Because these questions come up fairly often, I’ve compiled a chart of bed mattress sizes and a glossary of basic bedding terms. This will be a useful reference guide when you need to buy bedding to help demystify the information on the packaging so you know what it is you are getting!

There are so many times you need to know how big a particular bed is….when you are moving one, especially, but also when you are considering what size to buy! Twin and Full mattresses are shorter than other types - mostly because twins are used for children, and full is an older mattress size from the days of yore when people were shorter…or at least more accustomed to being uncomfortable! Please don’t attempt to put an adult couple in a full sized bed unless they are very petite and newlyweds!

Bed Mattress Sizes:

Crib (and Toddler Bed) 28” wide x 52 long

Twin: 39” wide x 75” long

X Long Twin: 39” wide x 80” long This is the size of every college dorm bed - so that grown children can fit in them! Do NOT attempt to put a standard twin fitted sheet on a Twin XL bed!

Full: 54” wide x 75” long

Queen: 60” wide x 80” long

King: 78” wide x 80” long

California King: 72” wide x 84” long

Glossary of Bedding Terms:

Bedspread: A decorative bed cover that covers the top of the mattress as well as the sides all the way to the floor.

Comforter: a comforter is a duvet that is made with a permanent decorative cover. Comforters are more typically filled with polyester than down and are more decorative in nature. They are sized similar to duvets and CAN be used inside a duvet cover if desired - because they are decorative, make sure the duvet cover successfully covers the pattern/color!

Coverlet: Sometimes called a blanket cover, a coverlet is a decorative bed covering that covers the top and sides of the mattress. It is not the same as a bedspread as a coverlet does not go to the floor and requires a dust skirt, tailored cover, or side rails and footboard to cover the box spring. Coverlets may be quilted, but are not necessarily.

Daybed: A twin sized bed oriented sideways to double as a sofa. These twin beds have their “headboard” on one of the long sides and usually wrapping around the two short sides as well. Beware, while useful as dual purpose furniture, this is a PITA to make up with bedding!

Dust Skirt (or dust ruffle): Decorative box spring cover that falls to the floor consisting of a large piece of fabric decking that lays on the box spring with an attached decorative skirt on 3 sides. I’m not sure WHY they are called dust skirts except that perhaps they collect and contain the dust bunnies under the bed?! They can be tailored, pleated, or gathered. Custom and high quality versions will be made like custom curtains with lining and interlining. NOTE: Dust skirt sizes vary and so do box spring heights. Ready-made dust skirts usually have a 14” drop (the length of the decorative portion). This is generally sized to work on a box spring on a Harvard frame. Beds with other frames may require a different length or style of dust skirt. Daybeds will need a dust skirt specifically made for a daybed so that the correct 3 sides will be skirted.

Duvet: down filled construction with puffiness somewhere between a blanket and a featherbed. Duvet is literally French for down. Usually covered in white fabric with a thread count above 250 to contain the feathers and meant to go inside a protective and decorative cover (see duvet cover). Occasionally a duvet is made with a polyester “down alternative” filling instead of down feathers. Duvets are sized the same as a coverlet and are meant to be used with their covers as a top sheet and blanket all in one. Duvets generally have stitching and/or baffles to keep the feathers evenly distributed for effective insulation and warmth. Look for a duvet with corner anchors to tie the cover onto.

Duvet Cover: A giant pillowcase for your duvet, essentially. These are often made of sheeting material as they substitute for a top sheet. Look for a duvet cover with ties inside the corners to secure the duvet insert and keep it from becoming a tangled wad-in-a-bag!

Euro Shams: Decorative pillow covers for European sized 26” square pillows

Featherbed: A giant mattress sized feather pillow that goes on top of the mattress and that you sleep on top of for a very cloud-like feel

Fitted Sheet: A bottom sheet with elasticized corners to fit smoothly on a mattress. Folding these neatly is an art form…which may or may not require a PhD in origami…or at least a colorful vocabulary?!

Harvard Frame: An adjustable metal bed frame that holds a box spring (and mattress). A headboard may be attached to a Harvard frame.

Matelassé: a particular type of jacquard fabric that is woven to imitate quilting so that it has the appearance of padding, but contains no actual padding. Matelassé (or Marseille’s cloth) is French for “quilting”. It is typically a single color - traditionally white or ivory, and makes a fabulous and versatile coverlet! Look for long staple cotton and made in Portugal, France, or Italy for highest quality.

Pillow Shams: Decorative bed pillow covers sized for a particular size of bed pillow (standard, queen, or king). These completely encase the pillow and typically have an envelope closure on the back as opposed to a pillow CASE which is open on one end.

Trundle Bed: A twin sized bed on a platform with a second mattress that stores underneath on a frame and rolls out for use. Some have a mechanism that pops up the lower frame to standard height.

Quilting: decorative pattern of stitching through 2 layers of fabric with a thin layer of batting between them resulting in a textured design.