How to measure a sofa to fit through a door

To check that a sofa fits through a door, measure the sofa's width, depth and height, then measure the narrowest point of the doorway. If the sofa's smallest side is narrower than the narrowest part of the opening, it can get through, usually turned on its end or side. Do the same for every hallway, stair and turn on the way to the room.

What to measure on the sofa and on the way in

The sofa. Take three numbers: the overall length (arm to arm), the depth (back to front) and the height (floor to the top of the back). Measure the widest point of each, including thick arms or a high back. If the legs or arms come off, note that, because it changes what you can do on the day. If the sofa isn't in your home yet, use the sizes on the product page.

The door. Measure the clear opening, which is the gap between the door frame on each side with the door open. Do not measure the door itself. The hinges and a door stop on the frame can take space away, so measure the width at the narrowest point. Then measure the height from the floor to the top of the frame. If the door can come off its hinges, measure again with it off, and you will often gain some width.

The path. A doorway is rarely the only tight spot. Check:

• The hallway width, and anything that sticks into it, such as radiators, shelves or a light switch.
• Any turn. A long sofa needs room to swing around a corner, and a narrow hallway with a right-angle turn is often harder than the door.
• Stairs, if you have them. Look at the ceiling above the stairs, the stair rail and the landing.
• The room's own door, which is often smaller than the front door.

Write each number down, then compare. The sofa's smallest side has to be smaller than the narrowest point on the route, with some room left for hands and for tilting. Delivery firms often say how much space they want, so check the delivery notes or ask, and add that to the sofa's size.

How to measure it with AR Tape Measure

Use the Distance tool for all of it. Pick your unit first (inches or feet if the sofa size is listed that way, mm or cm if not).

1. Open the app and choose Distance. Move the phone slowly across the floor and the door frame until the app has picked up the surfaces.
2. For the door width, stand a little back from the doorway with the door open. Tap the inside edge of the frame on one side, then the inside edge on the other, at the same height. Repeat near the top, in the middle and near the floor, and use the smallest reading.
3. For the door height, tap the floor in the doorway, then tap the underside of the top of the frame.
4. For the hallway, tap one wall and then the opposite wall, at the narrowest spot and at any turn.
5. For the sofa, tap one end, then the other, for the length. Do the same for the depth, then tap the floor and the top of the back for the height.
6. Open your measurement history. Each reading is saved as a photo with the dimensions drawn on it, so you can show the numbers to whoever is delivering the sofa.

Corners snap on their own, which helps at the edge of a door frame. If the app refuses to place a point and asks you to scan that surface first, do what it says. It means the reading would be wrong, for example because the point would land on the floor behind the thing you aimed at.

The Rangefinder shows a live distance to whatever you aim at, with no tapping. Use it for a rough idea of a hallway's length, then tap points for the number you write down. For a similar job with an appliance, see How to measure a refrigerator opening for width, height and depth.

The app does not decide whether the sofa fits. It gives you the numbers, and you compare them.

Where the reading can go wrong

This is a quick everyday measurement, not a surveying or construction instrument. It tells you whether a sofa has a fair chance of getting through. It does not replace a steel tape or a laser distance meter when the fit is very tight.

Error depends on distance, light and texture, and the app does not promise a number. These make it worse:

• A dark hallway. Turn the lights on before you start.
• Blank white walls. With nothing to pick out, surface detection is slower. Keep floor texture or a door frame in view.
• Glass, mirrors and water. A glass door or a mirrored wall is hard for AR depth sensing in general, so measure from the frame.
• Standing far away. A nearby flat floor or wall is picked up far better than a small point far away. Get close to each point.

Measuring also can't tell you how a sofa behaves. A soft cushion can squash, a stiff frame can't, and a deep curved arm may not turn the way its three numbers suggest. If the fit is close, measure again with a tape and ask the seller about the frame.

FAQ

How do I know if my sofa will fit through the door?

Measure the sofa's length, depth and height, and the clear opening of the door at its narrowest point. If the sofa's smallest side is smaller than that opening, it can usually be carried through on its end or side. Then check the hallway, any turn and the stairs.

Do I measure the door or the doorway?

The doorway. Measure the clear gap between the frame on each side with the door open. Hinges and door stops take some of that space, so measure at the narrowest point, and again with the door off if it comes off.

Can I measure a door with my phone?

Yes. Open AR Tape Measure, choose Distance, and tap the inside edge of the frame on one side and then the other. For the height, tap the floor and then the top of the frame.

What if the sofa is too big for the door?

Check whether the legs, arms or back come off, whether the door can be taken off its hinges, and whether another entrance is wider, such as a patio door. Ask the seller if they can deliver the sofa in parts.