Will my sofa fit through the door?
Most sofas that “won’t fit” would have gone in on their side, or without their feet. Five measurements and two minutes tell you before the delivery truck does.
Sofa and door checker
The five measurements that matter
Tape measures lie when you hold them loosely, so measure each of these twice, in centimetres, to one decimal place.
The sofa’s width
Arm to arm at the widest point, usually across the arms, not the seat.
The sofa’s depth
Front of the arm or seat to the back, at the deepest point. Chaise ends count as their own piece if they come apart.
The sofa’s height
Floor to the top of the back. If the feet unscrew, measure without them too.
The door’s clear width
Open the door fully and measure from the face of the open door to the doorstop on the other side. The opening you have is often 4 to 6 cm less than the door leaf itself.
The door’s height and the hallway beyond
Floor to the underside of the head, then the narrowest point of the hall the sofa has to turn into.
Why sofas go in on their side
A sofa is long, but its two short dimensions are what count at a doorway. Turn it so the back faces the floor or the ceiling and you are fitting its depth or height through the opening, not its length. A typical three-seater is about 90 to 100 cm deep and 80 to 90 cm high, so on its side it needs a clear opening a little wider than its smaller of those two numbers.
The turn is usually the problem, not the door
Doors are standard; hallways are not. A sofa that slides through the front door can still jam where the hall turns into the living room, because it has to swing its full length around the corner. The tighter the hall and the longer the sofa, the more likely it is to stick.
- Stand it on end to turn a corner: a sofa standing upright only needs its depth and height to clear the turn, not its length.
- Measure the corner’s diagonal: from the inside corner of the turn to the far wall. If the sofa’s depth is less than that, it can pivot through.
- Take the door off: lifting a door off its hinges usually gains 2 to 4 cm, sometimes the difference between a scrape and a fit.
Before you buy
| Ask the shop | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Do the feet unscrew? | Takes 10 to 15 cm off the height. |
| Do the arms or back come off? | Some modular and Scandinavian sofas come apart into slim pieces. |
| What is the “diagonal depth”? | The size across the frame corner to corner, which is what really has to pass the door when tipped. |
| Is there a return policy for undeliverable items? | Some stores refuse returns once it has been in your hallway. |
Questions
What is a standard door width in Australia?
Internal doors are commonly 82 cm wide (some older homes have 72 or 77 cm); front doors are often 82, 87 or 92 cm. The clear opening is a few centimetres less. See standard door sizes.
Can a sofa that is too big be taken apart?
Many can: feet, arms and seat cushions often come off, and some frames are made in sections. Ask the retailer before you buy, not on delivery day.
How much clearance should I leave when carrying a sofa through a door?
Aim for at least 2 cm either side so hands and the door frame are not crushed; wrap the sofa’s corners in blankets.