UK Headboard Strut Centres

Published 2026-08-28. Last updated 2026-08-28. Desk research by Kaiser Khan — we have not product-tested UK headboard strut centres. This is not a shop review and not medical advice.

In short

UK headboard strut centres are the hole-to-hole gap at the head of a divan. Many trade notes put each socket about 15 cm (6 in) in from the side. That is trade practice, not a British Standard. Metric mattress widths and imperial furniture widths differ by a centimetre or two. Measure your sockets. Then match the board.

Centre to centre: Measure first
Common inset: ~15 cm
Imperial vs metric: Two width lines
No sockets: Floor-standing

About 4 minutes to read

Upholstered divan bed with matching headboard in a calm cream bedroom — A typical UK upholstered divan bed set in a real bedroom layout.

What are headboard strut centres?

Strut centres are the gap between the two bolt sockets at the head of a divan or a frame that takes a strutted board. You measure centre of hole to centre of hole.

That number is not the width of the headboard. A King board is still about 150 cm wide. The sockets sit in from each side.

There is no British Standard for this gap. The National Bed Federation publishes mattress plan sizes and fire rules. It does not publish a strut table. That note was checked on 28 August 2026.

How do I measure my sockets?

Stand at the head end. If you find no holes, the base may be the wrong way round — Jane Clayton’s fitting note says to check the foot. That page was checked on 28 August 2026.
Feel for two threaded inserts. Fabric often covers them.
Measure centre to centre in millimetres.
Write the bed’s mattress width too — 90, 120, 135, 150 or 180 cm.

Then read how to attach a headboard for bolts, height slots and spacer blocks.

Floor-standing boards sit on the floor. Wall-mounted boards fix to the wall. Those two types ignore divan sockets. See headboard types.

Why do shop millimetre tables disagree with NBF sizes?

Many UK makers describe the same idea as 6 inches (about 15 cm) in from each side. The Headboard Workshop and Jane Clayton both use that inset. Those pages were checked on 28 August 2026. It is trade practice.

If a base is a true imperial width, minus 15 cm each side, you get one set of centres. NBF mattress labels use 90, 120, 135, 150 and 180 cm. Imperial furniture widths (3 ft, 4 ft, 4 ft 6, 5 ft, 6 ft) are not the same drawing. The two lines can differ by about 1–2 cm.

UK name	NBF mattress width	If your sockets sit 15 cm in from each edge	Imperial-minus-12-inch shop tables often show
3ft Single	90 cm	about 60 cm	610 mm
4ft Small Double	120 cm	about 90 cm	915 mm
4ft 6 Double	135 cm	about 105 cm	1067 mm
5ft King	150 cm	about 120 cm	1219 mm
6ft Super King	180 cm	about 150 cm	1524 mm

The last column is what some headboard shops print from old inch widths. It is not a law. Bespoke bases, EU 140 or 160 cm frames, and ottomans can sit somewhere else. Measure.

NBF making spread on a mattress is plus or minus 20 mm. That can explain a tight sheet. It cannot explain a Super King board on a King divan.

What if the centres do not match?

Buy a board made for your size, or one with long slotted struts that can slide.
Use a floor-standing board that does not need the sockets.
Wall-mount, if the wall and the tenancy allow it.
Do not bend metal struts to force a 30 cm miss.

Spacer blocks push a board away from a thick mattress. They do not change centre spacing. See attach a headboard.

EU and IKEA extra widths (80 × 200, 140 × 200, 160 × 200) need their own measure. See UK vs EU sizes.

Educational diagram of a divan head end with two sockets inset from each side and a tape measuring centre to centre — Measure socket centre to socket centre on your base. Trade inset is often about 15 cm from each side. It is not a British Standard.

Frequently asked questions

What are standard UK headboard strut centres?

There is no British Standard number. Many UK fitting notes put each socket about 15 cm (6 in) in from the side of a standard-width divan. Measure hole centre to hole centre on your base before you buy a board.

How do I measure headboard strut centres?

At the head end, find the two threaded sockets. Measure from the centre of one hole to the centre of the other, in millimetres. Feel through the fabric if the holes are covered. Check you are at the head, not the foot.

Why do shop tables not match 90 cm and 150 cm?

Many furniture tables use old imperial bed widths minus 12 inches. NBF mattress labels use 90, 120, 135, 150 and 180 cm. The two lines can differ by 1–2 cm. Your sockets win.

Can I fit a King headboard to a Super King divan?

Not if you need the struts to hit the sockets. The centres will not line up. Use a matching width, a floor-standing board, or a wall mount. Do not bend struts to force a miss.

Where do these facts come from?

BedGuide is desk research. The numbers and rules on this page were checked against the official or primary sources below. We name the check date. We do not invent a figure when a source is missing.

The Headboard Workshop — finding the right size — Trade fitting note. UK divan sockets are described as 6 inches in from each side. Not a British Standard. Checked 2026-08-28.
Jane Clayton — how to fit a headboard — Fitting steps. Locates the two fixing bolts 15 cm / 6 in from each side. Tells you to check the foot end if you cannot find them. Checked 2026-08-28.
National Bed Federation — regulations and standards — Mattress plan sizes in centimetres, with a ±20 mm making spread. That is the mattress, not a strut law. Checked 2026-08-28.