Mattress Sizes and Dimensions in Canada

If you’re a UK resident planning to relocate to Canada, adapting to a new country involves numerous adjustments—including navigating differences in home furnishings. Canadian mattress dimensions differ significantly from UK standards, which can create unexpected challenges when setting up your new home.

While you might be familiar with UK double beds measuring 135cm x 190cm, you’ll find Canadian doubles (called “Full” mattresses) are 134cm x 189cm—just slightly smaller. Understanding these subtle differences can save you considerable hassle when purchasing bedding, bed frames, and mattresses in your new Canadian home.

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Regardless of the country you live in, your mattress size affects your comfort at night. In Canada, there are a large variety of mattress sizes available to choose from when shopping.

The various mattress sizes are best suited for different groups, including children, couples, and single sleepers. We go over the different bed sizes in Canada to help you figure out which mattress size is right for you.

Mattress Sizes and Dimensions in Canada Overview

Crib

As their name suggests, crib mattresses are for cribs only. Crib mattresses are under 15 centimeters thin because infants and toddlers don’t need the same bed thickness adults do. Firm crib mattresses are safest for babies to ensure they are not trapped in a soft bed.

Half Queen

Half queen mattresses are the same length as a queen mattress, only they are half of the width. Half queen beds are built with split queen mattresses in mind, beds designed for couples with different firmness preferences. Split queen mattresses are compatible with adjustable bed bases, so couples can adjust the angle of their bed without affecting their partner.

Small Single

Also known as cots, small singles are a popular bed size among toddlers. Small single beds are a good size for children who are too big for their crib but are still too small for a twin bed. Some small singles fit on bunk beds and trundle beds, which are both great for kid’s rooms.

Twin (Single)

Twin size mattresses are the smallest standard mattress in Canada, meaning all mattress brands will sell this size. They’re good for children, but still large enough for teenagers and adults to use comfortably. However, if you’re taller than 182.8 centimeters (6 feet), twin mattresses are typically too short.

A twin bed size works well for dorms, studio apartments, and any small home. Twin beds are compatible with size-saving bed frames like trundle beds, daybeds, or bunk beds. They also commonly fit in RVs and other recreational vehicles.

Twin XL (Single Extra Long)

For those who are taller, but only have the space for a narrow bed, consider a twin XL. It’s 13 centimeters (5 inches) longer than standard twin bed dimensions. The added foot room prevents taller folk from bumping into their footboard and keeps  their feet from dangling off the edge.

Twin XL beds are common in dorm rooms to accommodate students of different sizes.

Full (Double or Standard)

Full mattresses are a great option for sleepers who want more space to move. Still, this bed is only large enough for single sleepers. We don’t recommend full size beds for couples as there won’t be enough space for two people to sleep comfortably.

Full size mattresses are 37.5 centimeters (16 inches) wider than twin mattresses so there’s lots of room to roll around. A double bed size isn’t longer than a twin bed size, so it may be too short for tall adults. You can find some full XL or double XL size mattresses, though they are rare.

Queen

Queen mattresses are a popular bed size for both single adults and couples. The queen bed size offers enough space for two people to sleep comfortably, as well as enough length for taller adults.

Queen size beds won’t take up a lot of space in bedrooms and fit in most apartments and studios. They also make for a good size bed for guest rooms.

Olympic Queen

An Olympic queen bed is a slightly wider variety of a queen bed. If a queen bed is a bit too narrow for you and your partner, but a king bed is too large for your bedroom or budget, an Olympic queen bed is a good compromise. The bed’s extra 15 centimeters (6 inches) of width offers more room to spread out while not taking up all the space in your bedroom.

King

King size beds—sometimes called the Eastern kings—are the largest standard size mattress.

King beds are usually unnecessary for single sleepers since one person won’t be able to take up all the space available. However, king beds are great for couples who want lots of personal space and fit well in large master bedrooms. Some families may enjoy a king bed to co-sleep with a child.

Some king beds come in a split king form designed for couples with different preferences. Split kings beds are split down the middle, essentially forming two twin XL pushed together.

With this, couples can either buy two twin XL beds of different firmnesses or buy a premade split king bed and use it with a split adjustable base. A split adjustable base allows couples to change the angle of their half of the bed.

California King

Although California king mattresses are generally listed after Eastern king beds, California king beds are just a bit smaller than the standard Eastern king. California king beds are narrow and long but the overall surface area ends up slightly smaller than Eastern king beds.

California king size mattresses are a good option for narrow master bedrooms or sleepers and couples who are uniquely tall.

How to Select a Mattress Size

Now that we’ve gone over the common mattress sizes in Canada, let’s talk about how to choose the right mattress size for your needs. Choosing a mattress size is rather straightforward compared to other aspects of mattress shopping. Simply consider your budget, height, bedroom measurements, and whether or not you’ll share your bed.

Set a Budget

Unsurprisingly, a mattress’s size affects its price. Larger mattresses are more expensive, while smaller mattresses are cheaper. For reference, mattresses usually cost somewhere between CAD 650 to CAD 2550 depending on the size and materials in the mattress.

Once you’ve set a budget, you can determine what mattress sizes are within your price range and are realistic to purchase.

Measure Your Bedroom

Even if you can afford a large bed, if there’s no space to put it, you’ll have to choose a smaller mattress size.

Measure your bedroom to ensure that not only will the bed fit, but that there is still at least 61 centimeters (2 feet) of space between your bed and the walls. The extra space allows for enough room to walk around and place other furniture.

Be sure to measure your doorways and stairs to ensure that the mattress can fit through your home when transporting the bed.

Consider Your Height

Your height plays a crucial role in the bed size to choose. Since not all beds are the same length, you’ll have to determine what bed length is right for your height.

If you’re taller than 182.8 centimeters tall, we recommend beds longer than 202 centimeters long—twin XL, queen, Olympic queen, king, and California king beds.

If you’re shorter than 182.8 centimeters tall, we recommend beds longer than 189 centimeters—twin beds and larger.

Sleeping Alone or Sharing a Bed?

Whether or not you share a bed drastically impacts the bed size you’ll need. For couples or co-sleepers, we recommend using a queen or king size mattress. Anything smaller will be cramped and uncomfortable in the long term.

If you’re a single sleeper, you may be most comfortable on a twin or full mattress. However, queen beds are the most popular size for single adults.

Conclusion

Choosing a mattress size isn’t difficult, but is important to consider for the sake of your comfort. Nowadays, most mattress brands offer sleep trials where you can test a mattress at home for up to a year. So, if you’re still unsure about what mattress size to get, always use sleep trial periods to test drive different mattresses.