A bed frame size is named for the mattress it holds, not for the space it takes up. A queen frame holds a 60 by 80 inch mattress. Outside, the 43 complete queen beds we measured on Merit Home Furniture's listings run 62.75 to 74 inches wide and 81 to 94 long. The median is about 64 by 85.
That gap between the inside number and the outside number is what decides whether a bed suits a bedroom on Vancouver Island. I read the spec table on every complete bed we listed on October 3, 2026 for this guide, and rechecked on October 16 which are still listed. The 122 size listings on 49 beds still listed run from twin to California king, and the rest of this page works from those measurements. Beds added to our listings since then aren't in these figures.
What are the standard bed frame sizes in Canada?
Standard bed frame sizes in Canada are the North American mattress sizes: twin, twin XL, double, queen, king and California king. There is no separate Canadian queen or Canadian king. The Better Sleep Council, the consumer arm of the mattress makers' trade association, lists a queen as 60 by 80 inches and a king as 76 by 80.
A frame sold as queen is built around that 60 by 80 opening. What changes from maker to maker is everything outside the opening: the headboard, the footboard, the side rails and any drawers. The International Sleep Products Association allows a finished queen to measure 60 by 79 1/2, give or take half an inch, so a little play inside the rails is normal.
In metric, a queen mattress is about 152 by 203 centimetres. Our median queen frame, 64 by 85 inches, works out to about 163 by 216 centimetres of floor. Casper's frame chart puts a queen frame at 62 to 67 inches wide and 81 to 85 long, which matches the middle of our listings but not the ends.
Twin XL and double XL frames
A twin XL is a twin made 5 inches longer, 38 by 80 on the Better Sleep Council chart. Two side by side make the width of a king, which is why a split king uses two twin XL mattresses. A double XL, sometimes listed as full XL, adds the same 5 inches to a double. Merit lists few frames in either size. The Beaudoin Level platform comes in twin XL at 38.25 by 80 inches, built to the mattress size so the deck sits flush with the mattress edge. Its queen deck is 60 by 80 for the same reason, and it carries 850 lb in queen.
Bed frame sizes measured on our own listings
Each row below comes from the outside dimensions printed on Merit's complete bed listings: headboard, footboard or platform, and rails together. Headboards sold alone, bunk beds, cabinet beds and metal frames are left out, and so are a few listings whose sizes cannot be right.
| Frame size | Mattress it holds | Outside width | Outside length | Beds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38 x 75 in. | 40.75 to 45, median 43 | 77.56 to 84, median 80 | 11 |
| Double (full) | 53 or 54 x 75 in. | 55.75 to 60, median 57 | 76 to 89, median 80 | 30 |
| Queen | 60 x 80 in. | 62.75 to 74, median 64 | 81 to 94, median 85 | 43 |
| King | 76 x 80 in. | 78 to 90, median 80 | 81 to 94, median 85 | 35 |
| California king | 72 x 84 in. | 78 to 90 | 90.25 to 96 | 3 |
All measurements are in inches. Prices read again on October 16, 2026, before applicable taxes, run from $189.00 to $2,849.00 for a queen and $399.00 to $2,999.00 for a king. A twin runs $249.00 to $2,049.00 and a double $249.00 to $2,699.00. Of the 122 size listings, 110 can be ordered through our Duncan store.
The medians say more than the ranges. A typical queen frame here adds 4 inches of width and 5 of length to the mattress. A typical king adds about 4 by 5. The extremes come from a few styles, which the next section takes apart. When Merit quotes a bed by size, the median is the realistic starting point and the range is the warning.
King and California king frames
King frames on our listings run 78 to 90 inches wide, and most sit at 80 or 81. Only three California king beds are listed, all Ashley: the Alisdair sleigh bed, the Juararo panel bed and the Brintstreet. A California king is 4 inches narrower than a king but 4 longer, so its frame mostly grows at the foot. The split between king and California king has its own page.
Bed frame measurements vs mattress sizes: what each part adds
Bed frame measurements are bigger than mattress sizes because the frame wraps around the mattress. How much bigger depends on four parts, and each one shows up clearly in our listings.
- Side rails and posts add width. Most plain panel beds here add 3 to 5 inches. Thick upholstered wings add far more: the Ashley Brintstreet queen is 74 inches wide.
- The headboard adds length. A flat panel headboard is thin, but a bookcase headboard is deep. The Mako Supreme queen with its bookcase headboard runs 94 inches long, 14 more than the mattress.
