How to Measure for Fitted Wardrobes: A Room-by-Room Guide

How to Measure for Fitted Wardrobes: What You Need Before You Start

Fitted wardrobes run from wall to wall and often from floor to ceiling, so a few millimetres matter far more than with a freestanding unit. Walls lean, floors dip and ceilings are rarely level, especially in older houses. This guide shows how to measure for fitted wardrobes step by step, so your quote reflects the room you actually have.

You need a steel tape measure, a spirit level, a pencil, paper and your phone camera, and a second person helps with ceilings and long walls. Work in millimetres throughout: it is the unit cabinet makers use, and it avoids rounding errors when measuring for fitted wardrobes.

Step 1: Sketch the Room and Mark Every Fixed Feature

Draw a rough plan of the wall where the wardrobe will go. It does not need to be to scale. Mark the corners, the room door, windows, radiators, sockets, switches, pipes, the loft hatch and any chimney breast. Knowing how to measure a room for wardrobes starts here, because every figure you take next has a place to go. Then photograph each wall straight on and from both corners.

Step 2: Measure the Width in Three Places

Measure from wall to wall, or to where the wardrobe should stop, at three heights: just above the skirting, at waist height and close to the ceiling. Walls are rarely vertical, so the readings often differ. The smallest figure sets the width, and the wider gaps are closed with scribe or filler panels during fitting.

If your readings differ by more than about 20mm, note it on your sketch so the designer allows extra filler. This habit is the core of how to measure wardrobe size for any fitted design.

Step 3: Measure the Height in Three Places

Measure from floor to ceiling at the left end, the centre and the right end of the run. On carpet, press the tape firmly into the pile so it does not add false height. Measure to the flat ceiling and record any coving separately.

The lowest reading is the working height. Also note whether the floor will change before fitting, such as new carpet or laminate, because it alters the finished height.

Step 4: Check the Depth and the Space in Front

Measure how far the wardrobe can come out from the back wall before it meets the door frame, a window reveal, a radiator or the walkway beside the bed, at both ends of the run. Then measure from the back wall to the bed or nearest furniture, so doors and internal drawers can open fully with room to stand. Hinged doors need space to swing, while sliding doors need a little extra depth for the track; our guide to sliding vs hinged wardrobe doors compares the two.

As a guide, fitted wardrobe depth is usually around 550 to 650mm with hinged doors, and a little more with sliding doors.

Skirting Boards, Coving and Picture Rails

Measure the height of the skirting and how far it stands out from the wall, because the wardrobe will either sit over a cut-back skirting or be scribed around it. Do the same for coving (the drop down the wall and the distance across the ceiling) and any picture rail. These details decide whether the wardrobe runs tight to the ceiling or finishes with a top filler.

Sockets, Switches, Radiators and Windows

For each socket, switch, radiator, pipe or window near the wardrobe, measure its position from the nearest corner and from the floor, plus its size. Sockets are usually moved or kept reachable through a cut-out, and a radiator generally needs moving, because a wardrobe in front of it blocks the heat. If you want internal lighting, note the nearest socket, as a wired option such as our Wardrobe Lighting Kit needs a mains supply nearby.

How to Measure an Alcove or Chimney Breast

The recesses beside a chimney breast are a favourite spot for alcove fitted wardrobes, but they are rarely square. Measure each alcove’s width at the back wall and at the front of the chimney breast, at three heights. Then measure the chimney breast’s depth from the alcove’s back wall to its front face, at the top and the bottom.

That depth shapes the design. Building flush with the chimney breast gives a clean finish, but a shallow alcove may not leave room for side-on hanging. Measure both alcoves separately even when they look identical: that is the key to how to measure an alcove for fitted wardrobes.

Measuring Under Sloping and Loft Ceilings

Fitted wardrobes for sloping ceilings need three extra figures: the height of the low wall where the slope begins, the horizontal distance from that wall to where the ceiling turns flat, and the full height under the flat section. Take them at both ends of the run, as slopes can twist slightly. A designer can then plan full-height sections under the flat ceiling and lower cupboards under the slope.

Corners, Bay Windows and Walls That Are Not Square

For an L-shaped run, measure each wall outwards from the corner at three heights. To check the corner is square, mark 600mm along one wall and 800mm along the other, then measure between the marks: a square corner gives exactly 1,000mm. This is the simplest way to tackle how to measure a corner wardrobe. For bay windows and angled walls, measure each straight section and photograph the whole shape.

Fitted Wardrobe Measurements at a Glance

Every fitted wardrobe is sized to its room, so treat these standard wardrobe dimensions as a starting point.

A standard wardrobe depth of around 600mm suits most bedrooms, while built in wardrobe depth in an alcove is often set by the chimney breast. Where space is tight, 450mm is a practical minimum depth for a wardrobe if you plan the inside around it. For rail heights and shelf spacing, see our wardrobe interior layout ideas.

How to Record Your Measurements for a Quote

• Every figure in millimetres, labelled on the sketch (W1 to W3 for widths, H1 to H3 for heights).
• The smallest width and lowest height circled.
• Skirting, coving, sockets, radiators and windows with their positions.
• Photos of each wall and any awkward feature.
• Notes on flooring changes, your preferred door style and what you need to store.

If your tape shows imperial, how to measure for fitted wardrobes in inches is simple: measure as normal, then multiply each figure by 25.4. Home measurements are for planning and pricing, and a final survey confirms them before anything is made, as our guide on how to order bespoke wardrobes explains. Still weighing up fitted against freestanding? Read made to measure fitted furniture explained.

Next Steps

With your figures ready, you can plan the interior and request a quote. Fitting out the inside yourself? Our bedroom fittings collection has hanging rails, corner rails and supports. In Manchester or Cheshire, Aspin Collins offers a bespoke design and fitting service: send your sketch and photos through our contact page or call 0161 465 4007.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do you measure a room for a fitted wardrobe?
Measure the width at three heights and the floor to ceiling height at three points along the wall, then the available depth. Record the smallest width and lowest height in millimetres, and mark sockets, radiators and skirting on a sketch.

2. Is 450mm deep enough for a fitted wardrobe?
A 450mm fitted wardrobe works in a narrow room, but hangers will not sit side-on. Plan front-facing hanging, shelves or drawers instead, or allow an internal depth of 500 to 600mm for standard side-on hanging.

3. What is the ideal depth for an alcove wardrobe?
The ideal depth for an alcove wardrobe is usually set by the chimney breast. Building flush with its front looks neatest, but if that leaves less than about 500mm inside, bring the wardrobe forward or use front-facing hanging.

4. Should I measure for fitted wardrobes in mm, cm or inches?
Measure for fitted wardrobes in millimetres, the unit cabinet makers work in. Centimetres and inches invite rounding errors. If your tape only shows inches, multiply each figure by 25.4 to convert it before you send it.

5. What if my walls or ceiling are not level?
Uneven walls and ceilings are normal in fitted wardrobe projects. Record all three readings for width and height, and the designer will size the cabinets to the smallest figures and close the gaps with scribe or filler panels.

6. Do I still need a survey if I measure the room myself?
Yes, a survey is still worth having for fitted wardrobes. Your own measurements are ideal for planning and pricing, but a final check on site confirms the true dimensions before anything is made.