Will It Fit? How to Measure Doors and Stairs Before Ordering a Bed

A bed that fits your bedroom can still fail to reach it. Narrow front doors, tight stair turns and low landing ceilings stop more deliveries than room size does. Five measurements, taken before you order, settle it.

The five measurements to take

1. Every doorway on the route. Measure the clear width with the door fully open, between the door stop and the hinge side, not frame to frame.
2. The narrowest point of the stairs. Handrails, radiators and newel posts often make this narrower than the treads suggest.
3. The height at each stair turn. Measure from the step to the ceiling or bulkhead above it. This is where large pieces get stuck, because they have to tilt to turn.
4. The landing. Measure the space in front of the bedroom door, which is where a long piece has to pivot.
5. The bedroom doorway, including any radiator or wardrobe immediately inside it.

Write the narrowest width and the lowest height on the route down. Those two numbers are what the bed's largest piece has to pass.

Which part of a bed is hardest to deliver?

Usually the headboard or the largest base section. Mattresses flex and can be carried bent a little. Headboards don't bend, and shaped or winged headboards are often the widest single component. Legend Beds bed pages note that you should check stair turns for the base, and that wings add width beyond the mattress.

Winged headboards such as the Paris Wingback are often the widest single piece.

How do I check a piece will turn on the stairs?

A flat piece can pass through a gap narrower than its width by tilting, but only if the ceiling height allows. The simplest check is practical: cut a piece of cardboard, or tape two broom handles, to the width and height of the largest part, and walk it up the stairs. If it jams, the real piece will too.

Do king and super king beds come in one piece?

Not usually. Larger divan bases are commonly made in two linked halves, so the widest piece is roughly half the bed's width. Framed beds arrive as panels for assembly. Check the product page for how your design is supplied, and measure the headboard separately, as it's often the tightest piece.

What if my stairs are too narrow?

• Choose a size down. A small double headboard is 15cm narrower than a double.
• Choose a divan ottoman with a separate headboard rather than a framed design, so the pieces are smaller. See divan ottoman vs ottoman bed frame.
• Choose a lower headboard. A shorter panel tilts more easily round a tight turn.
• Check whether removing a door from its hinges gains the few centimetres you need.

Once it's in the room

Assembly needs floor space around the parts. Clear the bedroom before delivery day, and allow two people for larger beds; the Aspen Teddy Bouclé Ottoman Bed, for example, is delivered flat-packed with fittings and recommends two-person assembly. For where the bed should go once built, see bedroom layout: where to put the bed.

The Aspen arrives flat-packed; two-person assembly is recommended.

Order with confidence

With your narrowest width and lowest height noted, compare them against the design you like in the Legend Beds range. If anything is close, ask before ordering. Every bed is made to order, so it's far easier to settle before production than after. For room-size guidance by bed size, see the UK bed sizes guide.

Frequently asked questions