The great thing about a fitted sheet is undoubtedly its elasticated edges, which grip around the mattress, keeping it snug and secure.
This handy feature, however, is the very thing that other people simply can't abide, prefering the beautiful simplicity of a flat sheet, which can either be tucked in as a bottom sheet or layered between you and your duvet.
We take a closer look at the differences, including how each one fits, feels and works as part of a well-made bed.
Fitted vs flat sheets at a glance
| Fitted sheet | Flat sheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Shaped to fit around a mattress | Large rectangular sheet |
| Edges | Elasticated | Non-elasticated |
| How it's used | Fits directly over the mattress | Can cover the mattress or be used as a top sheet |
| Making the bed | Quick and easy once you have the right size | Needs to be tucked in if used over the mattress |
| Staying in place | Elastic helps hold it securely around the mattress | Depends on how securely it's tucked |
| Mattress depth | Needs to be deep enough for your mattress | More flexible |
| Folding and storage | More awkward to fold neatly | Very easy to fold |
| Best for | A quick, secure fit around the mattress | Flexible layering and traditional bed-making |
What is a fitted sheet?
Fitted sheets are designed specifically to provide a snug-fitting cover your mattress. They have elasticated edges and shaped corners that stretch over the mattress and tuck underneath it, helping to keep the sheet smooth and securely in place while you sleep.
For many people, choosing a fitted sheet is a no-brainer. Once you've matched the sheet to the width, length and depth of your mattress, making your bed is as simple as stretching each corner into position and smoothing out the surface.
Getting the depth of your fitted sheet right is really important though, as one that is too shallow can pop off the corners during the night. Or a fitted sheet that is a lot deeper than your mattress may leave a lot of excess fabric that has to be tucked underneath, making the bed look messy.
Fit is one of the things customers mention most often when reviewing our fitted sheets, especially if they have a deeper mattress. That extra bit of fabric on our 40cm deep sheets can make all the difference to how securely your sheet stays in place.
Thankfully, our Egyptian cotton fitted sheets are available in a choice of sizes and depths, so it’s easier to find one that works with your mattress.
What is a flat sheet?
A flat sheet is simply a rectangular sheet of fabric, finished with hemmed edges rather than elasticated or shaped corners. Because of this straightforward construction, it can be used in several different ways when making the bed.
You can place a flat sheet directly over your mattress and tuck the extra fabric underneath, using it instead of a fitted sheet. Traditionally, the corners can be folded and tucked neatly around the mattress to create a smooth finish.
Alternatively, you can use a flat sheet as a top sheet, placing it over you but underneath your duvet or blanket. This gives you an additional layer of bedding and creates a barrier between you and your duvet cover.
Our Egyptian cotton flat sheets are made from the same smooth 500 thread count Egyptian cotton sateen as the rest of our bedding collection, so the choice between fitted and flat is really about how you prefer to make and use your bed.
What is a flat sheet used for?
One of the main advantages of a flat sheet is its flexibility.
While the only job of a fitted sheet is to securely hug your mattress, a flat sheet can be used in a few different ways:
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Tucked around the mattress as a bottom sheet
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Layered between you and your duvet as a top sheet
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Used on its own as a light covering in warmer weather
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Added beneath blankets or other bedding for an extra layer
Using a flat sheet as a top sheet also makes bed care easier, as it creates a washable layer between you and your duvet, helping to keep your duvet cover fresher for longer. And on hot nights, a breathable cotton flat sheet may be all you need for a comfortable night's sleep.
Which is easier to put on the bed?
A fitted sheet is undoubtedly the quicker and easier option, if you only need a sheet to cover your mattress.
The shaped corners of a fitted sheet tell you exactly where it needs to go on the bed, while the elastic holds it around the mattress, without any tucking or folding. Once all four corners are in position, there's not much adjusting needed.
Using a flat sheet as a bottom sheet takes a bit more time, as you need to tuck the edges securely beneath the mattress. The upside is that you have more control over the finished look, including how tightly the sheet sits and how neatly the corners are folded. So if you're a fan of beautifully styled beds, it might be a skill worth learning.
