When selecting California King bedding it is critical to check sizes first! Hardly anything compares to the wonderful feeling of relaxation that comes with stretching out on a king-sized bed at the end of hard day’s work. That feeling of relaxation can quickly turn to distress, however, if the corner of a poorly fitting sheet pops up like a rubber band.
California King beds have become quite popular in recent years, especially for tall sleepers, because they are longer and narrower than standard king-sized beds.
Shoppers should start by knowing the proper dimensions of both a standard king-sized bed, also known as an Eastern King, and a California King. The Eastern King typically measures 76 inches wide by 80 inches deep, where the California King measures 72 inches wide by 84 inches deep. Knowing these specific measurements makes it clear from the start that standard or Eastern King bedding isn’t going to fit well on a California King, and vice versa.
Keep An Eye On The Sizes When Selecting California King Bedding
While these are considered “standard” sizes, it’s important to note that some furniture manufacturers alter these dimensions for certain styles of king beds. That’s why it’s good to get accurate measurements for a California King bed using a tape measure.
What’s more, in addition to the bed dimensions, it’s essential to know the depth of the mattress. Extra Deep and Pillow Top mattresses have become quite popular in the past couple of decades, making finding California King bedding even more of a challenge. Keep in mind that a standard mattress of any size usually runs 7 to 9 inches deep.
A “deep” mattress can measure from 10 to 15 inches, while an “extra deep” mattress can run as much as 22 inches in depth! With a mattress of that depth, it may be necessary to order the sheets specially, or even have them custom made. These mattress depths can guide a consumer’s choice of a mattress pad as well, because adding a pad on top of a deep mattress means there’s that much more to be covered by a sheet.
For “standard” California King beds, fitted sheets must be a minimum of 72 x 84 inches, or 182 x 213 cm, plus the depth of the mattress. Flat sheets aren’t made specifically for California King dimensions. Instead, king-sized flat sheets typically measure 108 x 102 inches, or 274 x 259 cm. Most people who use flat sheets on their California King beds often prefer to use separate twin- or double-sized sheets for each sleeper.
In addition, Cal King bedding manufacturers typically don’t make a special size for comforters, either. The typical king-sized comforter runs 100 x 90 inches, or 254 x 229 cm. King-sized blankets also usually come in these dimensions. Consumers will note the difference in the amount of “drop” – that portion of a comforter than hangs over the side of the mattress. Oversized comforters are available, but can be hard to find.
Down comforters are another story. The plumpness of the down stuffing inside the comforter makes it necessary to add more length and width to the covering overall. Thus a down comforter in California King bedding will measure at least 108 x 98 inches. A duvet, or cover, for a king-sized comforter usually measures 104 x 88 inches.
After all this concern about what goes on top of the mattress, sleepers still need places to lay their heads. And you guessed it – there’s only one size for both Eastern king and California King bedding: 20 x 36 inches. At least you’ll only have to look for one size of pillowcase!
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