What Is A Split King Mattress?

The two twin XL mattresses that make up a split king bed are pressed together. A twin XL mattress is 38 by 80 inches, and two of them combined measure 76 by 80 inches, which is the size of a king mattress. In a split king bed, the beds are not linked, allowing couples to choose various degrees of hardness for each mattress.

Quick Answer

If the idea of a “split” king mattress makes you envision couples sleeping in separate beds in 1960s comedies, we have a few things to explain.

Although split king mattresses are not the most popular kind of bed arrangement, they might be a great choice for couples who have quite diverse sleeping habits.

But fear not—you can still cuddle with your partner if you choose a split king mattress.

Our mission is to assist you to decipher all the mattress business lingo and determine which kind of bed would be most beneficial for you and your loved ones.

We’re hoping we can get you some restful sleep soon!

Size Of A Mattress

The two dimensions of length and breadth are the same for all bed sizes.

The most typical mattress length is 80″, or little more than six and a half feet.

Given that the average height of an adult man is around 5’8″ and the average size of an adult female is approximately 5′ 4′′, twin XL mattresses, queen size mattresses, and king size mattresses are all 80″ long, making the perfect option for the majority of people.

But let’s talk about the details.

#1. Full, Twin, and Twin XL

Full – Full mattresses, usually referred to as double mattresses, and twin mattresses are four to five inches shorter than the king or queen-size beds.

Particularly for kids who are shorter than the typical adult and don’t need as long of a bed, twin mattresses are a terrific option.

The thinnest mattresses are the twin XL and twin sizes, both measuring 38″.

A Twin XL, on the other hand, is 5 inches longer than a typical twin and has the same length as a queen or king-size bed, making it an excellent option for children who are taller than usual or who are developing rapidly.

In college dorm rooms, twin XL mattresses are also common.

Full – A full bed is the same length as a twin bed but 15 inches (a little more than a foot) broader.

It is sometimes known as a double bed (though it is not twice the size of anything).

Couples often share a full-size mattress; however, if you choose this option, you may need to get accustomed to snuggling more.

#2. Queen, King, California King, Split King

So how are their sizes different if king, queen, and twin XL mattresses are all the same length? Width! For couples, we normally advise queen-size beds and larger ones since they provide each sleeper with at least 30″ of personal space.

Full-sized mattresses are much thinner than queen-sized mattresses, measuring only 54 inches wide compared to 60 inches for king and cal-sized beds.

With a width of 76″, king-size beds have the widest mattresses.

California King – A California king-size mattress, which is 4 inches longer than a typical king size, is an alternative if you happen to be on the taller side.

It is thus 7 feet long! California kings are 4 inches narrower, at 72″ than normal kings, which have a similar surface area but somewhat different distribution of measurements.

What are the measurements of a split king bed? is the query that we’ve all been waiting to hear the answer to.

A split king is really two twin XL mattresses joined together on a king size bed frame, as you would have deduced if you paid attention to the numbers above.

King mattresses and twin XL mattresses are both 80″ long, however, twin mattresses are just 48″ broad.

You can create a 76″ king-size mattress by joining two 38″ wide twin XL mattresses together and using a little arithmetic wizardry.

I think whoever chose the conventional mattress sizes was fairly astute on this one.

Split King Beds: Pros and Cons

Do All People Benefit From A Split King?

No, most likely not.

First and foremost, we would only truly suggest this for couples.

If you’re a single person, you definitely don’t even need a king-sized bed, but if you want a giant mattress, having your bed divided in half will probably upset you a lot.

Additionally, couples that have comparable body types, sleeping habits, and/or bedding preferences may not feel the need to purchase a split king.

Get one huge king-size mattress if you both want the same one if that is what you desire.

This will also often be a little more of an economical bed, since purchasing two twin XL mattresses may sometimes be a little bit more costly than buying one king-size mattress.

Benefits of King Split Beds

When one king-size mattress would do, why bother with two? There are really a number of reasons why this arrangement could be successful for certain couples.

First off, choosing a split king might be quite practical if you have a tiny room, live in a walk-up apartment, or anticipate moving soon or often.

Why? because two twin XL mattresses are much lighter and simpler to transport than a heavy king mattress, making them ideal for stairways and confined spaces.

Split kings are also a fantastic option for couples who have quite diverse sleeping habits.

For instance, if you are a 6’6″ bodybuilder who perspires through your sheets even in the winter, you may choose a firm, supportive mattress like the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora that actively cools you down as you sleep.

The Tuft & Needle Mint mattress is soft and fluffy, which is why smaller sleepers typically prefer it.

If this bodybuilder is cuddled up next to a petite person who prefers to sleep on their side under a pile of blankets, however, some problems may arise when attempting to find a compromise mattress.

A split king allows both individuals to choose the mattress that will be most comfortable for them.

Motion transmission is another factor that might make couples prefer their own mattresses.

Except for older models with innerspring, which have mostly been replaced in recent years by pocketed coils, we found that most mattresses will do rather well in this area.

