How to Measure for a Fitted Wardrobe

How to measure for a fitted wardrobe: start with a sketch

Draw a simple front view and plan view of the space before taking measurements. Mark the left and right walls, floor, ceiling, back wall and the intended front line of the wardrobe. Add any alcove returns, chimney breast, sloping ceiling or change in floor level. Give each measurement a label so you can match the number to its position later.

Use a tape measure with millimetre markings and record every dimension in mm. If you use a laser measure, check short or awkward distances with a tape as well. Measure the room as it is now, including finished flooring and skirting boards, unless those surfaces will change before installation. Write the date on your sketch and photograph the space from the front and both sides.

• Label measurements by position, such as width at floor, middle and ceiling.
• Record individual readings rather than rounding them into one number.
• Mark anything that will be removed or added before fitting.

Measure the width at several heights and depths

Measure between the finished side surfaces near the floor, halfway up and near the ceiling. Repeat those readings at the back of the proposed wardrobe and near its intended front edge. An alcove can narrow at one height or taper towards the back, so a single front-facing width is not enough. Record the smallest clear width and note where it occurs.

Check whether skirting boards, dado rails or projecting plaster reduce the usable width. Do not assume a skirting board can be removed: confirm what will happen to it and whether the wall behind it needs finishing. If the wardrobe will meet a side wall, check that the proposed position still allows its doors to open and drawers to pull out. Keep the measured opening separate from any proposed cabinet width on your drawing.

Check height from the finished floor

Measure from the finished floor to the ceiling at the left, centre and right of the wardrobe position. Take additional readings where the floor or ceiling visibly slopes. Record the lowest clear height, along with the location of any ceiling rose, beam, coving or boxed-in pipework. If new flooring is planned, measure again after it is fitted or obtain its confirmed finished level.

A full-height wardrobe may need space to be assembled, raised or fixed in place. The required space depends on its construction and the installation method, so ask the supplier for that dimension before ordering. Check whether a top infill panel can cover an uneven ceiling and who will cut and fit it. Do not subtract an arbitrary amount from the ceiling height and treat the result as a guaranteed cabinet height.

Measure depth and test the space in front

Measure from the back wall to the proposed front line at several points along the opening. Note any projection from the back wall, including sockets, pipe boxing and skirting. Record the shallowest usable depth and tell the supplier whether that figure includes doors and handles. Internal storage depth will be less than the overall wardrobe depth once its construction and door system are accounted for.

Measure the clear floor space in front of the proposed wardrobe too. Check a hinged door's swing against a bed, radiator, window board or nearby room door; for sliding doors, ask how the tracks affect usable internal depth. Mark where drawers would extend when fully open, including space for someone to stand in front of them. Test these positions against the actual furniture layout rather than an empty-room plan.

• Record overall depth and the shallowest point separately.
• Check doors and drawers in their fully open positions.
• Ask whether quoted depth includes doors, tracks and handles.

Record obstructions and services

Mark sockets, switches, radiators, vents, access panels and visible pipes on the sketch. Measure each item's position from a fixed corner and from the finished floor, then record how far it projects into the wardrobe space. Photograph labels or controls that might need regular access. Tell the supplier about anything concealed that you know is present, such as pipework behind boxing.

Decide what must remain accessible before agreeing a layout. A fitted wardrobe should not leave a needed socket, stopcock, service access panel or ventilation opening unusable. Do not move electrical or plumbing services on the assumption that they can be covered later; arrange any proposed alteration with an appropriate tradesperson. If drilling into a wall is planned, ask the installer how they will check for concealed services at fixing points.

Turn measurements into an orderable plan

Put the smallest recorded width, height and depth at the top of your sketch, but keep all the original readings underneath. Send the supplier the sketch, photographs and a list of planned room changes. Ask them to state the proposed overall dimensions, any infill or scribed panels, and the installation clearances they require. Check those figures against the narrowest and lowest points you measured.

Confirm the opening arrangement and the storage you need before approving drawings. Hanging rails, shelves and drawers need different clear internal spaces, while handles and hinges may affect movement near a side wall. Check that the drawing shows which measurements refer to the cabinet, doors and finished installation. Arrange a supplier site survey where offered, especially for a visibly uneven alcove or a floor-to-ceiling installation.

Verification checklist before you order

Repeat the smallest width and height readings with a second person if possible. Check that both people are measuring between the same finished surfaces and reading the tape in mm. Compare the new readings with the sketch and investigate any difference before signing off an order.

Walk through the proposed installation once more with the drawing in hand. Confirm that the measured room still matches it, particularly if flooring, skirting or other fittings have changed. Ask the supplier to confirm their own tolerances and final dimensions in writing; your measurements describe the space, while their specification determines what can be installed.

• Smallest width, height and depth rechecked and labelled by location.
• Skirting, ceiling features, services and projections shown on the sketch.
• Doors and drawers checked against nearby furniture and room doors.
• Supplier clearances, final dimensions and planned room changes confirmed.

Scope and limitations

This note helps householders organise measurements and understand the calculation. It does not replace an on-site decision by a designer, installer, contractor, or manufacturer. Fabrication, structure, electrical work, gas, waterproofing, and personal safety require suitably qualified verification.