If you have ever woken up with your feet hanging off the end of the mattress, you have already worked out that a standard King is not a length problem anyone solved for you. It is 80 inches long, and it has been 80 inches long for decades, regardless of how tall people have got.
The Texas King is the size that fixes it. At 80 inches wide by 98 inches long, it is 18 inches longer than a standard King, a foot and a half of extra bed, all of it where your feet are.
This guide covers the exact dimensions, how the Texas King compares to every other oversized size, whether it will actually fit your bedroom, and the three practical problems nobody warns you about until after you have ordered one. If you are still deciding between sizes generally, our full mattress size guide covers every option.
Texas King bed dimensions
A Texas King measures 80″ wide × 98″ long (203 cm × 249 cm).
For context, that is:
- 4 inches wider than a standard King (76″ × 80″)
- 18 inches longer than a standard King
- 8 inches wider and 14 inches longer than a California King (72″ × 84″)
The width is worth pausing on, because it is widely misreported. A Texas King is not the same width as a standard King. It is four inches wider, and it is longer by a margin that changes how the bed feels entirely.
How the Texas King compares to every king size
| Size | Width | Length | Compared to Texas King | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard King | 76″ | 80″ | Texas King is 4″ wider, 18″ longer | Couples, standard rooms |
| California King | 72″ | 84″ | Texas King is 8″ wider, 14″ longer | Tall sleepers, narrower rooms |
| Wyoming King | 84″ | 84″ | Texas King is 4″ narrower, 14″ longer | Co-sleepers who need width |
| Texas King | 80″ | 98″ | — | Tall sleepers, athletes |
| Florida King | 108″ | 80″ | Florida King is 28″ wider, 18″ shorter | Families needing width |
| Alaskan King | 108″ | 108″ | Alaskan King is 28″ wider, 10″ longer | Maximum size, co-sleeping families |
The pattern is simple: the Texas King is the length specialist. Every other oversized size solves for width. If your problem is that you are tall, this is the only size in the family designed specifically for you.
Texas King vs. California King
This is the comparison most people are actually making, and it is usually framed wrong. The California King has a reputation as the tall person’s bed because it is four inches longer than a standard King. That is true, and for a sleeper up to about 6′2″ it is often enough.
But a California King buys that length by giving up width — it is 72″ across, four inches narrower than a standard King. For a couple, that is a real loss. You are trading shoulder room for legroom.
The Texas King does not make you choose. At 80″ × 98″ it is wider than a standard King and 14 inches longer than a California King. If you are 6′4″ or taller, or you are a couple where one partner is, the California King is a compromise and the Texas King is the actual answer.
The trade-off is availability, which brings us to the practical part.
Will a Texas King fit your room?
Do this before anything else. A 98-inch bed is eight feet two inches of furniture.
The rule of thumb: you want at least 24–30 inches of clear walking space on the sides and foot of the bed. Less than that and the room stops functioning.
Minimum comfortable room size: 12′ × 14′.
The critical dimension is room depth — the wall-to-foot direction — because all of the Texas King’s extra size runs that way. A room that comfortably held a standard King may still fail here even though nothing about its width changed.
Measure it properly:
- Measure wall-to-wall in the direction the bed will run.
- Subtract 98″ (8′2″) for the mattress, plus 3–6″ if your frame has a footboard.
- You want 24″ or more left over. Under 18″ and the foot of the bed becomes a shin hazard.
- Check the swing path of every door, wardrobe and en-suite entrance.
If the numbers do not work, a Wyoming King (84″ × 84″) gives you comparable surface area in a squarer footprint — often the better call in a room that is wide but shallow.
Three things nobody tells you about buying a Texas King
1. The frame is the hard part, not the mattress
Search Texas King and you will find mattress companies. Custom mattress makers have served this size for years. What almost nobody makes is the frame — a Texas King bed frame is not a stock item at any major retailer, because 80″ × 98″ falls outside every standard production run. This is the actual bottleneck, and it is the reason most people who want a Texas King end up with something else.
