Stop Buying a Sofa That Won’t Fit: Measure the Door, Stairs and Room First

Get the sofa you want into the room where you want it: measure the sofa, every tight turn on the way in and the space it will occupy before you buy.

Arranging a separate parcel delivery? Start in Send to see the options and prices that apply to your parcel.

Get my delivery price

What is this sofa-fit checklist for?

A sofa can fit the showroom measurements and still get stuck at your entrance, in a lift or around a stairwell turn. Check these three things before checkout: the item’s dimensions, the complete route into your home and the sofa’s footprint in the room.

1. What measurements should you get from the sofa seller?

Get the exact width, depth and height of the sofa you plan to order.
Ask for its diagonal depth too, if available. This can help you assess whether it may pass through an opening at an angle.
Ask whether the legs or other parts are designed to come off. Don’t assume they can be removed.
Check whether the measurements apply to the exact model and configuration you are buying.

2. How do you measure the route from the entrance to the room?

Start at the gate or main entrance and follow the full route to the room—not just the front door.
Measure the clear width and height of doorways, corridors, stairwells and lift openings.
Check hallway turns, stair landings and the space needed to turn after each doorway.
Look for obstacles that reduce clearance, including door handles, trim, handrails and low ceilings.
Record the narrowest clear point along the route. Take photos of awkward corners to share with the seller or delivery provider when discussing whether the sofa can be moved in.

3. Will the sofa fit comfortably in your room?

Mark the sofa’s proposed footprint on the floor with tape.
Check that you can still walk around it and use doors, switches and outlets.
Keep access to vents and other fixtures clear.

What do people often miss when measuring for a sofa?

Don’t stop at the front door. A lift, stair landing, handrail or tight turn can be the point that decides whether the sofa gets through.

Before checkout, check what the seller’s delivery arrangement includes. Doorstep delivery and placement inside the room can be different arrangements—don’t assume one includes the other.