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.

Measuring tips

What works in practice:

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. On BringEasy the booking form asks whether it fits through the door, and you can add taking apart and assembly (sofa transport)

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.