2. Your bedding will be made to order
No standard sheet, fitted sheet or duvet fits an 80″ × 98″ mattress. Not King, not California King, not oversized King. Budget for custom bedding as part of the project rather than discovering it after delivery, and buy at least two sets — you cannot pop out and replace one.
3. A 98-inch frame has to physically get into the bedroom
This is the one that catches people. An eight-foot-two frame has to clear your front door, your hallway turns, your stairwell and your bedroom doorway. Older homes, walk-ups and townhouses with switchback stairs are where this goes wrong.
Ask about it before ordering. Some frames are built to disassemble and be reassembled inside the room, which solves the problem entirely — but that has to be specified at order time, not discovered on delivery day.
Who a Texas King is actually for
- Tall sleepers. A standard King suits sleepers up to roughly 6′2″ before feet start to hang. At 98″, a Texas King comfortably accommodates well over seven feet.
- Couples with one tall partner. The usual compromise is a California King, which costs you width. The Texas King does not.
- Pet owners. Eighteen extra inches at the foot is, in practice, the dog’s bed.
- Large master suites. In a big room, a standard King can look undersized. The Texas King’s proportions fill the space properly.
It is probably not for you if your bedroom is under 12′ × 14′, if you move house often, or if the idea of sourcing custom bedding for the life of the bed sounds like a chore rather than a detail.
How Candace & Basil builds a Texas King
We build upholstered bed frames from scratch, in-house, which means non-standard sizes are not a special case for us — a Texas King is built on the same solid maple frame, with the same springs and the same foam as every other bed we make. It is simply 18 inches longer.
- Solid maple hardwood frames — never particleboard or engineered wood
- Sinuous non-sag springs, spaced to support the full 98″ span
- A wide range of fabrics: velvet, linen, bouclé, leather and performance textiles
- Multiple headboard heights
- Optional hydraulic-lift storage base
- Collapsible frame construction available on select models for tight stairwells
- Progress photos throughout the build
Every frame is made in house. We can also point you to trusted suppliers for the 80″ × 98″ mattress and made-to-measure bedding, so you are not assembling the set from three different companies.
Browse our Texas King bed frames →
Frequently asked questions
How big is a Texas King bed?
A Texas King measures 80 inches wide by 98 inches long (203 cm × 249 cm). That makes it 4 inches wider and 18 inches longer than a standard King.
Is a Texas King bigger than a California King?
Yes, in both directions. A California King is 72″ × 84″, so a Texas King is 8 inches wider and 14 inches longer.
Is a Texas King the same width as a standard King?
No — this is a common mix-up. A standard King is 76 inches wide; a Texas King is 80 inches wide. The Texas King is 4 inches wider.
What is bigger than a Texas King?
The Alaskan King (108″ × 108″) is larger in both directions. The Florida King (108″ × 80″) and Wyoming King (84″ × 84″) are wider but shorter.
What size room do I need for a Texas King?
A minimum of 12′ × 14′ for comfortable clearance. Room depth matters more than width, since all of the extra length runs toward the foot of the bed.
How tall can you be and still fit a Texas King?
Comfortably over seven feet. Most standard Kings start to feel short around 6′2″, so a Texas King is the purpose-built option from about 6′4″ upward.
Where do you buy Texas King mattresses and bedding?
Both are specialty items that standard retailers do not stock. Several custom mattress makers produce 80″ × 98″ mattresses, and bedding has to be made to measure. We can connect you with suppliers for both when you order a frame.
Can a Texas King bed frame fit up a narrow staircase?
Not always — at 98 inches it needs planning. Some frames can be built to disassemble and be reassembled in the room, which solves it, but this must be specified when you order. Tell us about access constraints up front.
Thinking about a Texas King? Get a free, no-commitment quote, browse every Texas King frame we build, or see our full range of custom beds.
