Alaskan King Bed Dimensions

We’re not saying that bigger is always better, but in terms of bedroom habits, We have all experienced times when the bed just doesn’t feel big enough, right? 

Whether you share your bed with your pets, your partner, your kids, or whoever else you snuggle up with (hey, we’re not judging) we’ve all had a moment or two when we wonder if a bigger bed would fit in your bedroom.

But how big is big? 

We explain the North American standards of bed dimensions and show you what aspects you’ll need to consider when thinking about sizing up in the bed department. It’s not just a matter of floor space, you know.

There are a few key considerations to be aware of before you order an Alaskan king. 

How Big Is An Alaskan King Bed? 

In terms of mattress size, the standard dimensions of an Alaskan king mattress are 108 inches by 108 inches. So, it’s square to start with, which is kind of unusual in a bed, but we have nothing against squares.

This nine-footer should ensure that you have enough room to keep your feet inside the bed, no matter how tall you are. 

As a rule, beds tend to get wider as you go up the scale, but they don’t necessarily get longer until you reach the California king size, which is essentially for the tall, thin Barbie and Ken couples of the world. 

We assume so anyhow because Californian king beds are narrower than a standard king-sized bed and slightly longer.

Given this logic, we’re not too sure about what bed manufacturers are trying to say about the physiques of the population of Alaska, but best not to think too much about that. 

While Alaskan king-sized beds are the biggest you can get without it being custom made, there are other super-sized beds available on the market that might suit your needs if you’re needing more space between the sheets but don’t have room for a full Alaskan king. 

The Kings Of America

Despite the fact that America as a nation has not formally recognized a king of the land since 1776, we seem to have a fair few in various states now.

We’ve mentioned the California king and the standard king-sized beds as well as the Alaskan king, but we mustn’t forget their majesty, the Texas king and the Wyoming king. 

The Wyoming king has a square dimension too, as it measures 84” x 84”. To put that in perspective for you, the standard king is 76” wide by 80” long, so it is a little longer than a stateless king-sized mattress, and considerably wider too.

The square shape implies that it would be a good choice if you’re expecting more than two people at a time to be in it. 

We’re talking, of course, about co-sleeping (wash your mind out with soap and water). 

The Texas king bed has got even more room lengthways, presumably, so your wide-brimmed hat has plenty of room. It’s a little more narrow than the Wyoming king but longer by over ten inches. 

The Texas king measures 80” x 98” so it’s ten inches shorter than the giant Alaska king, but eighteen inches longer than a standard king-sized bed.

The Texas King is also known as a super king, a grand king, or an athletic king.

There is also the Alberta king, sometimes called an Alaskan queen, which measures 96 inches each way. 

Who Are Alaskan Kings For?

Well, to start with there are a number of different reasons someone might decide to get an enormous Alaskan king bed, and they don’t all involve sleeping.

We’ve known some large families that have filled a cinema room or den with an Alaskan king for watching movies in comfort with room for every member of the family. 

If you’re only needing the Alaskan bed for occasional use and not sleeping on, then you can save money by getting a cheaper foam mattress similar to what you might find inside couch cushions, but if it’s for regular sleeping, you’ll need to think about upgrading and getting a mattress with more support for a good night’s sleep. 

If the reason you want such a huge bed is to accommodate a lot of people to have sleeping space at the same time, then you’ll be glad to know that Alaskan king beds have ample room for four full-sized adults.

We’re not speculating why you might need room for three additional adults in your bed, but if you do, then the Alaskan king is the way to go. 

If you or your bedmate is a very tall person, or you have giant canine companions on your bed nightly, then you might find a huge bed like the Alaskan king does allow everyone the space they need to get a good night’s sleep. 

Of course, there’s no telling whether your space-hogging companions will go to sleep in a space of their own.

Some dogs, or kids for that matter, could have a bed the size of a moon-bounce but still prefer to lie right across your face than stretch out in the available space. There’s not a lot that can be done about that.

Of course, you might just want a giant bed because, well, you just do. If you’ve got the space to put it in, then why not?

Plenty of couples find that a little extra space between them is beneficial to their daytime relationships. There’s usually at least one cover-hogger per couple or one who is always rolling over onto the other person’s side. 

If you’re unlucky, you might be sharing a bed with a cover-hogger and a space invader.

If so, a larger bed may well help you, because while the rational part of our brains tells us that we shouldn’t hold a grudge against our partners when what they did to bother us was done unconsciously while they were actually unconscious, it can be hard not to carry irritation through to the next day. 

If your bed-fellow bothers you during the dark hours, then you might find that a bigger bed makes you less crabby with them when the sun comes up. 

What Sized Room Do You Need For An Alaskan King?

This is the big question because while you might have the floor space available in your bedroom for a nine feet by nine feet bed, calculating whether you’re still going to have enough room for walking around the bed comfortably and opening your closet doors is more of a concern. 

The official answer to the question is that an Alaskan Bed should comfortably fit in a room that is a minimum of 488” by 488”. That is about forty feet and 8 inches each way or 12.4 metres.

If you are fortunate enough to have a bedroom of that size, then an Alaskan king probably will look just right in the available space.

There are some other things to consider before you absolutely decide on an Alaskan king bed though, such as: 

How Tall Is The Bed You Want?

If you’re wanting a bed that is high off the floor as well as huge in either direction of the mattress then you might need to take into account things like whether you have low light fittings, or windows that a large headboard could potentially block. 

Do You Have A Pitched Or Low Roof?

It’s so easy to measure the floor space for a new bed, but forget to look up and consider whether a bigger bed is going to affect your headroom. 

If you currently have a king-sized bed in a space with a pitched roof, then you probably have enough headroom above you to walk around the bed without having to duck your head, but if you’re thinking of getting a bigger bed, remember to check that you can still stand up straight when you get out of it.

No one wants to start their day with a bump on the head. 

Can You Afford It? 

Mattresses alone for Alaskan king beds will set you back between $2500 and $5000, and then you’ll need a comforter and sheets big enough for your new bed too.

There’s a lot more fabric involved in making bed sheets for Alaskan kings, so you can expect them to be considerably more expensive than you’re used to with smaller beds. 

They aren’t super common either so even if you did find some Alaskan king sheets in Walmart, there might not be a huge variety of patterns and colours to choose from.

That’s just something to consider. 

Final Thoughts

Alaskan king beds can provide a solution to the age-old problem of having enough space in bed to get a good night’s sleep each and every night.

If you or your partner are tall or large in general, then getting enough room to stretch out can feel near impossible, but an Alaskan king ensures that everyone has plenty of room to get comfortable with no cold toes peeking out from the foot of the bed. 

In our opinion, the biggest consideration you’ll need to think about if you want an Alaskan king bed is whether you have enough space to accommodate one.

It’s not just the space it will take up, but you’ll need to think about things like being able to open your drawers, open and shut the bedroom door, and move around the huge bed easily.

Ida Oliveira
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