Which stays in place better: a fitted or flat sheet?
A correctly-sized fitted sheet will usually stay in place more securely because its elasticated edges grip underneath the mattress. If your fitted sheet repeatedly comes off during the night then check the depth, as it it's too shallow for your mattress it's much more likely to ping off at the corners.
A properly-tucked flat sheet should also stay in place fairly well, although it might need a bit more adjusting when you make the bed.
Although, if you tend to move around a lot in your sleep, a fitted sheet might be the best choice for you. That's because the elasticated corners make it more likely to stay in place, even if you’re prone to pulling the bedding around during the night.
Do you need a flat sheet with a fitted sheet?
You can use a fitted sheet on its own with a duvet, so a flat sheet isn’t essential. In fact, most people who sleep with a duvet don't feel the need to add a flat sheet.
That said, plenty of people do like to use both, with a fitted sheet covering the mattress and a flat sheet that sits on top of you beneath the duvet. It adds another soft layer to the bed and can be particularly nice if you enjoy the traditional feel of sleeping between two sheets.
Using both can also help create that beautifully layered, hotel-style look, with crisp sheets and a neatly made finish.
Can you use a flat sheet instead of a fitted sheet?
Yes. Before fitted sheets became commonplace, flat sheets were routinely used to cover mattresses, and they still work perfectly well.
The sheet needs to be quite a bit bigger than the mattress, to leave enough fabric to tuck underneath on each side.
The main trade-off is convenience. A flat sheet takes more time to put on the bed neatly, as it needs to be folded and tucked around the mattress and might need adjusting more often.
That can make a flat sheet useful if you have an unusually deep mattress or simply prefer the traditional way of making a bed.
How deep should a fitted sheet be?
This is one of the most important things to check before buying a fitted sheet. Don't just choose one according to whether your mattress is Double, King or Super King. Measure its depth too, including any mattress topper that will sit underneath the sheet.
You need enough fabric to cover the side of the mattress and tuck securely beneath it. Hampton and Astley offers fitted sheets with depths of 32cm on selected sizes and 40cm extra-deep options, with our Emperor fitted sheets available in the 40cm depth.
The deeper option is handy for mattresses with pillow-top designs and beds with mattress toppers.
For step-by-step measuring advice and UK mattress dimensions, see our UK bedding size guide.
Is a flat sheet better in summer?
A flat sheet is a great option in warmer weather because it gives you a lot more flexibility over your bedding layers.
On very warm nights, you might choose to sleep beneath a breathable cotton flat sheet without pulling the duvet over you. If the temperature drops during the night, the duvet is still there when you need it.
It's important to choose the right fabric though, as a flat sheet isn't automatically cool you down simply because it's flat.
Natural cotton is a good choice for warmer weather because it is breathable. Our flat and fitted sheets are made from long-staple Egyptian cotton in a smooth sateen weave, designed to feel soft against the skin while retaining cotton's natural breathability.
Which is easier to wash, iron and fold?
Both types of sheet are easy to wash, but when it comes to folding, flat sheets definitely have the advantage.
Their simple rectangular shape makes them simple to fold into a neat stack in the linen cupboard. They're also straightforward to iron if you prefer your bedding perfectly smooth.
Fitted sheets can be a little more challenging because of their elasticated edges and shaped corners. Folding the corners into one another first helps create a neater rectangle before you finish folding.
In terms of washing, there's not much difference if both sheets are made from the same fabric. Always follow the care instructions for the particular bedding you own.
For more advice on looking after high-quality cotton bed linen, see our guide on how to keep your bedding silky-soft.
Do hotels use fitted or flat sheets?
Hotels can use either, although flat sheets are commonly associated with traditional hotel bed-making. You may also find a top sheet between you and the duvet or blanket, depending on the hotel and how its beds are made.
At home, you don't need to recreate hotel bed-making exactly to achieve a similar look and feel. Smooth, well-fitting sheets, good-quality fabric and neatly layered bedding can all help create that inviting hotel-style finish.
