Sofa - 8cm longer than door is high

HeidiHeidi

As per the title -

I want to order a sofa that's 8cm longer than my sitting room doorway is high.

I know it's difficult to say without pictures or seeing the set-up in reality - but is there anyone on here with experience of shifting sofas who could say if it'd be possible to somehow manipulate it in? Or is that just a physical impossibility?

There aren't any legs that can be taken off, as far as I know.

I've tried every angle to ask the shop (M&S) can I ask their delivery people or at least someone with actual experience of delivering - but no joy (took me weeks to even get a number that I could dial from an Irish mobile!)

I know it might be an impossible question to answer - but just said I'd ask anyhow! It'd be a very expensive mistake if I ordered and then discovered it won't go in......

Thanks in advance!

Wesser

Will the sofa go through to door on its side? Ie horizontally? Instead if vertically? ( which you seem to be implying)

emo72

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

As per the title -

I want to order a sofa that's 8cm longer than my sitting room doorway is high.

I know it's difficult to say without pictures or seeing the set-up in reality - but is there anyone on here with experience of shifting sofas who could say if it'd be possible to somehow manipulate it in? Or is that just a physical impossibility?

There aren't any legs that can be taken off, as far as I know.

I've tried every angle to ask the shop (M&S) can I ask their delivery people or at least someone with actual experience of delivering - but no joy (took me weeks to even get a number that I could dial from an Irish mobile!)

I know it might be an impossible question to answer - but just said I'd ask anyhow! It'd be a very expensive mistake if I ordered and then discovered it won't go in......

Thanks in advance!

Yeah, this is my specialty you'll be glad to know. Standing on its side outside the door, lift it up into the air and as you pull from the bottom slide it through the door. Be grand.

0ph0rce0

Only one word for this.

PIVOT!!!!

Head over to youtube and search big couch through door. Gives you an idea of what you can get through a door and what ways and angles to get it through.

GingerLily

What depth is the sofa?

HeidiHeidi

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Only one word for this.

PIVOT!!!!

Head over to youtube and search big couch through door. Gives you an idea of what you can get through a door and what ways and angles to get it through.

But (and apologies if I didn't make this clear in the OP) standing it up on one arm, it's 8cm higher than the doorway. Can the angles be worked to get it through still, or is it just impossible?

I do know about standing it up and rotating it through the doorway back/seat first, but that's only guaranteed if the height (from arm to arm) is less than the doorway.

God, it's hard to describe this in writing!!!

Off to youtube to search for "big couch through door"

spurious

Delivery guys can usually get them in. Doors are a standard size. It would be a foolish sofa maker who made a sofa could not fit in for the vast majority of people.


It's all Maths really.

HeidiHeidi

spurious wrote: »

Delivery guys can usually get them in. Doors are a standard size. It would be a foolish sofa maker who made a sofa could not fit in for the vast majority of people.


It's all Maths really.

Mmmm - mine is a very old house, not sure the doorways are as big as in modern houses!

As for the trig - :eek:

HeidiHeidi

GingerLily wrote: »

What depth is the sofa?

Not sure - don't have the brochure with me! I just know that arm to arm is 8cam longer than the height of the doorway.

I can provide measurements of doorway and sofa later if it's of any use to anyone who can advise!

Pelvis

You do realise the sofa doesn't have to be standing on it's side when moved?

Stheno

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Not sure - don't have the brochure with me! I just know that arm to arm is 8cam longer than the height of the doorway.

I can provide measurements of doorway and sofa later if it's of any use to anyone who can advise!

Is it wider than the width of the door? You could bring it in on its side then slide it into the living room?

I love Sean nos

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

As per the title -

I want to order a sofa that's 8cm longer than my sitting room doorway is high.

I know it's difficult to say without pictures or seeing the set-up in reality - but is there anyone on here with experience of shifting sofas who could say if it'd be possible to somehow manipulate it in? Or is that just a physical impossibility?

There aren't any legs that can be taken off, as far as I know.

I've tried every angle to ask the shop (M&S) can I ask their delivery people or at least someone with actual experience of delivering - but no joy (took me weeks to even get a number that I could dial from an Irish mobile!)

I know it might be an impossible question to answer - but just said I'd ask anyhow! It'd be a very expensive mistake if I ordered and then discovered it won't go in......

Thanks in advance!

Tilt it?

HeidiHeidi

Pelvis wrote: »

You do realise the sofa doesn't have to be standing on it's side when moved?

