The difference between California King and King
Mattress size are denoted by twin, full, double, queen, king and California King. You may think that a king-sized mattress is of one size, but that is not the case with the two sizes – King and California King. The California King mattress is designed for those who are taller and the King mattress is designed for those who are bigger.
A California King mattress is narrower than a King, but is longer to accommodate the extra height. The length of this mattress is the same as the Western King with an extra four inches, but the four inches are deducted from the width. This means that the surface area of a King mattress is larger than that of a California King. A King mattress measures 72 inches wide by 84 inches long. A California King mattress measures 76 inches wide by 80 inches long.
There may be slight differences in the measurements of mattresses made by different manufacturers. You should not take it for granted that all mattresses of these names are the same size, which means you should always ask at the showroom.
The Standard King size mattress can also be known as the Eastern King. There are several other names for the California King – Western King, Cal King, West Coast King and WC King
Summary
The following table illustrates the differences in the dimensions of the California King mattress and the King mattress:
| Dimension | California King | King |
| Length | 84 inches2.13 meters | 80 inches2.03 meters |
| Width | 72 inches1.83 meters | 76 inches1.93 meters |
| Surface Area | 6048 square feet3.9 square meters | 6080 square feet3.92 square meters |