However, there are situations when you can have a companion that constantly gets up to use the restroom or for late-night snacks or rolls about in their sleep.

If you are sleeping on a linked mattress with inadequate motion isolation, the motion from the side of the bed may travel to your side and wake you up.

Couples who choose separate beds no longer have to get out of bed slowly in an effort to avoid awakening their companion.

Additionally, split king mattresses are perfect for anyone looking to purchase an adjustable bed frame.

Most king-size adjustable bed frames come with the option of a split version, which means both sides of the bed may move separately.

Therefore, it makes sense that if you buy a frame that can move in this way, you’ll probably also need mattresses that can move on their own.

When using a split king-size adjustable frame with a king-size mattress, you must move the frame with both sides moving simultaneously in order to prevent your mattress from becoming slippery.

Why Choose a Bed Frame with Adjustability?

Since adjustable bed frames often have a number of unique features and may even be useful in treating specific medical disorders, their popularity has increased significantly in recent years.

You may configure your bed frame to rise by 10 degrees, for instance, if you snore or have sleep apnea.

This should help you breathe better.

Among other things, some bed frames provide USB outlets for convenient phone charging while you sleep, zero gravity settings, and massage capabilities.

These bed frames generally replace the standard foundation, platform, box spring, or wooden slats by fitting into the bed frame you already have.

There is no need to sacrifice your room’s aesthetic for the convenience of an adjustable frame.

You and your spouse will probably be able to discover the perfect sleeping position for you if you choose an adjustable bed frame with split king mattresses.

While one person can feel supported and cool on their firm latex mattress that is lifted to the ideal angle to prevent themselves (or their partner) from waking up in the middle of the night with their loud snoring, the other can feel supported and cool on their soft foam mattress while the bed frame gently vibrates to massage their feet.

For My Split King Bed, What Kind Of Bedding Should I Use?

You may essentially approach the setup like a regular king mattress, like two XL twin mattresses, or a mix of the two when it comes to bedding for a split king.

#1. Sheets

There are sheet sets produced especially for split king beds with movable bases that are designed to accommodate this particular sleeping arrangement.

Fitted sheets that are the same size as a standard king sheet and are joined at the tail end, just like any other king sheet, are known as split-top king sheets.

To allow the adjustable bed frame to move freely on either side without ripping the fitted sheet off the opposing mattress, these sheets break off at the head side into two twin-size fitted sheets.

These sheets are kind of fashioned like the letter U, joined at the bottom but branching into two sides at the top, in case you are having trouble visualizing what this looks like.

It may be a little tough to locate sheets like this, however, so you may simply just pick two twin XL fitted sheets, which would effectively achieve the same aim for your adjustable bed.

If your split king mattress is not supported by an adjustable bed frame, you may either buy twin XL sheets for each mattress or use a regular king-size sheet set to cover them both.

The latter option will probably make the beds feel a little more similar.

#2. Comforters

Some individuals choose to use different blankets for each bed or a king-size blanket set for top sheets and comforters in order to further synchronize the mattresses.

This will truly be up to your discretion.

Choosing separate blankets might be a wise choice if you are aware that one of your partners often steals blankets.

However, some people can discover that using different blankets makes it more difficult to cuddle or feel connected to their sleeping partner.

In the end, like with any bed-related choices, we advise you to talk to someone about what’s most important to you.

Your health and, in our opinion, your relationship may both benefit from getting enough sleep.

Purchase Of Split King Beds

The next step is to choose the mattress or mattresses that you’ll purchase if you and your spouse have determined that a split king bed is a smart option.

Price, size, and desire are a few considerations with a split king since there are many alternatives.

The first consideration when purchasing a mattress is pricing.

As previously said, purchasing two twin XL mattresses may be somewhat more costly than purchasing a single king mattress, but if you shop wisely, it can also be a less expensive alternative.

If you and your spouse both choose a very opulent mattress—for instance, the Helix Luxe range of mattresses, which is perfect for a split king setup since you can both choose the Helix bed that suits you—the cost can somewhat exceed your budget.

A king-size Helix Luxe bed has an MSRP of around $2,200, while a twin XL has an MSRP of about $1,250.

The cost for two twins XLs will be roughly $2,500, which is much more expensive than for just one king.

However, if you choose completely different mattresses—for example, one person chooses the roughly $1,600 Casper Wave mattress while the other person decides Amazon’s $350 Lucid mattress will be fine for them—you’ll save much more money than if you had purchased the king-size Casper Wave, which costs approximately $2,800.

One consideration for completely different mattresses is the height of the bed.

However, we have also seen some that are much shorter and others that are higher.

In general, the majority of mattresses that we find are approximately 10″ or 11″ in height.

For instance, using the 15.5″ height DreamCloud mattress with the 9.25″ tall Purple original would definitely result in a fairly odd-looking bed.

To prevent any peaks or valleys from emerging at the intersection between the two beds, make sure that both mattresses are around the same height.