How to Get a Couch Through a Door (Sizes & Moving Tips)
One of the most demanding aspects of moving or renovating for any homeowner is the task of trying to fit a couch into a doorway. There is much to consider, like the cushions, the couch’s protruding legs, and many others. Any detail not considered will cause frustration to the point of damaging those precious sofas.
With planning and a few tips and tricks, any homeowner will be able to ensure that the furniture will pass through, even through some narrow doors. The only requirement anyone would need is two people moving the furniture since even the smaller sofas weigh up to 100 pounds or more.
How to Fit a Couch Through a Door Tips
There are a few things homeowners will need so they can fit a couch through a door; it can range from anything as simple as needing a pen and a notepad to needing a utility knife to a hammer to more complex things like needing work gloves and a cordless drill. Gauging how challenging the moving will be is integral to knowing what homeowners might need.
The first thing most people will need to do is remove any cushions or detachable parts of the sofa, whether the legs or throw pillows. Once that is done, calculating the couch’s dimensions is the next step, and the outer dimensions of the sofa are what need to be measured.
Measuring the height should start from the floor to the highest point at the back of any sofa. To measure the width, measure from one side of a couch arm to the other, remembering to measure from the farthest point. In contrast, depth must be measured from the front to the back of the sofa.
If all that is done, the door openings are next to measure. One will need measuring tape to note the height and width of all the doors in which the sofa will be fitted. Compare and contrast are the next to do.
If the sofa is less than the standard 80 inches or 203 centimeters in width, it can be moved vertically since doorways are more or less around the same height. If the depth is around 29 inches or 74 centimeters, it will fit the average door width, which is often 29 1/4 inches or 74 centimeters.
If the sofa is bigger than the standard, it is best to remove the doors, especially the interior ones, since they are easy to remove without including the hinges. But, if that is not enough, removing the hinges and door stops is the next step to fitting the couch in.
Note that one can do it vertically, horizontally, or diagonally for moving couches.
Step By Step Measuring Tips to Fit a Sofa Through a Doorway
| Step | Task | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measure the Sofa | Measure Height, Width (edge to edge), Depth (front to back) |
| 2 | Measure the Doorway | Door Width, Door Height, Diagonal (top corner to opposite corner) |
| 3 | Check For Removable Parts | Removable legs/cushions, Shape (taller back vs. armrests) |
| 4 | Plan a Path | Have a strategy and clear pathway with no obstructions |
| 5 | Lifting and Tilting Method | Angle or vertically maneuver the couch through (pivot method) |
| 6 | Apply Diagonal Rule | If the sofa’s diagonal length is less than the door height, it may able to be tilted & maneuvered |
| 7 | Consider Alternatives | Are there sliding doors or windows that you can use instead? |
| 8 | Professional Help | If unsure, hire professional movers |
What Size Couch Will Fit Through a Doorway?
Here are some standard doorway opening sizes and the width of sofas that will fit.
What Size Couch Will Fit Through a 29 inch Door?
When planning to move a sofa through a particular door, it is essential to remember that many standard doorways have an interior width of around 29.5 inches or 75 centimeters. This means it is important to know the couch’s dimensions from the height to the width plus the length. If any dimensions exceed 29 inches, the tendency is the sofa would not be able to fit through the door.
To be able to fit a couch in a 29 inches doorway is to ensure that the sofa is at least half an inch smaller than the doorway width. More space will also ensure easy maneuvering to get it inside any home speedily.
Aside from the doorway size, it is also important to consider other tight corners or obstacles leading to it. Even if the homeowners have skilled movers moving the sofa, anything bigger than 29 inches for a 29 inches door will be impossible to pass through.
What Size Couch Will Fit Through a 30 inch Door?
Considering what sofa will fit a 30 inches doorway is the same as considering what will fit a 29 inches one. It is essential to note the dimensions from the length to width to depth to ensure easy passage.
A standard couch is about 78 inches or 198 centimeters in length, and it has 36 inches or 91 centimeters in height plus a depth of the same dimension. If this is the sofa of choice, it should fit a 30 inch doorway as long as professional movers do the work with some significant maneuvering.
Anything more extensive than the given size will be nearly impossible to fit in a 30 inch doorway. The only way it will fit is if it can be disassembled.
What Size Couch Will Fit Through a 32 inch Door?
One sofa that would fit beautifully with a 32 inches or 81 centimeters doorway is the standard sofa with dimensions of 78 inches or 198 centimeters in length and a depth and width of 36 inches or 91 centimeters.
Anything more significant and extensive compared to this size will need more strategic maneuvering when it comes to moving. Some larger than the standard size will also be nearly impossible to move in without disassembling the sofa or removing the door from the frame and the hinges.
How to Know If Couch Will Fit Past A Door
Some dimensions must be considered to ensure a sofa fits a specific door. The first is to know how much the couch measures from the length to the width and depth. This will include knowing the size of the padding or cushions.
The second thing is ensuring that the doorway dimensions are considered, including the distance between one corner to the opposite corner up or down. This dimension is often viewed as a specific doorway’s largest entry point.
If both dimensions are known, it is time to compare numbers. It is also crucial to consider tight corners or obstacles the furniture will meet.
The couch’s construction and shape will also determine whether it will fit through. A sectional sofa, for example, will have modular pieces that are detachable, and no matter how significant each component is, more or less, they will fit through a standard doorway.
Visit our guide to front door sizes for more related content.
