Super King Size Beds and Bed Frames with Ottoman Storage
A super king is the largest standard bed size sold in the UK, and it is the only one where the room has to be chosen for the bed rather than the other way round. At 6ft wide it gives each of two people the same space one person has in a single, which is the entire argument for it — and it takes a foot more floor than a king to deliver that.
This collection covers super king size beds and bed frames in oak and wood, including super king ottoman beds with storage underneath. You will also see the size written as superking, and both spellings mean the same bed.
Super king size bed dimensions
A UK super king measures 6ft wide by 6ft 6in long, which is 180cm by 200cm. The length is the same as a king size; only the width changes, by a full foot.
Super king size in centimetres
180cm by 200cm is the figure to work with, and it is worth knowing because this is the one UK size that lines up neatly with continental sizing. A European super king or grand king is commonly 180cm by 200cm as well, so unlike the UK double — which is 135cm against the continental 140cm — the sizes usually match here. Check before buying a mattress abroad, but the odds are much better at this size than at any other.
Super king versus king size
A king is 5ft wide and a super king is 6ft, so each person goes from 30 inches (76cm) to 36 inches (91cm). That extra 6 inches each is the largest single jump between any two adjacent UK sizes, and it is the point at which two people stop being aware of each other in the bed at all.
Both are 6ft 6in long, so there is nothing in it for a tall sleeper. If length is the problem rather than width, moving up from king to super king solves nothing.
How much room a super king bed needs
Allow at least 24 inches (60cm) of clear floor down each side and at the foot, which means a room around 11ft wide before the bed stops dominating it. Below that the bed works but the room does not, and you end up with a bedroom you can only move through in single file.
Two things to check before committing. Wardrobe and chest doors need their swing measured against the gap beside the bed, which at this width is the tightest space in the room. And the frame is always wider than 6ft — an inch or two on a slim wooden frame, four or five on an upholstered one with padded sides.
It is also worth measuring the way in. A 6ft base is a large single object, and staircases with a turn, narrow landings and older doorways are where they get stuck. Frames that arrive as a split base or in sections solve this, and it is worth checking which yours is before deciding.
Super king beds with storage
At 6ft by 6ft 6in the space under the bed is roughly 39 square feet, which is more floor than some box rooms. In a bedroom where the bed has taken most of the available space, that volume is not a bonus — it is usually the storage that makes the room workable.
Super king ottoman beds
An ottoman bed lifts the whole base on gas struts, so the entire footprint underneath becomes one open compartment with nothing divided up and nothing lost to runners. At super king that is the single largest storage space most houses have, and it will take a full wardrobe change of season, spare bedding and several suitcases together.
At this width the end lift is almost always the right choice. A 6ft base lifting from the side needs an enormous amount of clear floor along that side to swing up, and a room that has been filled by a super king will not have it.
The struts carry the weight, so the base rises with one hand even made up. On a base this size the strut count matters — more of them, working evenly, is what keeps the lift light and the base square. They wear over many years and can be replaced without replacing the bed.
Wooden and oak super king beds
At 6ft wide the frame is under real structural load, and this is the size where a weak one shows up fastest. The slats span a foot further than on a double, the side rails carry more, and any flex in the middle of the bed becomes obvious within months rather than years.
Solid oak and hardwood super king frames
Solid timber is the sensible answer, and oak in particular, because the mass is doing useful work — a heavy frame does not move when two people do. Look for a centre support running the full length of the bed with its own legs to the floor, and ideally more than one. At super king a single unsupported centre rail is not enough, and it is the most common reason a large frame starts to sag or creak.
Oak also handles the knocks a bed this size collects along its sides, where the gap to the wall is narrowest, and hides them in the grain rather than showing them as scuffs.
Upholstered and velvet super king beds
An upholstered frame is padded across the sides and headboard, which quietens a large room and gives you something soft to sit up against. At this width the headboard is a substantial piece in its own right, and having it come as part of the bed saves finding a separate one wide enough to suit — 6ft headboards are far less common than smaller ones.
The trade-off is external width. Padded sides can add four or five inches, and at a size that already tests most bedrooms, that is often the measurement that decides whether the bed goes in.
One thing to know before choosing a super king
Bedding and mattresses in this size are less widely stocked than in double or king, and they cost more. Fitted sheets, duvets and mattress protectors are all easier to find in the smaller sizes and are usually cheaper. None of that is a reason not to buy a super king, but it is worth knowing before you do rather than after, because it is a permanent running cost rather than a one-off.
Super king bed FAQs
What size is a super king bed?
6ft wide by 6ft 6in long, or 180cm by 200cm. It is the largest standard UK size. The length is the same as a king size, so only the width differs between them.
What is the difference between a king and a super king?
A full foot of width and nothing else — a king is 5ft, a super king is 6ft, and both are 6ft 6in long. Each person goes from 30 inches to 36 inches, which is the biggest jump between any two adjacent UK bed sizes.
How big is a super king bed in cm?
180cm by 200cm. This is also the size most commonly sold as a super king or grand king on the continent, so unlike the UK double, the measurements usually line up.
What size room do you need for a super king bed?
Around 11ft wide as a minimum, which gives 24 inches (60cm) of clear floor each side. Anything narrower and the bed works but the room becomes difficult to move around. Check wardrobe and drawer swings separately, and measure the external frame width rather than the 6ft on the label.
Do super king beds need extra support?
Yes, more than any other size. At 6ft the slats span far enough that a centre support with its own legs to the floor is essential, and on a bed this wide a single support rail is often not enough. It is the first thing worth checking on any frame at this size.
Is super king bedding harder to find?
It is less widely stocked than double or king and generally costs more. That applies to fitted sheets, duvets and protectors alike. It is worth factoring in, since it is an ongoing cost rather than a one-off.
How much fits under a super king ottoman bed?
Close to the full 6ft by 6ft 6in footprint, because the base lifts as one piece with nothing divided up. That is roughly 39 square feet of floor — the largest single storage space in most houses.