Will it fit through the door?

What do you need to measure on the item?

Start with the item itself. John Lewis suggests taking the box width, height and depth from the product description on the product page. It points out that some items, such as dressers and beds, are delivered in parts and put together in the room, so check what size each box will be.

Pottery Barn adds a measurement for sofas: diagonal depth. This is helpful when working out whether a sofa can be brought in on its end. For a piece with no arms, Pottery Barn says not to use diagonal depth, and to check that the back height is less than the door width instead.

How do you measure a doorway for furniture?

John Lewis’s checklist gives the basics:

Measure the inside of the doorframe, taking the narrowest width and the height.
Open the door as far as it will go and measure the smallest gap left, especially in tight spaces.
Allow for anything that sticks out, such as door handles, handrails, wall fixtures and radiators.

Then compare. John Lewis explains that a box can be turned to fit through a gap, so you are checking that one side of it is smaller than the gap’s width and another is smaller than the gap’s height. In practice, that means it is the item’s two smallest measurements that need to fit the opening.

Will it fit through the door if you tip it?

Sometimes an item is too big to go straight through but will go in tipped or on its end. Pottery Barn suggests deciding first whether a piece can go straight through, or will need to go in tipped, and using diagonal depth to check whether a sofa can go in on its end. If the measurements are close, ask the retailer for any extra dimensions before you buy.

What else is on the route?

The front door is rarely the only pinch point. John Lewis suggests tracking the whole journey from the delivery van to the room and noting each tight spot.

Outside: gates, porches, flower beds and paths, and for flats, building lobbies, lifts and hallways.
Hallways and internal doors: measure every door on the way and check each hallway has room to manoeuvre.
Stairs: check the stairs at their narrowest point. If the item has to turn a tight corner or pivot, John Lewis says the floor to ceiling height there should be bigger than the item’s height, and to check the lowest part of any bulkhead over the stairs.
Lifts: measure the internal width, depth and height, and check any weight limit against the item.
Obstacles: clear furniture, mirrors, pictures and stair gates out of the way.

What if it will not fit?

John Lewis suggests looking at furniture that comes partly or fully unassembled if access is tricky. It notes that many sofas have removable feet or bolt-on arms, and that self-assembly furniture comes in smaller parts, which helps where access is restricted. The retailer can tell you which options a particular item has.

Questions people ask

Which measurements matter most?

The narrowest width and height on the route, and the item’s two smallest measurements. John Lewis’s rule is that the box can be turned to fit, so those are what you compare.

What is diagonal depth on a sofa?

A measurement Pottery Barn uses to judge whether a sofa can be brought in on its end.

Do I need to measure stairs and lifts too?

Yes. John Lewis’s checklist covers stairs, tight turns, ceiling height and lifts, as well as doors.

Where Will It Fit helps, and where it does not

Will It Fit is our Android app for checking whether an item will get through a doorway. Type in the doorway’s narrowest width and height and the item’s length, width and height in millimetres, centimetres or inches. It tries every way of carrying it, upright, on its side, laid down or turned at an angle, and tells you how in plain words, with a picture and the spare room left. You choose a safety margin, and if it will not fit it shows how much too big it is and what to try, such as taking the door off its hinges. Doorway checks for box shaped items are free and unlimited. A one-time Pro unlock adds a sofa check using diagonal depth, a check for the hallway corner after a door, saved doorways so you can test one item against every door in the house, and sharing the result as a picture or PDF.

What it is good for: a quick, clear answer for each doorway and corner, so you can check the route one gap at a time.

What it will not do: it works from your measurements and treats items as solid shapes. It does not cover stairs, and it cannot allow for soft cushions or how a delivery team will carry the item. For a tight route, ask the retailer or delivery team before you buy.

Questions or bugs: Email us.

Sources

Will it fit? delivery checklistJohn Lewis static.johnlewiscontent.com
How to measure up for furnitureJohn Lewis johnlewis.com
How to measure for furniture deliveryPottery Barn potterybarn.com