What Size Rug for a King Bed

A 9×12 rug is the size most guides pick for a king bed. Turned so the 12-foot side runs across the bed, it leaves 34 in at each side and 28 in past the foot, with its far edge at the head of the bed: a little more than the 18 to 24 in Wayfair suggests. The smallest size that still clears 18 in is 7×10.

King bed on a 9×12 rug, to scaleTop view. The 9×12 rug reaches 34 in past each side of the 76 by 80 inch mattress and 28 in past the foot. Dashed: the next size up, 10×14.10×14 ft, dashed9×12 ft rugKing bed34 in28 in
Drawn to scale. Each grid square is one foot. Dashed: the next size up, 10×14.

A king mattress is 76 by 80 in (Saatva).

What each rug size leaves around a king bed
RugEach sidePast the footVerdictListed for this bed by
5×7 ft4 inunder 18 inToo small—
5×8 ft10 inunder 18 inToo small—
6×9 ft16 in18 inToo small—
7×10 ft22 in18 to 24 inFits the guide—
8×10 ft22 in18 to 24 inFits the guideRugs.com, The Home Depot
9×12 ft34 in28 inLonger than the guide at the footWayfair, Ruggable, Rugs.com, The Home Depot
10×14 ft46 in40 inLonger than the guide at the footRuggable

The rule

  • The rug extends 18 to 24 inches past the sides and foot of the bed (Wayfair).
  • The rug sits under the bottom two-thirds of the bed (The Home Depot).
  • Where the guides name different sizes for this bed, the size most of them list is shown first; the table shows every size and who lists it.

Sources

  1. Rugs.com: A Guide to Rug Sizes by Bed Size, checked
  2. The Home Depot: Rug Sizing Guide (PDF), checked
  3. Wayfair: How to Choose the Right Rug Size, checked
  4. Ruggable: Bedroom Rug Guide, checked
  5. Saatva: Guide to Mattress Dimensions, checked

Rules checked