The Pattern Room · a measuring pattern
How to measure an IKEA Hemnes daybed: two stacked mattresses, one cover
Two mattresses, one cover. Measure what you own, not what the catalog says, and the daybed reads as a sofa instead of a bed with a blanket over it.
SaveThe quick answer
An IKEA Hemnes daybed cover should be one fitted, zippered cover made to the mattresses' length and width plus their combined stacked height. The US Hemnes takes two twin mattresses of about 38 1/4 x 74 1/2 in. Two 4 3/4 in mattresses stack to 9 1/2 in, so order a 9 1/2 to 10 in cover, not 8 in, and never two separate covers.
One stack, one cover
Two twin mattresses stacked 9 1/2 in (24 cm) high need one cover, not two. Two separate covers, one per mattress, came out too tight to lie flat.
An IKEA Hemnes daybed cover is simple once the stack is understood. The US Hemnes daybed frame measures about 41 3/8 x 78 3/8 in (105 x 199 cm) outside. It takes two twin mattresses of 38 1/4 x 74 1/2 in (97 x 189 cm). Stacked, they make a sofa. Pulled apart, the frame opens to a bed about 76 3/4 in (195 cm) wide.
The version sold in Europe and the UK takes two 31.5 x 78.7 in (80 x 200 cm) mattresses instead. Sizes vary by country. So measure the mattresses you own, not the ones in a catalog.
The Hemnes daybed covers hub shows finished sets in real rooms.
Measuring a Hemnes stack, in seven steps
Measure the mattresses, not the frame
The frame's outer dimensions are larger than the cushion. Measure the mattresses themselves. A product link will not do; the workshop cannot take sizes from one.
Take length and width at the widest point
Run the tape across the middle of the top, edge to edge, to the nearest 1/4 in. A US twin reads about 38 1/4 x 74 1/2 in. Yours may not.
Stack them and measure the combined height
Lay one mattress on the other, as it sits by day. Hold the tape vertical at the thickest point. Height is a feeling; here it is also a number. Two 4 3/4 in (12 cm) mattresses make 9 1/2 in (24 cm), so order a 9 1/2 to 10 in (24 to 25 cm) cover, not 8 in (20 cm).
Write the numbers exactly as measured
Do not add an inch for ease. The workshop builds the seam and fit allowance into the cutting, and cuts the height of a fitted cover about 1/2 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) under the measured thickness, because the fabric stretches slightly. Padded numbers make a loose cover, and loose covers crinkle.
Say 'one cover around both'
Write it in words beside the size. A stacked height with no note can end up as two covers, one each.
Choose full set or cover only
With the full set you send only the mattress size. The backrests and bolsters are made in proportion to it.
Read the size back before cutting
The workshop confirms the exact size and thickness before it cuts. Check each number against your own tape. The zipper is placed so both mattresses slide in and out.
Have it made
Measured it? Have Hana’s workshop make it
Measure once, slowly. Write the numbers here. The workshop will go over them with you. — Hana
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
What a Hemnes cover set holds
| Mattress cover | One fitted, zippered cover sized to length, width and combined stacked height |
|---|---|
| Backrests | Two, filled, about 20 in (50 cm) tall, made in proportion to the mattress |
| Armrests | Two filled bolsters, or two rectangular side pillows on request |
| Piping | Included; it can contrast with the cover |
| Not included | The mattresses |
| Parts alone | Cover only, backrests only, or cover plus backrests |
| Washing | The mattress cover goes in the machine; the filled backrests do not |
| Also fits | IKEA Brimnes, a standard twin or any daybed, from exact sizes |
The 9 1/2-inch stack that arrived in two covers
A buyer in the US measured the two Hemnes mattresses stacked together: 9 1/2 in (24 cm). The measurement was right.
What arrived was two separate covers, one for each mattress. Each was too tight to lie flat. The number was right; the count was wrong.
The fix was one single cover, 31.5 x 79 x 9.5 in (80 x 200 x 24 cm), around both mattresses together. It lay flat.
The tape was never the problem. The missing sentence was. When you give a stacked height, say if you want one cover around the stack or one cover each.
When round bolsters became square side pillows
Another buyer in the US wanted the full set in terracotta with cream trim, but with rectangular side pillows of 12 x 30 in (30 x 76 cm) in place of the round bolsters. That swap is fine. Parts of the set can change or be ordered alone.
Their two twin mattresses measured 74.5 x 38.25 in (189 x 97 cm), each 4.75 in (12 cm) thick. The workshop advised a cover built for 9.5 to 10 in (24 to 25 cm) rather than 8 in (20 cm), so the stack would look filled, not loose. The back cushions came to 17 x 36 in (43 x 91 cm).
They placed two sample orders, since one holds five fabric codes. A warm color like terracotta is worth seeing in your own light; swatches before ordering settle it before the cutting does.
The daybed back cushions Pattern covers the sofa look in more depth.
What goes wrong under a Hemnes cover
- Reusing a 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) mattress. The Hemnes takes about 5 to 6 in (13 to 15 cm) per mattress, around 12 in (30 cm) stacked at most.
- Choosing a pillow-top. It is one of the common Hemnes mismatches; flat mattresses suit the frame.
- Buying a twin XL or a full. A twin XL overhangs the frame, and a full is too wide.
- Ordering two covers for one stack. Order one cover at the combined height, or say clearly that you want one each.
