is there a mattress smaller than a single?
Yes, several UK mattress sizes are smaller than a 90 x 190 cm single. A small single is 75 x 190 cm, a shorty is 75 x 175 cm and the rare narrow 2ft is 60 x 190 cm. Cot beds and most toddler beds take a 140 x 70 cm mattress, which is smaller again.
What sheets fit a small single mattress?
A small single mattress needs fitted sheets made for 75 x 190 cm, with a pocket deeper than the mattress. Single fitted sheets are 15 cm too wide and will bunch up around the mattress. A standard single duvet (135 x 200 cm) covers a small single bed comfortably.
Is a narrow single the same as a small single?
A narrow single can be either of two sizes. Some shops use the name for the 2ft6 small single (75 x 190 cm), and others for the rarer 2ft size (60 x 190 cm), which is 15 cm narrower. The name alone won't tell you which you have, so measure the inside of the frame and buy by the centimetres.
Is a small single bed big enough for a teenager?
A small single is long enough for a teenager up to about 175 to 180 cm tall, because the mattress is 190 cm long. The width is tighter: 75 cm is 15 cm narrower than a single. A tall or broad teenager will have more room on a single, a small double or, if the frame allows, a 90 x 200 cm European single.
Will a small single mattress fit a cabin bed?
Many cabin beds take a small single mattress, but plenty take a 90 x 190 cm single or a 90 x 200 cm European single instead, so measure inside the frame first. Then find the maximum mattress line on the cabin bed and choose a mattress no deeper than it, so the guard rail stays high enough.
Not sure which mattress?
Tell us about your bed and how you sleep, and we'll suggest a few that fit.