Most double decker bed problems are measurement problems. The frame fits the floor but not the ceiling. The mattress fits the base but is too thick for the guardrail. The bed fits the bedroom but not the lift. Getting five numbers right before you order prevents nearly all of it.
Key Takeaways
- Singapore uses a 190cm mattress length across every size — single, super single, queen, and king. Only the width changes (Serta Singapore).
- A typical single-over-single metal frame runs around 1990-2000mm long, 925-930mm wide, and 1715-1780mm tall — for example, AFC’s Model 605 at 1995 × 925 × 1718mm and Model 615 at 1987 × 929 × 1775mm.
- Most HDB flats have a floor-to-ceiling height of about 2.6m, which leaves roughly 800-880mm above a standard frame before fans or false ceilings.
- Mattress thickness is a safety dimension, not a comfort one: under the US bunk bed standard, guardrails must sit at least 5 inches (130mm) above the top of the mattress at its maximum specified thickness (16 CFR 1213.3).
The Five Measurements That Matter
Work through these in order. Each one can disqualify a bed you have already fallen for.
- Mattress size — decides the frame width you need.
- Frame footprint — length and width, including any ladder that projects beyond the frame.
- Overall frame height — versus ceiling height, minus fans and lights.
- Inter-bunk headroom — how much sitting-up space the lower sleeper gets.
- Delivery route — lift, corridor, doorway, and turning clearance.
Mattress Sizes in Singapore
Singapore mattress sizing is unusually simple, and unusually easy to get wrong if you order from overseas.
| Size | Width | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 91cm | 190cm |
| Super single | 107cm | 190cm |
| Queen | 152cm | 190cm |
| King | 183cm | 190cm |
Every size shares the same 190cm length (Serta Singapore). The trap is imported bedding: a US queen is 152 × 203cm, roughly 13cm longer, so US-sized mattresses and fitted sheets will not sit correctly on a Singapore-made frame.
Most double decker beds are single-over-single. Super single over super single is common in family homes where the children will grow into the bed, and queen-under-single configurations exist but need substantially more floor area.
Typical Frame Dimensions
A double decker frame is always larger than the mattress it holds. Published institutional specifications give a reliable picture of the real numbers.
AFC’s Model 605 metal-slat double decker is listed at 1995mm (L) × 925mm (W) × 1718mm (H) on 50mm round tube posts, while the Model 615 U-base version is listed at 1987mm × 929mm × 1775mm on 38mm posts, per published specs for the Singapore double decker bed by AFC range. Two similar-looking beds differ by 57mm in height and 8mm in overall length.
Practical implications:
- Allow roughly 2000mm × 950mm of clear floor for a single-over-single frame, before the ladder.
- Ladders add depth or length. An end-mounted ladder adds 150-250mm beyond the footprint; a side-mounted one eats into the room, not the bed.
- Leave a working gap. A frame pushed hard against two walls is hard to make up and hard to clean behind. Around 50mm on the free sides is enough.
Ceiling Clearance: The Number Most Buyers Skip
Most HDB flats have a floor-to-ceiling height of around 2.6m, with some newer and top-floor units slightly higher and older units varying between roughly 2.4m and 2.8m.
Do the subtraction before you buy:
- Ceiling 2600mm − frame 1750mm = 850mm above the top rail.
- Subtract a false ceiling (typically 100-250mm) and you are down to 600-750mm.
- Subtract a mattress at 150mm and the top sleeper has roughly 450-600mm of sitting headroom.
Below about 600mm of clear space above the top mattress, the upper bunk becomes uncomfortable for an adult. If your ceiling is low or you have a bulkhead over the bed, look for a low-profile frame rather than a standard-height one.
Ceiling fans are a hard stop. A fan above the top bunk is a hazard regardless of measured clearance. Move the bed or the fan.
Headroom Between the Bunks
The lower sleeper needs enough vertical space to sit up without hitting the upper base. On a 1750mm frame with the upper base at around 1250-1300mm, the lower berth typically has 1050-1150mm of clear height once a mattress is in place — enough to sit upright, not enough to kneel comfortably.
If an adult will use the lower bunk, prioritise inter-bunk headroom over total frame height, and be sceptical of short frames that get there by compressing the lower berth.
Guardrails and Mattress Thickness
Guardrail height is measured from the top of the mattress, not the top of the base — which is why mattress thickness is a safety dimension.
Singapore does not mandate a national bunk bed standard, so manufacturers here build to international ones. The US standard is the most publicly specific: under 16 CFR 1213.3, guardrails are required on any bunk whose foundation underside sits more than 30 inches (760mm) above the floor, and the guardrail’s upper edge must be no less than 5 inches (130mm) above the mattress top surface when a mattress of the manufacturer’s maximum specified thickness is fitted (eCFR, 16 CFR 1213.3). End structures must meet the same clearance across at least half the distance between the posts. Europe’s equivalent is EN 747-1:2024.
In practice: if the frame is marked for a 150mm mattress and you fit a 250mm pocket-spring mattress, you have removed 100mm of fall protection. Check the marked maximum before upgrading a mattress.
Measuring the Delivery Route
Measure the narrowest point between the lorry and the bedroom:
- Lift car depth and door width, and whether the building has a service lift.
- Corridor turns, especially out of the lift lobby.
- Bedroom door width and any swing obstruction.
- Longest single component in the carton — usually the side rail, at just over 2m.
Knock-down frames ship flat and almost always pass. Welded frames and pre-assembled timber bunks are where deliveries fail.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size mattress fits a standard double decker bed in Singapore? A single at 91 × 190cm fits most standard frames. Confirm the base’s internal dimensions rather than assuming.
How much ceiling height do I need? Aim for at least 2.4m for a standard-height frame; below that, choose a low-profile design.
Can I use a thick mattress on the top bunk? Only up to the manufacturer’s marked maximum. Exceeding it reduces guardrail protection.
Bottom Line
Five numbers: mattress size, frame footprint, frame height against your ceiling, inter-bunk headroom, and the delivery route. Get those right and the rest of the decision is about style and budget.