- The footboard adds length again. A sleigh footboard curves outward, which is why the Alisdair queen is 85 inches long.
- Drawers add nothing to the frame's own size but need room to open. A storage bed's drawers pull out into the walkway beside the bed.
Platform beds come close to the mattress. The Ashley Finch queen platform bed is 63 by 84, three inches wider and four longer than a queen mattress.
Height matters for the room too, though it never changes which mattress fits. Queen headboards on our listings run from 39 inches on the Mako Claudette to 64.5 on the Ashley Jerary. A tall headboard can block a window or a baseboard heater, so the height on the listing is worth checking against the wall.
Platform, panel, sleigh and storage queen frames side by side
Seven queen beds from Merit's listings show how style moves the outside size. All seven can be ordered through our Duncan store. Island Living does not publish prices online, so call for the Saltspring.
| Queen bed and style | Outside W x L (in.) | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley Finch, platform | 63 x 84 | $189.00 |
| Ashley Alisdair, sleigh | 63 x 85 | $299.00 |
| Mako Claudette, platform | 64 x 84 | $949.00 |
| Mako Grace storage | 64 x 84 | $2,149.00 |
| Mako Supreme, bookcase storage | 63 x 94 | $2,499.00 |
| Island Living Saltspring, upholstered | 73 x 88 | Call |
| Ashley Brintstreet, upholstered | 74 x 92 | $1,199.00 |
The Grace storage takes the same 64 by 84 footprint as the Claudette platform. Its three drawers on each side need clear floor beside the bed, so the walkway doubles as drawer space. Mako's footboard storage beds, such as the Monkland, put two drawers at the foot instead.
Lead times differ by maker too, and each is the wait until the bed is ready for pickup or delivery. Ashley takes 4 to 6 weeks and Mako 8 to 10. Island Living takes 6 to 8 weeks made to order, or 2 to 3 if Island Living has the piece in stock in Vancouver.
Is a full bed 53 or 54 inches wide?
A full bed, also called a double, is 53 inches wide on some makers' charts and 54 on others. The Better Sleep Council lists a full at 53 by 75. Sealy Canada lists 53 by 74. Restonic gives 54 by 75.
For a frame, the difference rarely matters. Our double frames measure 55.75 to 60 inches wide outside, so either mattress sits inside the rails. The narrowest is the Ashley Baystorm in full, at 55.75 by 78 outside.
The twin has the same split. The Better Sleep Council lists 38 by 75, while Restonic and Titus use 39. A frame made for 39 inches holds a 38 inch twin with a little room to spare.
Is a 90 by 190 bed a standard size here?
A 90 by 190 centimetre mattress is not one of the North American sizes. It works out to about 35.4 by 74.8 inches, roughly 2.6 inches narrower than a twin. In a Canadian twin frame it would slide side to side. Anyone moving a bed or mattress from Europe is better off measuring both before buying either.
What fits a queen bed frame?
A queen bed frame fits any 60 by 80 inch queen mattress, whatever brand made the bed or the mattress. The open question is what goes under the mattress. Each queen frame needs one of three kinds of support, and the listing usually says which.
- Slats included. The Mako Claudette lists headboard, footboard, rails and slats, as most Mako beds do. A foundation is optional and mostly changes the height.
- Box spring or foundation required. The Ashley Baystorm and Brintstreet listings say a foundation or box spring is required, sold separately, and the rails alone will not hold a mattress.
- A platform. The Ashley Shawburn twin platform listing says no box spring or foundation is needed. The mattress sits straight on the deck.
A frame like the Baystorm, which needs a foundation under the mattress, has no partner for it at our Duncan store. Duncan has no box spring or flat foundation from Restwell, Restonic, Health Guard or Natura. Three queen foundations from other makers stay on Merit's listings, and none shows an online price. The Beautyrest Traditional 9 inch, 59.5 by 79, is carried at our Campbell River and Port Alberni stores. The Sealy 5 inch low profile queen and the Tempur-Pedic flat foundation queen are at Campbell River alone. A call to the store that has the one wanted gets its best price.
The only bases listed for Duncan are Restwell's adjustable bases: the Peak at $1,249.00 in queen and the Pinnacle at $1,849.00, before applicable taxes. Neither listing says whether it drops inside another maker's rails, so that is worth a call before pairing one with a bed.
A foundation's height goes straight into the height of the bed. Sealy Canada says a low profile box spring brings the bed down by up to 4.5 inches. The full queen stack, from floor to sheets, is laid out in the queen guide.
