Some are. UK singles, small singles, small doubles and doubles are 190cm long — 10cm shorter than the 200cm European standard. But UK kings and super kings are already 200cm, exactly the same as their European equivalents. So "UK beds are shorter" is only true for the smaller sizes.
If you're over 6ft and your feet hang off the end, the fix isn't necessarily moving to a European bed. It's understanding which UK sizes are already 200cm, and when you genuinely need to go extra-long. We make extra-long beds to order at All Size Beds — message us with your height and we'll quote for the right length.
Which UK beds are actually shorter than European ones?
Only the four smallest adult sizes. Here's the direct comparison:
| Bed size | UK dimensions | Closest EU equivalent | Length difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small single | 75cm x 190cm | 80cm x 200cm | 10cm shorter |
| Single | 90cm x 190cm | 90cm x 200cm | 10cm shorter |
| Small double | 120cm x 190cm | 120cm x 200cm | 10cm shorter |
| Double | 135cm x 190cm | 140cm x 200cm | 10cm shorter (and 5cm narrower) |
| King | 150cm x 200cm | 160cm x 200cm | Same length, 10cm narrower |
| Super king | 180cm x 200cm | 180cm x 200cm | Identical |
The pattern is simple: UK beds jump from 190cm to 200cm at king size. Everything below king is 6ft3. King and above is 6ft6.
That's why so many tall people end up buying a king size bed — not because they need the width, but because it's the cheapest way to get 10 extra centimetres of length.
Is 200cm really the European standard?
Not everywhere. This is where most guides get it wrong.
- Northern Europe (Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Austria, Poland) — 200cm is the standard, and 210cm and 220cm extended sizes are widely available
- Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal, France) — 190cm is still extremely common, and 180cm beds exist in older housing stock
So if you're buying abroad or moving abroad, don't assume "European" means longer. A Spanish double is often the same 190cm length as a UK one. A German or Swedish bed almost certainly isn't.
Practical takeaway: if you want guaranteed length from a continental bed, look at Northern European sizing specifically, or buy a UK king or super king, which already match Europe at 200cm.
Do I need a longer bed if I'm over 6ft?
Yes, in most cases. A 6ft (183cm) person on a 190cm mattress has 7cm of clearance — and that's before you account for a pillow, which typically eats 10–15cm at the head end.
The working rule used across the trade:
Your mattress should be at least 15cm longer than you are. For genuine comfort, aim for 20cm.
That 15cm isn't arbitrary. It covers the pillow at the top, plus the fact that most people don't sleep perfectly straight — you shift, you stretch, you bend a knee. Cut it to 10cm and you'll wake up with your feet against the footboard.
Applied to real heights:
| Your height | Minimum length | Comfortable length | UK size that works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5ft 6 (168cm) | 183cm | 188cm | Any UK size — 190cm is fine |
| 5ft 8 (173cm) | 188cm | 193cm | 190cm works, 200cm better |
| 5ft 10 (178cm) | 193cm | 198cm | 200cm — king or super king |
| 6ft 0 (183cm) | 198cm | 203cm | 200cm minimum, 205cm ideal |
| 6ft 2 (188cm) | 203cm | 208cm | 6ft9 / 205cm — made to order |
| 6ft 4 (193cm) | 208cm | 213cm | 7ft / 215cm — made to order |
| 6ft 6 (198cm) | 213cm | 218cm | 7ft / 215cm minimum — made to order |
| 6ft 8 (203cm) | 218cm | 223cm | 7ft3 / 220cm — made to order |
The cutoff most people care about: at 5ft 10 you should stop buying 190cm beds. At 6ft 2 you should stop buying standard 200cm beds.
If you're 6ft or under, a king or super king at 200cm solves this completely, straight off the shelf. Above that, get in touch and we'll build to your length.
What size bed for a 6ft4 person?
A 6ft4 (193cm) sleeper needs at least 208cm, which means a 7ft / 215cm mattress. A standard UK king at 200cm leaves just 7cm — you'll feel the end of the bed every night.
Your realistic options, cheapest first:
- 6ft9 / 205cm — 12cm clearance. Tight but workable if you sleep on your side and use a thin pillow.