Well it surely ain't going in horizontally!

Firstly because it's a chunky boxy shape and the doorway definitely isn't wide enough.

And secondly because the doorway is off a reasonably narrow hallway, and at the end of the stairs so it definitely wouldn't rotate around even if it would fit through the doorway.

So it'll have to go in up on it's side.

HeidiHeidi

Stheno wrote: »

Is it wider than the width of the door? You could bring it in on its side then slide it into the living room?

I'm fairly sure it is. Big square boxy shape. Not 100% sure but worth checking when I get home though!

Stheno

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I'm fairly sure it is. Big square boxy shape. Not 100% sure but worth checking when I get home though!

Stand it up so and tilt it and start sliding it in through the door and lower it once you get enough of it in

HeidiHeidi

Stheno wrote: »

Stand it up so and tilt it and start sliding it in through the door and lower it once you get enough of it in

Sorry, obviously didn't make myself clear! I think it'll be wider than the doorway when horizontal, so will need to pivot around into the room.

I think I know what you're saying, and I'll check when I get home - but I'm 99% sure that it'll be too wide/deep for that.

hi_im_fil

Ground floor? In the window if so!

5T3PH3N

Do furniture delivery people ever do this for customers?

HeidiHeidi

hi_im_fil wrote: »

Ground floor? In the window if so!

:eek:

They're even narrower! And old. Not gonna happen!!

5T3PH3N wrote: »

Do furniture delivery people ever do this for customers?

Do what?

5T3PH3N

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

:eek:

They're even narrower! And old. Not gonna happen!!



Do what?

Sorry, I meant to quote the poster above me.

pixbyjohn

Please let us know the outcome of this, hope you get get the sofa into where you want it

HeidiHeidi

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Please let us know the outcome of this, hope you get get the sofa into where you want it

Trouble is, I don't want to order the sofa until I am reasonably sure it'll go in the door..... would be a VERY expensive mistake to make if it doesnt :eek:

spurious

Is this from an online or a real shop? If real, go in and either measure it or ask to speak to the manager and ask her. If there's a few bob to be made or lost, they wont be long about telling you.

As I said, I would be amazed if a mass produced sofa didn't fit through standard doors of the past hundred years or so.

HeidiHeidi

OK - the doorway is 195cm high, 70cm wide

The couch is 203cm long (arm to arm), 97cm high (floor to top of back) and 99cm deep (front to back).

So even if the doorway was open from all angles (it's effectively a 90 degree turn in from hallway), the sofa wouldn't go through just horizontally.

So.... the question is, given that it has to go in upright (ie up on one arm), can that extra 8cm be wriggled through somehow or are the laws of physics just against me on this one?

(I do appreciate that this may be an impossible question to answer!)

To the last poster - I've seen the sofa in the flesh, staff in the shop are no help (they're just sales people and if they express an opinion it's usually along the lines of "well if it's bigger than the doorway then......"), staff on the customer helpline are even less help - so I've resorted to here in the hope that someone with practical experience of this might be able to help!

looksee

I don't think that is going to go through the doorway. It was probably designed to go through more modern doors that are wider. You can get it to outside the door on end, then lift the bottom end and thread it diagonally through, ie with the bottom back corner on the ground and the rest of the sofa at an angle. This will only work if the arms are lower than the line between the front edge of the seat cushion and the back of the sofa. If not, then its a no-go.

HeidiHeidi

Hope that link works....

Thanks for that Looksee.... not sure I quite understand the last bit though.

If you can see that image, would that tend to confirm your suspicion that it won't fit?

The Mulk

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

OK - the doorway is 195cm high, 70cm wide

The couch is 203cm long (arm to arm), 97cm high (floor to top of back) and 99cm deep (front to back).

So even if the doorway was open from all angles (it's effectively a 90 degree turn in from hallway), the sofa wouldn't go through just horizontally.

So.... the question is, given that it has to go in upright (ie up on one arm), can that extra 8cm be wriggled through somehow or are the laws of physics just against me on this one?

(I do appreciate that this may be an impossible question to answer!)

To the last poster - I've seen the sofa in the flesh, staff in the shop are no help (they're just sales people and if they express an opinion it's usually along the lines of "well if it's bigger than the doorway then......"), staff on the customer helpline are even less help - so I've resorted to here in the hope that someone with practical experience of this might be able to help!

