Everything to know about mattress sizing in Singapore

Singapore’s mattress scene is abundantly confusing because our mattresses come from all corners of the world. While we use standard sizing terminology (Single, Super Single, Queen etc.), mattress dimensions are usually brand-specific.

Some international brands also make mattresses in standard Singapore dimensions to more closely align with local expectations — for example, Sealy, an American brand, has resized its mattress dimensions to be similar to what you get from homegrown brand, King Koil.

There’s a catch though: these dimensions only stand if you buy your mattress from Sealy Singapore, and not from Sealy UK or Sealy Australia or Sealy USA. It gets even more confusing when you factor in bed frames: American-founded Sealy may have resized their mattresses here to Singapore dimensions, but American-founded Crate & Barrel here continues to sell bed frames made for mattresses in American dimensions.

Since we are so spoiled for choice here — and therefore hopelessly confused — our team has developed a system to capture the most centrimetre-accurate data before customising any bed. This includes getting the brand, model, photo of your mattress order receipt to double check the given measurements. We’ve always been known to visit the mattress store ourselves just to be extra sure. There have been instances where there have been size variations across models even within the same brand, so now we leave no stone unturned!

Standard Singapore mattress sizes 

King Koil, Four Star, Noa, and Origin Mattress adopt standard local sizing in Single, Super Single, Queen, and King only:

Brands that do not offer standard local sizes

Brands that do not offer standard local sizes include MUJI, Nitori and anything from Taobao/China (increasingly popular). 

Muji & NITORI

While there are variations between Muji and NITORI mattress dimensions, the most important thing to note is that mattresses from these brands are generally bigger than mattresses of standard local dimensions.

NITORI does not offer King mattresses, and both Muji and NITORI offer Queens in much wider dimensions than typical Japanese mattresses (152cm x 195cm).

IKEA

IKEA mattresses largely adopt EU mattress dimensions, which are similar to local sizes except mattresses are 10cm longer (200 cm instead of 190cm). 

IKEA does not offer Super Single mattresses but does offer Queens in both EU dimensions for all models and SG dimensions ((though 3cm narrower than the standard SG width) in VESTERÖY, VALEVÅG and FILLAN.

Although IKEA doesn’t name their products according to common local lingo — variants are instead named by measurements — we have classified the sizes they offer for easier understanding below.

Brands that offer local and additional sizes

Heyeva

Heyeva doesn’t just make one of our favourite personal mattresses, but also offers their range in 2 standard dimensions: EU and SG. Certain in-between sizes, like Super Single and Super King are only offered in 1 size.

Sealy, Simmons and Tempur

Sealy, Simmons, and Tempur are brands that we often make custom beds for. Each brand is unusual because they offer longer length models — but as you can expect by now, no two brands offer the same lengths! The Simmons King Long, for example, measures 198cm, but the Tempur King Long measures 200cm.

Below, we detail the measurement specs of each brand. Sizes in blue are the long options.

Sealy

Sealy Singapore offers extended length mattresses in selected ranges: 198cm (Posturepedic Palatial Crest) and 203cm (Posturepedic Exquisite).

Simmons

Tempur

Bought your mattress overseas? Read this.

Even if you have a mattress from one of the brands discussed above, the measurements don’t stand unless you have bought it in Singapore. A Queen from Sealy Singapore may be 152cm x 190cm, but a Queen from Sealy Australia is 152.5cm x 203cm. Likewise, a King from Tempur Singapore is 180cm x 190cm, but a King from Tempur UK is 150cm x 200cm (the equivalent of a Queen from Tempur Singapore).

Whether you’re customising a bed or buying one in stores, make sure you have your mattress measurements on hand — length and width are most important, but you’ll also want to note the height if you happen to have an exceptionally thick mattress.

What happens if your bed frame is too big for your mattress?

If you’re reading this and have this issue, don’t worry: you’re not alone. We often see the too-short mattress/too-big frame issue with those who have bought bed frames from a certain Chinese website (iykyk).

This issue also crops up with buyers who have opted for bed frames from American brands (e.g. Ashley Furniture Homestore, Crate & Barrel). As the saying goes, everything’s bigger in Texas America. Since American-sized mattresses are the largest mattresses around, it tracks that bed frames are often too large to snugly fit a mattress made in standard local dimensions.

Thankfully, the solution is simple, affordable, and even sounds tasty. Two words: french fry. More specifically, a french fry foam insert is what you need, and it’s something we make for our clients all the time. The french fry sits flush with your mattress within the frame to fill any awkward voids, like so:

What happens if the mattress is too big for your bed frame?

Years ago, one of our clients made an expensive mistake when they came in to make a bed for a Simmons King mattress… despite having a King Long. The difference of 8cm meant the mattress could in no way be squashed into the bed frame, so a separate frame extension to accommodate the extra length had to be built.

Our consultation process now takes into account room for error (hence the need for photographic evidence and detailed information about the mattress we’re building the bed for), but if you’re in possession of a too-large mattress, a too-small frame, and a no-exchange or refunds policy, come speak to us! We might be able to help you extend your bed frame so you don’t have to chuck it out entirely.

Which should be bought first: the mattress or the bed frame?

Unequivocally, the mattress. A bed should prioritise comfort, so look for a mattress that feels good to you. Arm yourself with the brand, make, model, and dimensions of the mattress before hitting the shops for your bed frame. This also helps you avoid costly mistakes of a mismatch in mattress and bed frame dimensions.

While we’re on the topic of mismatched dimensions: bed linen, though easy to buy, should always be bought after your mattress. Like mattresses and bed frames, bedding can come in different standard sizes, all while adopting common nomenclature like “Single” or “King”. Avoid a poorly dressed bed by securing your mattress before all else.

Does the thickess of the mattress matter?

Yes, but the finer points of bed ergonomics deserve a whole other article (coming soon)! Here’s the gist of what you should know. The standard depth (or thickness) of most mattresses ranges between 18-25cm. Deeper mattresses tend to be around 25-40cm. If you have a deep mattress, pay attention to the total height (mattress + frame from floor) — anything more than 65cm will have you inelegantly jumping into bed each night, and probably tumbling out each morning.

A deeper mattress can also affect the presentation of your headboard, particularly if you have a bed with a non-adjustable headboard. Deeper mattresses will obscure your headboard — this affects both form and function as the bed won’t just look imbalanced, but also lack the requisite height to properly cushion your back when you’re sitting up in bed. The golden number here is to have at least 50cm of visible headboard (i.e. headboard above your mattress).