- Letting stacked mattresses slide. Foam on foam moves; hook-and-loop tape or a bed bridge holds the pair together.
- Adding ease to your numbers. The allowance is already in the cutting; extra only makes crinkles.
- Putting a fragile fabric on a daily sofa. Corduroy ribs can split under hard use; for heavy use, performance linen or velvet wears better.
An IKEA Hemnes daybed cover for two stacked twins is one cover at the combined height. Two separate covers come out too tight to lie flat.
Hana
Before the fabric, the tape
What does your stack measure, tape vertical, at the thickest point? Write it down before you open a single swatch card.
For daybeds that are not a Hemnes, the daybed mattress cover Pattern and the daybed cushions hub carry the same method to other frames. A fitted daybed cover is always cut from the mattress, never from the wood around it.
Two mattresses, one cover. Exact numbers, no ease. Say it in words.
Stack height by mattress thickness
| Each mattress | Stacked height | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 4 3/4 in (the thickness the frame is sold with) | 9 1/2 in | The standard sofa height |
| 5 in | 10 in | Within the range sizing guides suggest |
| 6 in | 12 in | The upper end of what guides accept |
| 8 in | 16 in | Sits high; guides advise against it |
Buyer questions: stacks, sets and other daybeds
- A common question
Can a single cover go around both mattresses when they're stacked on my daybed?
The workshop's answerYes. Order one cover made to the mattress length and width plus the combined height of both. Two 4.75 in twin mattresses total about 9.5 in, so choose a 9.5 to 10 in cover rather than 8 in, and it looks filled instead of loose. Don't order two separate covers for a stacked pair; when that happened they were too tight, and one 31.5 x 79 x 9.5 in cover fixed it.
- A common question
What comes in the Hemnes cover set? Is a mattress included?
The workshop's answerThe full set is one fitted, zippered mattress cover made to your mattress size, two filled backrest pillows and two filled bolster armrests, ready to use. The mattress isn't included; the cover is cover only. Piping comes at no extra charge and can be a different color. Two full sets give two mattress covers, four back pillows and four bolsters.
- A common question
Mine is a Brimnes, not a Hemnes. Will the cover still fit, and what about a thicker mattress?
The workshop's answerYes. The set is designed for the Hemnes, but everything is made to measure, so it fits a Brimnes, a standard twin or any custom size. Write the mattress length, width and thickness, for example 39 x 75 x 5 in; if the thickness is missing, the workshop asks after purchase. Thicker mattresses, 8 in or 9.5 in, are fine.
- A common question
Could I order only the back cushions, or swap the round bolsters for something else?
The workshop's answerYes. Parts of the Hemnes set can be ordered alone: the two backrests with covers and inserts, or the mattress cover with two filled backrests. The round bolsters can be replaced by two rectangular pillows, and a straight back-only pillow of about 36 x 12 in can be made to order. Parts bought separately ship together.
- A common question
What size cushion does my daybed need? Can you work it out from the product link?
The workshop's answerMeasure the inside of the frame and send a photo with the dimensions; sizes can't be taken from a product link, because daybeds vary. A twin-size daybed usually takes 38 x 75 in, in one piece or two equal halves of 38 x 37.5 in so it reads like a couch. For a daybed seat, 3 or 4 in thick works well.
- A common question
There's a trundle under my daybed. Does its mattress need a cover of its own?
The workshop's answerYes. A trundle's second mattress needs its own cover, made to its length, width and height. Covers are made for twin, full or queen daybed mattresses, ideally measured once the daybed has arrived. Height can be raised too: one cover was made about 12 in (30 cm) high so two 6 in (15 cm) mattresses stack inside.
Short answers for Hemnes owners
Should I add an inch to my mattress sizes so the cover is snug?
No. Give the exact measurements. The workshop adds the seam and fit allowance in cutting and makes the height of a fitted cover slightly under the measured thickness, since the fabric stretches. Adding your own ease makes the cover loose and crinkled.
Do I need to send sizes for the backrests and bolsters?
Not with the full set. Send the mattress cover size, and the backrests and bolsters are made in proportion to it. Standard backrests are about 20 in (50 cm) tall for a 31.5 x 78.7 in (80 x 200 cm) mattress; another height can be made on request.
Will a twin XL or a full mattress work in a Hemnes?
Neither is a good fit. A twin XL overhangs the US Hemnes frame, and a full is too wide for it. The frame takes two twins of about 38 1/4 x 74 1/2 in, each around 5 to 6 in (13 to 15 cm) thick at most.
Can the whole Hemnes set go in the washing machine?
Only the mattress cover. Unzip it and wash it at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle. The filled backrests are not machine washable; their fillings sit in their own inner covers and stay out of the machine.
What happens to the one-piece cover when I pull the Hemnes out into a bed?
Unzip and remove it. The single cover holds the two mattresses stacked; in bed mode they lie side by side on the pulled-out base, about 76 3/4 in wide but only 74 1/2 in long, several inches shorter than an 80 in king. Many owners put a twin sheet on each mattress, since the seam between them stays visible.
How high will I sit on a stacked Hemnes daybed?
Higher than on most sofas. A dimension reference lists the Hemnes seat height at about 20 7/8 in (53 cm), a few inches above a typical 18 in sofa seat, and mattresses thicker than standard raise it further. That's one reason sizing guides keep each mattress to about 4 to 5 in. Measure your own frame and stack before ordering.