- 7ft / 215cm — 22cm clearance. This is the right answer for most people at 6ft4.
- 7ft3 / 220cm — overkill at 6ft4 unless you sleep sprawled or share with another tall adult.
Skip anything at 200cm. You'll regret it within a fortnight.
We build these lengths to order across our frame and divan ranges. Send us your height and the style you like and we'll come back with a price and lead time.
What extra-long bed sizes can you buy in the UK?
Longer sizes exist, but they're made to order rather than stocked anywhere. The trade works in roughly 6-inch increments:
| Trade name | Length | Availability | Realistic for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 6ft3 / 190cm | Everywhere | Up to 5ft 8 |
| Long / Euro | 6ft6 / 200cm | Everywhere (standard on king+) | Up to 6ft 0 |
| Longer | 6ft9 / 205cm | Made to order | Up to 6ft 2 |
| 7ft | 7ft / 215cm | Made to order | Up to 6ft 6 |
| Extra long | 7ft3 / 220cm | Made to order | Up to 6ft 8 |
| 7ft6 | 7ft6 / 229cm | Rare, fully bespoke | Over 6ft 8 |
These lengths pair with any standard width — you can have a 3ft single at 7ft long, or a 6ft super king at 7ft3. Width and length are ordered independently.
A note on the maths: 7ft is technically 213cm, but the trade rounds it up and sells it as 215cm. Similarly 6ft9 is sold as either 205cm or 206cm depending on the manufacturer. Always order by the centimetre figure, not the feet-and-inches name.
Our site lists standard UK sizes up to super king, but extra lengths aren't on the size dropdown — they're quoted individually. Message us with the length you need and we'll price it against any frame in the range.
What it costs to go extra-long
Expect to pay a premium, but the range is wide:
- Better manufacturers: around 10% extra per 6-inch increment. A £1,200 super king becomes roughly £1,320 at 7ft.
- General retailers and specialist size sites: commonly 40–60% extra for the same length increase.
That gap is worth shopping around for. Going extra-long shouldn't double your budget, and if a retailer quotes you a figure that steep, get a second quote.
Three things that catch people out
1. Your frame won't fit
An extra-long mattress needs an extra-long base. Standard UK bed frames are built for 190cm or 200cm and won't take a 215cm mattress — the mattress will overhang and sag at the foot end. Order the base and mattress together at the same length.
Divan bases are the easiest to extend, since the base is built as a simple rectangle rather than a slatted frame with fixed rails.
2. Your bedding stops fitting
Standard UK fitted sheets are cut for 190cm or 200cm. Once you go past 200cm you need long-length fitted sheets, which are a specialist purchase.
Duvets are fine up to about 6ft9. UK king and super king duvets are 220cm long, so on a 7ft (215cm) bed you have almost no overhang at the foot — and on a 7ft3 (220cm) bed, none at all. Budget for custom bedding above 7ft, and factor it into the total cost before you commit.
3. Spring type matters more at length
The longer the mattress, the more unsupported span in the middle. Open coil springs and single-layer foam sag near the centre on extra-long beds in a way they don't at standard lengths.
For anything 7ft and over, pocket sprung mattresses are the sensible choice — typically around 2,000 springs at that size to keep support consistent across the extra length.
A note on tall headboards
Worth separating two things that sound alike. Bed length is about your height lying down. Headboard height is about proportion when you sit up — and in a room with high ceilings, about the bed not looking lost against the wall.
They're unrelated purchases, but they do often go together. If you're tall, you sit further up the bed than most people, and a standard 60cm headboard can leave your shoulders above the padding when you're reading. Our Grande tall headboard range is built for that, and works well in loft conversions and Victorian rooms with tall walls. You can also fit a standalone tall headboard to an existing divan base.
Just don't mistake one for the other: a tall headboard does nothing for feet hanging off the end.
Cheaper alternatives before you go bespoke
Not every tall sleeper needs a custom length. Try these first:
- Move up to a king. If you're currently on a double at 190cm, a king size bed gets you to 200cm for a fraction of made-to-order pricing. This alone solves the problem for anyone up to about 6ft.