A plain metal frame is the cheapest way to hold a queen set off the floor. The Beaudoin 961G fits a full, full XL or queen, and our Duncan and Port Alberni stores carry it. Its listing gives one centre support and a 650 lb capacity. Sealy Canada asks that a queen or king set sit on a frame with extra centre support, to prevent bowing and sagging. A headboard can still be added, and fitting it is part of making a bed on a metal frame.
Bunk beds, cabinet beds and adjustable bases
Three kinds of bed follow different size rules from an ordinary frame.
Bunk beds. Health Canada says the mattress must fit snugly against all four sides of a bunk. The top of the guardrails must sit at least 12.7 centimetres, or 5 inches, above the mattress on every side. It also says no children under 6 years old should be on the top bunk. A mattress that is too thick eats into that 5 inches, so the bunk's label is the place to check the size and thickness it takes.
The Halanton twin over full is one of the bunks we list through Duncan. It measures 56.25 wide, 80 long and 61.5 high, and costs $1,199.00.
Cabinet beds. A cabinet bed keeps its own mattress and folds into a chest. The Sleepchest Cabos is 64 inches wide, 23.25 inches deep closed and 80 deep open, for $2,999.00. Ten Sleepchest models sit on our cabinet bed listings.
Adjustable bases. An adjustable base is built a touch under the mattress size, so it can sit inside some frames. The Restwell Peak comes with legs of 1, 3 or 6 inches, which sets how high it sits inside a frame. Whether a given bed takes one depends on its rails and slats. The frames that take a power base are covered separately. Every model we carry sits on our adjustable base listings.
Where a bed frame size goes wrong in an Island bedroom
A bed frame size goes wrong most often at the wall, the stairs and the listing itself.
The wall. A queen frame at our median 64 inches with two Mako Grace 2-drawer nightstands, each 22 inches wide, needs 108 inches of wall. That is 9 feet before any gap for a lamp cord or a door swing. A king at our median 80 inches needs 124. The heights and widths of the nightstands we list are on their own page.
The stairs. A headboard does not bend. The Brintstreet king is 90 inches wide, and a bookcase headboard is deep as well as wide. Sealy Canada notes that king foundations come in two pieces for narrow halls, but a one-piece headboard has no such option. The tightest turn on the stairs is the number to hold against the headboard's width and height.
The listing. A handful of Merit's listings print sizes that cannot be right, such as a queen storage bed only 18.5 inches deep. Those rows are left out of the tables here. If a size on any listing looks odd, call and we'll check it against the maker's sheet before an order goes in.
The wrong buy. A wide upholstered bed is the wrong choice for a small room or a narrow stair, however good it looks. The Brintstreet queen is 11 inches wider than the Finch queen for the same mattress. In a tight room, a platform or plain panel bed leaves the most floor.
A special-order frame takes a 24% deposit when the order goes in, and the maker builds or ships it to the size on that order. The room and stair measurements are worth having in hand before then.
Where these bed frame numbers come from
- Better Sleep Council, mattress size chart from twin to California king, read October 3, 2026.
- Serta, finished mattress sizes under the ISPA standard, with the half-inch tolerance, read October 3, 2026.
- Sealy Canada, FAQs (frame support, low profile box springs, two-piece foundations, mattress sizes), checked October 2026.
- Restonic, mattress size answers giving the 54 inch double and 39 inch twin, read October 3, 2026.
- Health Canada, Bunk bed and loft bed safety, page modified May 11, 2026, checked October 2026.
- Casper, Bed Frame Size Chart and Dimensions Guide, checked October 2026.
- Merit's own product listings: outside sizes, support notes and prices from the spec table of every active complete bed, foundation, frame and base named here, read October 3, 2026, with listings and prices reread October 16, 2026.
Sizing a bed frame with our Duncan store
Bring Merit the room's length and width, the narrowest door and stair turn, and the mattress you have or want. We'll match those against the outside sizes on the beds that fit, and against the right foundation if the bed needs one. Most of what our Duncan store sells is ordered for the customer, so call to ask which beds are set up on display.
Delivery from Duncan is $150 across the Island with assembly included, and a bed frame is mostly assembly. Pickup at Duncan is free, and a delivery to some Gulf Islands can be arranged by phone. The Nanaimo, Campbell River and Port Alberni stores set their own delivery terms, so ask them directly.
Call the Duncan store, (250) 746-5527
Every bed in the tables is in our bed frames and headboards, and the mattress side of the question is in our chart of every mattress size. More on bedrooms sits with the rest of our bedroom guides.