Written by the Timbur workshop team, Lanseria. Updated 3 November 2026.
A floating headboard is a headboard that fixes to the wall behind the bed instead of bolting to the bed base, so it can be any width, any height, and sit at exactly the height you want. Choose the width by your mattress size (a South African queen is about 1,520 mm wide, a king 1,830 mm), set the top of the headboard about 1,200 to 1,400 mm off the floor, and mount it into brick, concrete or the studs behind drywall with the supplied brackets. This guide gives the sizes for every South African bed, the mounting heights, the wall requirements, and how the pedestals fit either side, using the headboards we make in Lanseria as examples.
Floating headboard sizes for South African beds
Mattress sizes in South Africa are not the same as in the UK or the US, so a headboard bought to a foreign chart is often 100 mm out. Use these widths. The headboard can match the mattress or sit wider than it by 100 to 200 mm; wider looks more deliberate on a large wall, matched looks neater in a small room.
| Bed size | Mattress width | Mattress length | Timbur headboard width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 915 mm | 1,880 mm | 940 mm (Strand); not made in the ONE+ and Drakensberg combos |
| Three-quarter | 1,070 mm | 1,880 mm | 1,140 mm (Strand); mattress width (ONE+, Drakensberg) |
| Double | 1,370 mm | 1,880 mm | 1,440 mm (Strand); mattress width (ONE+, Drakensberg, Element) |
| Queen | 1,520 mm | 1,880 mm | 1,540 mm (Strand); mattress width (ONE+, Drakensberg, Element) |
| King | 1,830 mm | 1,880 mm | 1,840 mm (Strand); mattress width (ONE+, Drakensberg, Element) |
| Super king | 2,000 mm | 1,880 mm | 2,040 mm (Strand); mattress width (ONE+, Drakensberg) |
| Extra length | As above | 2,000 mm | Same width as the standard size; length does not affect the headboard |
Headboard heights in our range: ONE+ 700 mm, Tribeca 720 mm, Drakensberg 765 mm, Strand and Strand XL 820 mm. A taller headboard suits a high ceiling and a thick mattress; a 700 mm panel is the right proportion for a standard 2,400 mm ceiling with a bed base and mattress about 600 mm high.
How high to mount a floating headboard
Measure the top of your mattress from the floor first; on most bases it is 550 to 650 mm. The bottom edge of the headboard should sit 50 to 100 mm below the mattress top, so the gap is hidden, and the top edge then lands at about 1,200 to 1,400 mm from the floor depending on the headboard height. Sit on the bed against the wall before the brackets go in: the top edge should clear your head when you lean back to read. In Gauteng our installation team sets the height with you on the day; elsewhere the instructions give the bracket positions for a standard base.
Which walls can take a floating headboard?
Brick and concrete take the supplied anchors directly. Drywall needs the brackets fixed into the timber or steel studs, or into hollow-wall anchors rated for the load; a headboard with two pedestals and their drawers full is a real weight, so the fixings matter. Tell us what your wall is made of when you order and the right fixings are packed. Avoid mounting over a dry-wall junction box or where plumbing runs behind the wall; if you are not sure, a stud finder with a wire detector takes ten minutes.
Fitting the pedestals either side
With a combo, the two floating pedestals mount separately so their spacing suits your base. Allow a 20 to 40 mm gap between the base and each pedestal so bedding does not catch, and set the pedestal top 50 to 100 mm above the mattress top for a lamp and a glass of water. The wall you need is the headboard width plus two pedestals plus the gaps:
| Combo | Pedestal width each | Queen set needs about | King set needs about |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONE+ Combo | 440 mm | 2,500 mm of wall | 2,800 mm of wall |
| Tribeca Combo | 430 mm | 2,500 mm of wall | 2,800 mm of wall |
| Drakensberg Floating Combo | 500 mm | 2,650 mm of wall | 2,950 mm of wall |
| Strand XL Combo | 540 mm | 2,700 mm of wall | 3,000 mm of wall |
| Strand Uni (pedestals built in) | Integrated | 2,540 mm overall | 2,790 mm overall |
| Tribeca Uni (pedestals built in) | Integrated | 2,480 mm overall | 2,790 mm overall |
If the wall is narrower than that, the Strand headboard on its own with freestanding pedestals is the usual answer, or a custom width: because every piece is made to order we can usually adjust the headboard to the wall.
Power, lighting and USB
Plan a double plug point behind each pedestal before the set goes up. The ONE+ and Drakensberg combos include warm-white LED lighting on a 1.5 m cable, and the ONE+ pedestals can be ordered with a 12.5 W dual USB module (USB-C and USB-A), so phones charge on the pedestal top with no cable across the floor.
Floating or bed-mounted?
A floating headboard does not move when the bed does, so it never squeaks against the base, the floor under the pedestals stays clear, and the whole set can be set to any height. A bed-mounted headboard is the choice if you move house often or rent and cannot drill. We make floating headboards only, in solid French Oak or Kiaat over a sprayed cabinet in Satin White, Satin Light Grey, Satin Dark Grey or Flat Black. See the headboard and pedestal combos for current sizes and prices; the current lead time is on the lead times page.
Floating headboard questions, answered
What size headboard do I need for a queen bed in South Africa?
A South African queen mattress is about 1,520 mm wide, so order the queen size: the Strand headboard is 1,540 mm at its crown and the ONE+, Drakensberg and Element headboards are cut to the mattress width.
How high should a headboard be from the floor?
The bottom edge should sit 50 to 100 mm below the top of the mattress and the top edge at about 1,200 to 1,400 mm from the floor. Measure your mattress top first; most bases put it at 550 to 650 mm.
Can a floating headboard be mounted on drywall?
Yes, if the brackets go into the studs or into hollow-wall anchors rated for the load. Brackets and fixings are supplied; tell Timbur what your wall is made of when ordering.
How much wall do I need for a headboard and two pedestals?
Headboard width plus two pedestals plus small gaps: about 2,500 mm for a queen ONE+ or Tribeca set, 2,650 mm for a queen Drakensberg set and 2,950 mm for a king Drakensberg set.
Do you make a super king headboard?
Yes. The ONE+, Drakensberg, Strand XL, Tribeca and Strand headboards are made in super king, about 2,000 to 2,040 mm wide. The Element combo stops at king.
Does the headboard attach to the bed?
No. A floating headboard is fixed to the wall and the bed base stands in front of it, so it works with any base and never moves or squeaks with the bed.
