A full mattress is 54 by 75 inches and a queen is 60 by 80, so a queen is 6 inches wider and 5 inches longer. In a small bedroom the difference only decides the fit when the room is 9 feet wide: there a centered full leaves 25 inches on each side, a queen 22, under the 24-inch minimum. From 10×10 up, a queen fits everything a full does. Pick a full for one sleeper under 6 feet, a queen for a couple or a tall sleeper.
Full vs queen: the size difference
| Full | Queen | |
|---|---|---|
| Mattress | 54 × 75 in | 60 × 80 in |
| Surface | 4,050 sq in | 4,800 sq in |
| Width each, for two | 27 in | 30 in |
| Frame we plan with | 58 × 79 in | 64 × 84 in |
| Best for | One adult; small bedrooms | Couples; tall sleepers |
Mattress sizes, surface and best-for from Sleep Foundation. Width each is half the mattress. Frames are the mattress plus about 4 inches, as our bedroom layouts plan them.
A full is sometimes called a double; it's the same bed. Sleep Foundation puts the full's surface at about 15 percent less than a queen's, and the length matters as much as the width: a 6-foot sleeper on a 75-inch full has 3 inches to spare, much of it taken by the pillow.
Which fits a small bedroom
We solved every layout in our bedroom guides with the frames above, a 30-inch door and 24-inch walkways on both sides of the bed. Here is what fits next to each bed:
| Room | Full | Queen |
|---|---|---|
| 9×10 | Bed only | One side to a wall only |
| 9×11 | Bed only | One side to a wall only |
| 10×10 | Bed only | Bed only |
| 10×11 | Bed and a dresser | Bed and a dresser |
| 10×12 | Bed, desk and dresser | Bed, desk and dresser |
| 11×11 | Bed and a dresser | Bed and a dresser |
| 11×12 | Bed, desk and dresser | Bed, desk and dresser |
| 12×12 | Bed, desk and dresser | Bed, desk and dresser |
Both sides of the bed open, 24 in walkways. Desk 48 × 24 in, dresser 32 × 18 in. Each room links to its solved plans.
So the full only wins in rooms 9 feet wide. Push one side of the queen against the wall there and it fits, but only one side of the bed stays open. From 10×10 up, the two beds take the same furniture with 24-inch paths.
The full pulls ahead again if you want roomier 30-inch paths: in a 10×10, only the full fits with 30 inches all round, and in an 11×11 a full keeps its dresser while a queen fits on its own.
Full or queen: who each bed suits
- Get a full if you sleep alone, you're under 6 feet, or the room is 9 feet wide. Sleep Foundation adds that a full usually costs $100 to $300 less than the same mattress in queen, and is easier to carry around corners and up stairs.
- Get a queen if you share the bed with a partner, a child or a pet, you're over 6 feet, or you want a bed that still works if that changes. Sleep Foundation calls the queen the more versatile choice.
Nightstands add to the width either way. A queen with two 22-inch nightstands, each 4 inches from the bed, needs 116 inches of wall; a full frame with the same pair needs 110. Our nightstand dimensions guide has narrower ones.
Questions
How much bigger is a queen than a full?
6 inches wider and 5 inches longer: 60×80 inches against 54×75 (Sleep Foundation). That's 750 square inches more, about 18 percent.
Can two adults sleep on a full bed?
Each gets 27 inches of width, 3 less than on a queen. Sleep Foundation calls a full too small for most couples and recommends a queen.
What size room do you need for a queen bed?
In our solved layouts, a room at least 10 feet wide fits a queen with both sides open and 24-inch walkways: a 10×10 fits it on its own, a 10×11 adds a dresser. In a 9-foot-wide room, one side has to go against a wall.
Is a full bed the same as a double?
Yes. Full and double are two names for the same 54×75-inch mattress.
Is a full bed long enough for a tall person?
At 75 inches, a full leaves a 6-foot sleeper 3 inches. Sleep Foundation recommends a queen, at 80 inches, for anyone over 6 feet.
Sources
- Full vs. Queen (Sleep Foundation): full 54 × 75 in, queen 60 × 80 in; 4,050 and 4,800 sq in; best-for and drawbacks; about 15 percent less surface; $100–$300 price difference; length for sleepers over 6 feet