When we moved house, I brought our couch with us. I had to remove the door, architrave and doorframe to get it into the sitting room. The main problem was how close the doorway was to the bannisters. I couldn't get the 'pivot' i needed. I had to take the feet off the couch too.
The couch would fit into the kitchen/dining room no problem, doors are the same size.

HeidiHeidi

The Mulk wrote: »

When we moved house, I brought our couch with us. I had to remove the door, architrave and doorframe to get it into the sitting room. The main problem was how close the doorway was to the bannisters. I couldn't get the 'pivot' i needed. I had to take the feet off the couch too.
The couch would fit into the kitchen/dining room no problem, doors are the same size.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I won't be dismantling any doorframes, that's for sure!

It's quite a tight turn off a small enough hallway, so I'm starting to think I may give up on my desire to have a sofa I can properly lie flat out on:(

downesy

Check to see if the arms are removable.

I recently bought two large four seater couches online (probably stupid as I didn't even think about it fitting into the house). The delivery lads were able to remove the arms from the couches, get them into the sitting room and then put them on again. You would never know the arms could be removed - certainly doesn't look like they can.

The Mulk

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I won't be dismantling any doorframes, that's for sure!

It's quite a tight turn off a small enough hallway, so I'm starting to think I may give up on my desire to have a sofa I can properly lie flat out on:(

Yeah my sofa was 10 years old, so i didn't mind squeezing it a bit through the door.
Can you measure it without all the cushions on it. It might be a bit more maneuverable. Ask for the feet to be left off. until delivery.
I've an eye on a modular sofa, comes in pieces and assembled then in the room.

HeidiHeidi

The Mulk wrote: »

Yeah my sofa was 10 years old, so i didn't mind squeezing it a bit through the door.
Can you measure it without all the cushions on it. It might be a bit more maneuverable. Ask for the feet to be left off. until delivery.
I've an eye on a modular sofa, comes in pieces and assembled then in the room.

Where have you seen the modular sofa??? Sounds just like what I need!

The M&S brochure is very detailed on sizes - I doubt very much that removing cushions would make much difference - or feet for that matter (it's practically on the ground already).

emo72

That sofa looks seriously easy to deliver. I mean the back cushions can be crushed down. Even better if they are removable. Forget about the overall height the cushions are just fluff. It's the height to the solid back. I'd love it if that was in your hall right now. I'd lash down and help you.

The Mulk

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Where have you seen the modular sofa??? Sounds just like what I need!

The M&S brochure is very detailed on sizes - I doubt very much that removing cushions would make much difference - or feet for that matter (it's practically on the ground already).

I had a look at the M&S brochure, it doesn't give a height without cushions.The feet will be at least 5 cm. If it's narrower than the doorframe with these removed it will go in . Straight and then tilt it back.
The sofa is smaller (I think) than the one i got in.
The modular i've seen was in Ikea, i think there is one in Hanley's too in Liffey Valley.

spurscormac

You're sofa will be something like this...
____
|___|
|___|____
|________|
|________|

To get it through the door, the narrowest width is if it's tilted with the bottom left corner along one side of the door, and the corners of the back and arm rests along the other.
You'd be surprised how a few extra cm from removing cushions can give you just enough to squeeze it through.

You'll still need room to lift and turn it to get it through the door, this may depend on hall width, location of door and stairs.

HeidiHeidi

emo72 wrote: »

That sofa looks seriously easy to deliver. I mean the back cushions can be crushed down. Even better if they are removable. Forget about the overall height the cushions are just fluff. It's the height to the solid back. I'd love it if that was in your hall right now. I'd lash down and help you.

Be careful, I might just take you up on that

The Mulk wrote: »

I had a look at the M&S brochure, it doesn't give a height without cushions.The feet will be at least 5 cm. If it's narrower than the doorframe with these removed it will go in . Straight and then tilt it back.
The sofa is smaller (I think) than the one i got in.
The modular i've seen was in Ikea, i think there is one in Hanley's too in Liffey Valley.

I'll have to go out to the shop with my measuring tape so!

Will also check that Ikea one, although I've never seen anything I like there.... I love the M&S one, it'd definitely be my top choice.

.......

This post has been deleted.

sbsquarepants

A lot of sofas (not all unfortunately) have removable arms to let them fit through narrow doors, get them up stairs in apartments etc.
There's usually a zip or something similar where you can open the bottom covering and get your hand in to unscrew the bolts holding them on. If you're lucky it can save you an awful lot of hassle.