For more ideas, read our guide on how to make your bedroom feel like a luxury hotel.
Fitted or flat sheet: which should you choose?
The best choice of sheet for you really depends on how you prefer to make and sleep in your bed.
Choose a fitted sheet if you:
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Want a quick and easy way to cover your mattress
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Prefer elasticated edges that help keep the sheet in place
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Don't want to tuck a sheet around the mattress each time you make the bed
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Know the size and depth of your mattress
Choose a flat sheet if you:
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Want a sheet that can be used in several different ways
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Like sleeping beneath a top sheet
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Prefer traditional tucked-in bed-making
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Want an easy-to-fold sheet for your linen cupboard
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Like the option of a lightweight covering in warmer weather
Or you could always choose both. A fitted bottom sheet combined with a flat top sheet gives you the secure fit of one and the flexibility of the other.
Whichever style you prefer, we'd advise you pay just as much attention to the type of fabric itself. The quality of the cotton and weave will have a much greater influence on how the sheet actually feels against your skin.
Why we use Egyptian cotton sateen for our sheets
We make all our fitted and flat sheets from high thread count Egyptian cotton sateen because we love the softness, smoothness and gently lustrous finish.
That smooth, silky feel is something our customers often praise in their feedback, along with how well the sheets wash and how helpful the deeper fitted sheet options are for taller mattresses.
Because both styles of sheet use the same high-quality cotton sateen, the main difference comes down to how you prefer to make your bed rather than how the fabric feels.
You can find both alongside duvet covers and pillowcases in our Egyptian cotton bedding collection.
Tried, tested and loved
At Hampton and Astley, we've been creating luxury Egyptian cotton bedding since 2017, with thousands of 5-star customer reviews on Trustpilot praising its softness, quality and hotel-style feel.
Our bedding has been independently recognised by leading interiors and lifestyle publications including Good Housekeeping, The Telegraph, GLAMOUR, GQ, Ideal Home and the Evening Standard. Our 500 thread count Egyptian cotton bedding has also been Good Housekeeping Institute Approved, following independent testing for quality and performance.
Made from long-staple Egyptian cotton in a silky-smooth sateen weave, our fitted and flat sheets combine the naturally breathable qualities of cotton with a beautifully smooth finish.
Explore our Egyptian cotton bedding collection to find fitted sheets, flat sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases for your bed.
Fitted vs flat sheet FAQs
What is the main difference between a fitted and flat sheet?
A fitted sheet has shaped, elasticated edges designed to fit securely around a mattress. A flat sheet is a simple rectangular sheet without elastic and can either be tucked around the mattress or used as a top sheet between you and your duvet.
Do you sleep on top of or underneath a flat sheet?
It depends on how you're using it. If a flat sheet is being used instead of a fitted sheet, you sleep on top of it. If you're using it as a top sheet, you sleep underneath it, with the flat sheet between you and your duvet.
Does a flat sheet go over a fitted sheet?
It can. If you're using both, the fitted sheet covers the mattress and you sleep on top of it. The flat sheet then goes over you and underneath the duvet.
Why use a flat sheet under a duvet?
A flat sheet creates an extra layer between your body and duvet cover. It's easy to remove and wash and can also provide a lighter covering when you don't want the full warmth of your duvet.
Can you use a fitted sheet as a top sheet?
Technically you could, but it isn't designed for this purpose. The elasticated corners and shaped construction make it much less comfortable and practical as a covering than a flat sheet.
Why does my fitted sheet keep coming off?
The sheet may be too shallow or the wrong size for your mattress. Measure the width, length and depth of your mattress, including any topper, and compare these measurements with the dimensions of the fitted sheet.
Do you need both a fitted and flat sheet?
No. Many people simply use a fitted sheet and duvet. Others prefer to add a flat top sheet between themselves and the duvet. It's a matter of comfort, convenience and how you prefer to make your bed.
Is a flat or fitted sheet better?
Neither is inherently better. A fitted sheet is generally quicker to put on and stays securely around the mattress, while a flat sheet is more versatile and easier to fold. You can also use both together.
