subject: How To Select The Best King Size Bed For You [print this page] A standard king size bed measures 76 inches wide by 80 inches long. You will find these linens most prevalent and they should be clearly marked as standard 76 x 80. I always recommend that you take the time and measure the mattress yourself. This way you can make sure that your measurements are in fact 76 x 80. You also to need to take into consideration if your mattress has a topper, or if you use a mattress pad. These can increase the depth and may require you to purchase fitted sheets otherwise you might find your sheets constantly coming off the edge while you are sleeping.
A California king will typically be more narrow than a standard king, but it will be longer. The usual measurement is 84 inches long by 72 inches wide, or +- 4 inches from the standard size. The Cal King is ideal for two situations. One is when you have a more narrow room but still want the extra space of a king bed. The other situation is for taller people, as this bed is perfect for those tall folks. Linens for this style bed are marked "California King", but you should always verify the dimensions on the packaging. As mentioned before, make sure to manually measure the width, length, and depth of your bed.
You should also know that each style has additional names that people or manufacturers may refer to them by. A standard is sometimes called an eastern king. California kings are sometimes called western type king bed.
Finally, and I can't stress this enough, always make sure to verify the measurements of your bed. Grab the tape measurer and put it to use. It will save you a lot of frustration at the store!