- Go super king if you share. A super king is the same 200cm length as a king but 30cm wider, which matters if one of you is tall and you're both losing sleep to elbows.
- Switch to a thinner pillow. A 15cm memory foam pillow pushes you 10cm further down the bed than a flat one. Sometimes this is the whole fix.
- Lose the footboard. On a bedstead, a footboard is what your feet actually hit. A divan with an open foot end buys you the last few centimetres for free — pair it with a separate headboard to keep the look you want.
- Choose a low-profile frame. Sleigh beds and panel beds with high foot ends are the worst offenders for tall sleepers. Browse bed frames with an open or low foot end instead.
Real situations
"I'm 6ft2 and my current double feels too short — do I need a custom bed?"
At 188cm you need 203cm minimum. A standard UK king (150 x 200cm) is borderline but a real improvement on a 190cm double; a 6ft9 / 205cm made-to-order bed solves it properly. Either route works at your height — it comes down to budget and whether you can wait for a build.
"I'm 6ft4 and my partner is 5ft4. What do we buy?"
A 7ft length works for both of you — the shorter partner simply has more room, which costs nothing in comfort. Go for a 5ft or 6ft width at 7ft long on a divan base built to match. If firmness preferences differ, ask about a zip and link mattress in that length so you can have two different tensions.
"I've got an IKEA bed at 200cm. Can I put a UK mattress on it?"
Only if the size matches. IKEA sells continental sizes: their double is 140 x 200cm and their king is 160 x 200cm. A UK double (135 x 190cm) will leave a 5cm gap at the sides and 10cm at the foot. A UK king (150 x 200cm) is the right length but 10cm too narrow for an IKEA king. Measure the frame's internal dimensions and buy to those, not to the size name.
"I'm 6ft6 but my bedroom is small — is extra-long even possible?"
Yes, but the room maths gets tight. A 7ft bed is 215cm long before you add a headboard, so you need roughly 285cm of wall length to allow walking space at the foot. If the room won't take it, a 3ft or 4ft width at 7ft long uses less floor area than a standard king while giving you the length you actually need. Prioritise length over width.
"Will an extra-long bed get up my stairs?"
This is the real constraint. A 7ft mattress is significantly harder to manoeuvre than a standard one, and pocket sprung mattresses shouldn't be bent. Ask about a zip and link version — two narrower halves that fasten together — which is how most tall sleepers in terraced houses and flats solve access. Tell us about your stairs when you enquire and we'll flag it before anything is built.
Quick answers
Are UK beds shorter than European beds?
UK singles, small singles, small doubles and doubles are 190cm versus the 200cm Northern European standard. UK kings and super kings are 200cm and match Europe exactly.
How long is a standard UK mattress?
190cm (6ft 3in) for singles through doubles. 200cm (6ft 6in) for kings and super kings.
Do I need a longer bed if I'm 6ft?
Yes — at 183cm you need at least 198cm, so a 190cm bed is too short. A standard king at 200cm is the minimum, 205cm is better.
What's the longest bed you can buy in the UK?
7ft6 / 229cm from bespoke makers. 7ft3 / 220cm is the longest size sold with any regularity.
Can I order an extra-long bed from All Size Beds?
Yes. Extra lengths aren't listed on the size dropdown because they're built to order, but we quote 6ft9, 7ft and 7ft3 across the range. Message us with your height and preferred style.
Is a European mattress the answer for tall people?
Only if it's Northern European. Spanish, Italian and Portuguese beds are frequently 190cm — the same as UK. And a 200cm European bed still isn't long enough if you're over 6ft2.
Shop by size at All Size Beds
If you're up to around 6ft, moving to a 200cm bed is the simplest fix there is:
- King size beds — 150 x 200cm, the value upgrade for tall sleepers
- Super king beds — 180 x 200cm, same length with far more width for couples
- Divan beds — open foot end, no footboard to hit
- Ottoman storage beds — full-footprint storage under a 200cm base
- Grande tall headboard beds — extra headboard height for high-ceilinged rooms
- Mattresses — pocket sprung and memory options in every UK size
Over 6ft2, or need a 6ft9, 7ft or 7ft3 length? We build to order. Message us with your height and we'll quote the right length against whichever frame you like.