How to Measure Your Space
The most common ordering mistake isn't picking the wrong cabinet — it's measuring for it wrong. A cabinet that looks perfect on screen can arrive and not fit through the door, or crowd the aisle. Five minutes with a tape measure now saves a lot of grief later. Here's exactly what to measure.
1 · The space itself
Measure the width, depth and height of where the cabinet will actually stand. For height, measure floor to ceiling — and note anything that eats into it: cornices, beams, sloped ceilings, light fittings. Write all three numbers down; don't trust memory.
2 · Clearance around it
A cabinet needs breathing room to be usable and safe. Allow for:
- Door swing — swing doors need clear space in front; sliding doors don't.
- Aisle / walkway — leave enough room for people (and wheelchairs) to pass comfortably.
- Wall gaps — a small gap behind and beside makes levelling and anchoring easier.
3 · The delivery path
This is the step people skip — and regret. A 2-metre cabinet is delivered as one tall piece or flat-packed, but either way it has to get to the room. Measure every doorway, hallway, lift and stairwell turn along the route. Check the diagonal of tight doorways — a tall cabinet often clears a door on the angle. If access is genuinely tight, flat-pack delivery is the answer.
4 · Note obstacles at the spot
Look at where it lands: power points, skirting boards, floor vents, radiators, window reveals and light switches. Skirting boards in particular stop a cabinet sitting flush to the wall, so measure their depth if the cabinet needs to be tight against it.
Measuring tips
- Use a steel tape, not a fabric one — it stays straight and accurate.
- Measure twice, and in millimetres — it's how cabinets are specified.
- Mark the footprint on the floor with tape to picture the real size.
- When in doubt, send us your numbers — we'll confirm the fit before you order.
- Measure width, depth and height of the spot (mind cornices/beams).
- Allow clearance for door swing and walkways.
- Measure the whole delivery path — doorways, halls, lifts, stairs.
- Note power points, skirting and vents at the location.
- Work in millimetres, measure twice.
Send us your measurements and we'll confirm the right size — or build one custom to your space.