How to transport a mattress in a car
Whether a mattress will go in your car depends almost entirely on what kind it is. A rolled or compressed mattress in a box is often no bigger than a large suitcase and fits many cars. A conventional, full-size mattress is a large, floppy slab that's wider than the gap between most cars' wheel arches. This guide covers both, with the measurements to take and the risks to avoid.
Rolled, compressed and boxed mattresses
Many foam and hybrid mattresses are sold vacuum-compressed, rolled and boxed. For transport they behave like any other rigid box:
- Get the box dimensions and weight from the product page or the label. Don't use the mattress dimensions.
- Check the box against your boot with the mattress fit calculator or the car boot fit calculator.
- Keep it sealed. Once a compressed mattress has been unwrapped and has started to expand, you generally can't get it back to its packed size.
- Follow any instructions on the box about orientation and how long it can stay compressed.
For example, a hypothetical boxed mattress of 105 × 45 × 45 cm needs 107 × 47 × 47 cm with 2 cm of clearance. That fits in many hatchback boots seats-up if the floor is longer than 107 cm. If not, it fits with one rear seat section folded.
Check a mattress with the mattress fit calculator
Open calculatorConventional mattresses
Standard mattress sizes give you a starting point. Always measure the actual mattress, because sizes vary by manufacturer and country.
| Common size name | Typical nominal size |
|---|---|
| UK single | 90 × 190 cm |
| UK double | 135 × 190 cm |
| UK king | 150 × 200 cm |
| US twin | 38 × 75 in (approx. 97 × 191 cm) |
| US full | 54 × 75 in (approx. 137 × 191 cm) |
| US queen | 60 × 80 in (approx. 152 × 203 cm) |
Measure the thickness
Thickness (depth) varies widely, from thin foam toppers to deep pillow-top designs. It decides whether a mattress can travel on its edge, and how much height it takes if laid flat. Measure it at the thickest point, including any pillow-top. Measure length and width at the widest points too, because mattresses bulge at the sides.
Will it go inside?
A mattress has to travel either flat or on its long edge:
- Flat: the mattress's width has to pass between the wheel arches. For anything bigger than a narrow single, that's rare in an ordinary car.
- On its long edge: the mattress's width becomes the height it needs, both inside the car and through the boot opening. A 90 cm single needs over 90 cm of opening height, which most cars don't have.
- Length: around 190–200 cm. Very few cars offer that much seats-down length without the load reaching the dashboard.
In practice, most conventional double and larger mattresses won't fit inside a typical car. A van, a delivery service or a mattress-collection service is often the right answer.
Don't fold it unless the manufacturer says you can
Folding a mattress in half to squeeze it into a car can permanently damage it. Springs can bend, foam layers can crease or split, and edge supports can break. Some mattresses are designed to fold or flex, and their instructions will say so. If yours doesn't explicitly allow folding, don't do it. Folding may also affect the warranty, so check the terms first.
Don't tie a mattress up tightly to "compress" it either. Straps pulled hard across the top can crush the comfort layers.
The roof: a last resort with real risks
Carrying a mattress on the roof looks easy, but it's risky:
- It acts like a sail. A large, light, flat object catches the air, especially at speed, in crosswinds or behind lorries (trucks). It can lift, twist and pull against straps or lift off entirely.
- Straps through the cabin don't hold it properly. Running straps through open doors or windows lets the load move, damages door seals and can stop doors opening in an emergency.
- Roofs have load limits. Your vehicle handbook gives a maximum roof load, and roof bars have their own limits. Don't exceed either.
- The rules and the evidence. In the UK, the Highway Code (Rule 98) says you must secure your load and it must not stick out dangerously. In the US, AAA Foundation research found that debris from vehicle cargo, commonly furniture, sporting equipment and miscellaneous objects, contributes to crashes on US roads. Check the rules where you live.
If you do use the roof, use proper roof bars and enough suitable straps fixed to the bars, not to the mattress handles. Keep the mattress fully covered so it can't catch the wind or rain, drive slowly, avoid motorways (highways), and stop to re-check the straps soon after you set off. If the mattress overhangs the front or sides, it's the wrong vehicle for the job.
Loading a boxed mattress
- Boxed mattresses can be surprisingly heavy and are often awkward to grip. Use two people.
- Slide the box in along the floor, then push it forward against the seatbacks.
- Secure it so it can't slide or tip, using the techniques in how to secure cargo safely.