How to Measure Doors, Stairs and Lifts Before Furniture Delivery

Short answer: Before furniture is delivered, measure three things: the piece (width, depth, height and diagonal depth), every point on the route in (gate, door, corridor, staircase turn or lift) and the space where it will stand. A piece fits through a door if its depth or height is smaller than the door's clear width.

Why measuring before delivery matters

Most furniture that fails to go into a home is not too big for the room. It is too big for the way in. A sofa that fits beautifully against the living-room wall can still get stuck at a narrow staircase landing, a security grille or a lift that is shallower than it looks. In Nairobi apartment blocks, where many units are reached by a stairwell with a tight turn, this is the most common delivery problem.

Ten minutes with a tape measure before you order saves a wasted trip, a second delivery charge and a piece that has to wait in the parking area while everyone works out a plan. It also lets us suggest a better design for your space before you pay, for example a 3-seater instead of a 4-seater, or a corner layout that turns more easily on the stairs.

What you need

• A steel tape measure of at least 5 metres. Cloth tapes stretch and give short readings.
• A phone to take photos of each tight point on the route, with the tape visible in the photo.
• A second person to hold the other end of the tape on stairs and in corridors.
• The product page of the piece you want. Many of our listings name the seat count and layout; for exact sizes, ask us on WhatsApp.

Step 1: measure the piece

For any large item, you need four numbers: width (side to side), depth (front to back), height (floor to the highest point) and the diagonal depth. The diagonal depth matters for sofas and recliners: it is the distance from the top back corner to the front bottom of the arm. A sofa is usually carried through a door on its side or tilted back, so the diagonal often decides whether it passes.

Some pieces come apart. Dining tables often have legs that unscrew, many beds come as a headboard, footboard and side rails, and most L-shaped sofas arrive as two or three sections. Ask us which parts separate before you measure, because a sectional such as the Grey L-Shaped 5-Seater Sofa (KSh 65,000) is measured section by section, not as one corner unit.

Step 2: measure the route in

Walk the route the furniture will take, from where the delivery vehicle parks to the room it is going into. At every narrow point, measure the clear width: the space between the door stops or the open door leaf and the frame, not the size of the door itself. A door marked as 90 cm often has only 80 cm of clear opening once it is open, because the door leaf and hinges take space.

• Compound gate and pedestrian gate: if the vehicle cannot come in, the piece goes through the small gate. Measure it.
• Main door and any security grille: grilles often have a smaller opening than the door behind them.
• Corridors: measure the narrowest point, including any meter boxes, pipes or shoe racks that stick out.
• Internal doors: bedroom doors are often narrower than the main door. This is where most beds and wardrobes get stuck.
• Ceiling height at the turn: a sofa tipped on its end needs height as well as width.

Take a photo at each point with the tape stretched across it. Those photos tell us more than any description, and they let our team plan how to carry the piece before the day.

Staircases, corners and lifts

Staircases are the hardest part of any delivery to a flat. Measure the width of the stairs, the height from a step to the ceiling or to the flight above, and the size of the landing where the stairs turn. A straight staircase is easy; a staircase that turns 180 degrees on a small landing limits the length of anything that can be carried up.

For lifts, measure the door opening, the inside width, the inside depth and the inside height. A long sofa can sometimes go up standing on its end in a lift if the lift is tall enough. Check whether your building management needs notice before furniture is moved, and whether the lift can be reserved.

If the stairs are tight, choose pieces that come in parts or in smaller units. Two 3-seater recliners are easier to carry than one corner unit, and a set such as the 6-Seater Blue Recliner Sofa – Center Console (KSh 175,000) is easier to plan for when you know each section's size. For a small flat, read our guide to furnishing a small apartment in Nairobi.

Step 3: measure the room itself

Once the piece can get in, make sure it works where it will stand. Measure the wall length, the space in front for walking, and the position of doors, windows, sockets and the TV point. Leave at least 60 cm for walkways, and more in front of a recliner, because the footrest opens forward and the back tilts back.

• Recliners: leave a gap behind the back so it can recline without hitting the wall.
• Beds: leave room to walk round both sides and to open drawers on a storage bed.
• Dining sets: leave about 90 cm behind each chair so people can pull out and sit down.
• Coffee tables: keep about 40 to 45 cm between the sofa and the table so legs have room.

A simple trick is to mark the outline of the piece on the floor with masking tape or newspaper and live with it for a day. If you keep walking into the tape, the piece is too big for that spot.

Which pieces need the most care

Some lines are more forgiving than others. Bedside tables, coffee tables, accent chairs and smaller sofas rarely cause problems. These need the most planning:

• Recliner sets and L-shaped sofas: deep and heavy, with mechanisms that should not be forced through a tight gap. See our recliner sofas.
• Mahogany beds: solid headboards are tall and heavy. See the mahogany hardwood beds.
• Dining tables: long tops do not bend round corners. Oval and round tops are a little easier to angle than square ones.
• Safes: weight, not size, is the issue. A safe such as the 60kg White and Brown Fireproof Safe (KSh 30,000) needs a firm floor and a clear, safe route.

What to send us before delivery

When you are ready to order, send these on WhatsApp so we can confirm the piece will get in and quote for delivery:

1. The product names or links.
2. Your exact location, estate and building name.
3. The floor number, and whether there is a lift.
4. Photos of the gate, main door, staircase turn and the room, with the tape measure visible.
5. The clear widths you measured.

This is the same process we use for every delivery, whether you live in Nairobi or further away. Our guide to how delivery across Kenya works explains the rest.

Frequently asked questions

Not sure a piece will fit? Send us your measurements and photos and we will check before you order. Ask us on WhatsApp, or visit our showroom at Rubis Utawala, Along Eastern Bypass, Nairobi, open every day from 8am to 8pm.

Prices checked on 9 October 2026. Last updated: 9 October 2026.