Measuring Furniture: How to Avoid Stairwell Disasters

The story nobody wants to experience

Imagine: You found a perfect sofa. You bought it. Transport is organized. The driver is standing with you in the stairwell.

And then it doesn't fit through.

Happened to me. Twice. First time with a 3-seater, second time with an IKEA EKTORP. Both times I stood there, felt like an idiot, and had to bring the sofa back.

Since then I measure EVERYTHING. Here's my system.

The 3 critical measurements (most people forget #2 and #3)

1. The furniture piece itself

Everyone does this:

• Length (L)
• Width/Depth (W)
• Height (H)

Important: For sofas, also measure the DIAGONAL!

Why? A sofa often doesn't go flat through tight spots. You need to tilt it. The diagonal determines if it fits.

Diagonal formula: Diagonal = √(Height² + Depth²)

Or simpler: Place measuring tape diagonally from rear bottom edge to front top edge.

2. The stairwell (this is where most fail)

Measure these points:

• Stairwell width: The narrowest point (usually between railing and wall)
• Curve radius: How tight is the turn at floor changes?
• Height on landings: Sometimes lamps or ceilings hang low

The Berlin Altbau curse: Many old buildings have beautiful but NARROW stairwells. 90cm width is not rare. A 220cm sofa won't fit through, even if you stand it upright.

3. The apartment door (the most common fail point)

• Door width: Standard is 80-90cm, but many old doors are only 75cm!
• Door height: Usually not a problem, but relevant for wardrobes
• Door frame: Reduces usable width by another 5-10cm
• Angle in front of door: Can you even GET IN FRONT of the door with 220cm length?

The "Will it fit?" test

Step 1: Collect all measurements

From furniture:

Length: ___cm
Depth: ___cm
Height: ___cm
Diagonal: ___cm (for sofas!)

From stairwell:

Narrowest point: ___cm
Curve radius at landing: ___cm
Landing ceiling height: ___cm

From door:

Door width (incl. frame): ___cm
Free space in front of door: ___cm x ___cm

Step 2: The comparison

Simple rule:

• Narrowest point > Furniture diagonal = Fits (probably)
• Narrowest point < Diagonal = Will be difficult

But: Factor in 10cm buffer for movement and tilting.

Step 3: The practical test

Have doubts? Do the cardboard test:

1. Take a large cardboard box or build a frame from broomsticks
2. Build it to the furniture dimensions
3. Walk through the stairwell with it

Sounds ridiculous? But saves you 200€ for a sofa that doesn't fit.

Special: Sofas (the most common problem case)

Sofa types and their tricks

2-seater (about 150-180cm):

• Usually manageable
• Can often go upright through tight spots

3-seater (about 200-240cm):

• Critical in narrow stairwells
• Often: Must be "folded" around corners (only possible if not rigid)

Corner sofa:

• Almost always disassemblable (check!)
• Measure individual parts, not the whole thing

Sofa bed:

• Heavier than normal sofas (mechanism!)
• Often not disassemblable
• ALWAYS measure diagonal

The IKEA advantage

Most IKEA sofas are designed to fit through standard stairwells. Still: Measuring never hurts.

Special: Wardrobes and beds

Wardrobes

• PAX: Comes disassembled, no problem
• Solid wood wardrobes: Often NOT disassemblable, extremely heavy
• Wardrobes over 200cm height: Check ceiling height in stairwell!

Beds

• Slat frame + mattress: Transport separately, always
• Bed frame: Usually disassemblable
• Boxspring beds: THESE are the horror. Heavy, bulky, often not disassemblable

What to do if it doesn't fit?

Option 1: Disassemblable?

Ask the seller:

• Can the sofa be taken apart?
• Is there an instruction manual?
• Do you need special tools?

Many IKEA sofas (KIVIK, EKTORP, etc.) can be broken down into parts.

Option 2: Window/Balcony

Sounds crazy but works:

• Furniture movers often use the window with a pulley
• Costs extra but doable

Option 3: Different apartment

Sometimes it just doesn't fit. Better to buy something else than have a stairwell drama.

Pro tips from drivers

What BringEasy drivers have told me:

1. "Removing doors is often the solution" - Saves 5-10cm, makes the difference
2. "People always underestimate the curves" - Measure the radius!
3. "Elevator isn't always the solution" - Often elevators are too small for sofas
4. "When in doubt: Send photos" - A good driver can assess beforehand

Your checklist before buying

• Noted furniture dimensions (L x W x H)
• Calculated diagonal (for sofas)
• Measured narrowest point in stairwell
• Measured apartment door (incl. frame!)
• Checked path in front of door (enough room to turn?)
• Asked seller if disassemblable
• When in doubt: Did cardboard test

TL;DR

The 3 measurements you ALWAYS need:

1. Furniture piece (incl. diagonal for sofas)
2. Narrowest point in stairwell
3. Apartment door + space in front

Rule of thumb: Narrowest point must be 10cm larger than furniture diagonal.

If it's tight: Ask if disassemblable, or skip it.

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Written by someone who carried a sofa up and down the stairs twice. Learn from my pain.