The Mulk

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Be careful, I might just take you up on that



I'll have to go out to the shop with my measuring tape so!

Will also check that Ikea one, although I've never seen anything I like there.... I love the M&S one, it'd definitely be my top choice.

Check Arnotts too. Our one's are still going 13 years later, although the 3 seater looks a bit tired now, wasn't cheap at the time, but well worth the money

HeidiHeidi

The Mulk wrote: »

Check Arnotts too. Our one's are still going 13 years later, although the 3 seater looks a bit tired now, wasn't cheap at the time, but well worth the money

My back is absolutely broken with a "cheap" (it wasn't cheap!) leather one that I've had for about 10 years.

I'll pay almost literally any money for one that will support my back (and as a bonus allow me to lie out full length in front of the telly )

This one is the nicest I've seen so far, if it'll just fit in the bloody room!

looksee

What Spurscormac is what I was trying to say. If you imagine a line from the top front of the back to the top front of the cushion (I don't think the arms will be a problem) then measure from the back bottom corner diagonally to that line, if it is less than the width of the door it should go in. I still doubt it, but that is your narrowest measurement.

HeidiHeidi

looksee wrote: »

What Spurscormac is what I was trying to say. If you imagine a line from the top front of the back to the top front of the cushion (I don't think the arms will be a problem) then measure from the back bottom corner diagonally to that line, if it is less than the width of the door it should go in. I still doubt it, but that is your narrowest measurement.

Gotcha!

HeidiHeidi

Well, firstly thanks to everyone for their advice and suggestions, which prompted me to look at this in different ways!

Went out to M&S to measure up again (nearly had a heart attack when I saw all the furniture gone in Liffey Valley to make way for the Christmas Shop :eek: but thankfully found one left on the floor in town) - and someone who posted earlier was right - the measurements in the brochure do include the cushions! (ffs :rolleyes:)

The brilliant news is, the back is actually only 72cm high, and as it turns out I have rear access to the house that's 80cm wide - so unless they turn up in a 40' artic that won't fit up the back lane, I'm sorted (and if they do, they can bloody carry it up the lane )

Thanks again everyone, you've all been very helpful!

colm_mcm

Take the glass out of the window.

HeidiHeidi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Take the glass out of the window.

Yeah, no.

What if the window is narrower than the door? (which is is!)

The Mulk

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Well, firstly thanks to everyone for their advice and suggestions, which prompted me to look at this in different ways!

Went out to M&S to measure up again (nearly had a heart attack when I saw all the furniture gone in Liffey Valley to make way for the Christmas Shop :eek: but thankfully found one left on the floor in town) - and someone who posted earlier was right - the measurements in the brochure do include the cushions! (ffs :rolleyes:)

The brilliant news is, the back is actually only 72cm high, and as it turns out I have rear access to the house that's 80cm wide - so unless they turn up in a 40' artic that won't fit up the back lane, I'm sorted (and if they do, they can bloody carry it up the lane )

Thanks again everyone, you've all been very helpful!

Nice one, enjoy

HeidiHeidi

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Be careful, I might just take you up on that

I'd say a few people would be happy to help. If you live near me, I'll offer to help, too.


I've delivered furniture for a few years and although there are a few things that you will struggle to get through doorways (only ever had one failure, and that was an American Fridge into a tight hallway and angled kitchen door..) sofas are usually grand.

1 - The box will be square, so remove it from the box.
2 - Take off anything you can. The feet, any cushions, sometimes the arms are removable or have removable tops. If it's a recliner, the back is generally removable.
3 - Get the duvet off your bed and put it on the floor.
4 - Put the sofa on the duvet, and use the duvet to drag it around (so your not scratching the sofa or floor).
5 - Bring the sofa to the door, on it's side. Bring it as close as possible.
6 - Person inside the room pulls the duvet (and thus the bottom of the sofa)
7 - The top of the sofa starts falling back, and as a result, isn't as tall.
8 - Person outside the room steadies the top of the sofa and walks into the room with it.
9 - Place the sofa in the correct position, place all removable pieces back on it.
10 - Consider washing the duvet.


Be grand.

You might have to 'twirl' the sofa through the door if the door is unusually small or the sofa is unusually deep, but generally you'll be okay, and remember that cushions etc. are squishy and give some wiggle room.


Best of luck with it.