Answered by Katherine Broome
July 30, 2021
Your king-size mattress probably won't fit completely in a pickup truck bed, but you can still move it in there. Here are some items you might need:
- Tie-down straps
- Mattress protector (either a mattress bag or a mattress box)
- Dolly to help you move your mattress
Before moving your bed, you will first want to protect it. We recommend using a mattress bag since they are a little more forgiving with movement, but you could also use a mattress box. Slide your mattress into the bag (or box) and secure it with either tape or a bungee cord. This will help ensure that your mattress stays protected from dirt and dust, as well as the elements while it is being transported.
Now that you know what you will need, let's go over how to move it.
How to put a king-size mattress in a truck bed:
- Put the mattress into the bed of your truck using a dolly and strap it down with the tie downs.
- Using the dolly will help save you from a back injury, and it makes the job easier to do. Remember, always work smarter, not harder.
- You’ll want to keep the tailgate down to give your mattress more room while it’s in the bed.
- The mattress will stick out of the end of the truck bed, and it will more than likely ride up the side of the truck bed as well, but it will certainly fit.
- Note: This will happen with any truck bed, from Ford Rangers to an F-350.
It is important to strap down the bed in case anything happens. There are areas on the truck bed where you can attach the straps. Connect your straps there and tighten them down so that the bed is secure and will not move. Once you are sure that the mattress is secure then it is safe to drive it. When driving, if you see the mattress start to get loose, pull over and adjust your straps. They should be tight and your mattress should not move at all.
Once you get to your destination, to get your mattress out of the truck, take the straps off the mattress and pull the mattress out of the bed of your pickup truck. When moving the mattress into its new location, it is important to get help since these mattresses are large and heavy.
If you are moving a queen-size bed or smaller, then you should have no issue fitting it into the back of your bed. The only size that will probably be an issue for you is the king bed since it is slightly larger than the typical truck bed.