Mattress Sizes and Quilts

Hi! I'm Debbie Anderson for About.com! Determining the correct size quilt for your mattress doesn't have to be a challenge. So today, I'm going show you how to determine the correct quilt size for your mattress.

Find the Right Mattress and Quilt Size With:

• measuring tape
• pencil
• notepad of paper

First, measure the length and the width of the mattress you want to use with the quilt. Now as an added tip, if you don't have the mattress you want to use with the quilt available so you that you can measure it, you can use the following measurements as a guideline:

General Mattress Sizes

• Standard twin size mattresses generally measure 39 inches wide and 72 inches long.
• Long twin size mattresses generally measure 36 inches wide and 80 inches long.
• Full size mattresses generally run 54 inches wide and 75 inches long.
• For Queen size mattresses, these generally run 60 inches wide and 80 inches
• King size mattress generally runs 76 inches wide and 80 inches long.

Fit the Quilt to the Mattress

Now, once you've determined the length and the width of the mattress, on the top side of the mattress, then it is important to consider the depth of the mattress to decide whether or not you want the quilt to drop down over the sides of the mattress, or if you just want the quilt to line the top edges of the bed. Use your measuring tape to measure the depth of the mattress to determine how much extra quilt you will need on each side of the bed – or, as a general guide, you can also add an extra 12 to 14 inches of quilt material on each side of the mattress' width to adjust for having enough quilt to drape nicely over the sides.

Next, if the quilt is going to be tucked in at the bottom of the bed, measure the depth of the mattress and then add an additional 3 to 4 inches to that length so that the quilt can be tucked under the mattress at the end of the bed.

Alternatively, if the bed that the quilt is going to lay on has a footboard, you might not want the extra length at the end of the quilt for tucking, and in this case, just use the length of the mattress for your length of the measurement of the quilt.Finally, add up the length and width measurements that you just took to arrive at the final size for your quilt. Thank you for watching! To learn more, please visit us on the web at About.com!