What is the standard hallway width in the US?

Building codes require a minimum of 36 inches for residential hallways. Most modern homes have hallways 42–48 inches wide. Older apartments may have hallways as narrow as 34–36 inches.

How do I navigate a hallway corner with large furniture?

Tilt the item vertically (on its end) to reduce the footprint at the turn. Have one person guide the top while the other controls the base. For L-shaped turns, pivot the item around the inside corner — the wider the hallway on both sides of the turn, the easier this is.

What if my hallway is too narrow for my furniture?

Try tilting the item on its side or standing it upright to reduce its footprint. Remove any protruding legs, handles, or cushions. If the hallway has doors along it, open or remove them for extra clearance. As a last resort, check for an alternate route through a different room or exterior entry.

Do hallway turns have different clearance than straight sections?

Yes — turns are almost always the tightest constraint. A 90-degree hallway corner requires significantly more space than the straight corridor width because the item must pivot. The usable turning space depends on the width of both corridors meeting at the corner.

Should I measure the hallway with or without baseboards?

Measure wall-to-wall and then subtract baseboard thickness on each side (typically 0.5–0.75 inches per side). Baseboards reduce the usable width by 1–1.5 inches total. If the furniture will be carried above baseboard height, you can use the wall-to-wall measurement.

Hallway Fit Calculator — Check Large-Item Clearance | ItemFits

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Will It Fit Through the Hallway?

Select an item below for a quick check, or enter custom dimensions to test any hallway clearance.

This calculator determines if furniture, appliances, and large items will fit through residential hallways. We account for hallway width, corner turning radius, ceiling clearance, and obstacles like radiators and wall-mounted fixtures—covering straight corridors, L-shaped turns, T-junctions, and narrow apartment hallways.

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Three possible answers

Real verdicts, with the math behind them.

Every check returns one of three outcomes — with the dimensions, the constraints that mattered, and exactly how we reached the verdict.

Fits

Loveseat · 40″ hallway with 90° turn

60×34×34 in. Inside-corner pivot has 8″ of swing clearance after subtracting baseboards. Tilt 30° to clear.

Tight fit

Queen box spring · 34″ hallway

60×80×10 in. Standing on edge, clears by 2″ on each side. Watch for door-frame protrusions along the corridor.

Does not fit

Sectional couch · 30″ apartment hall

120×40×38 in. Even tilted to 38″ height, the 30″ wall-to-wall is 8″ short. Plan to disassemble at the connector or use an alternate entry.

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Measure smart

What to measure.

Four numbers decide nearly every fit check. Get these right and the rest follows.

01Hallway width at the narrowest point — measure wall-to-wall, accounting for any protruding radiators, doorframes, or wall-mounted fixtures.
02Hallway length — measure straight sections between turns to determine your maneuvering space.
03Corner angles and widths — measure the width of both corridors at each turn, and note whether it's a 90° L-turn or a wider angle.
04Ceiling height — check for low ceilings, soffits, light fixtures, or overhead ducts that limit how much you can tilt items vertically.

Don't make these

Common mistakes.

Most “it didn't fit” stories trace back to one of these oversights.

⚠Measuring hallway width at the widest point instead of the narrowest — radiators, doorframes, and baseboards can reduce usable width by 2–4 inches.
⚠Forgetting that the turning point at a corner is the real bottleneck, not the straight hallway sections.
⚠Not accounting for door frames along the hallway that protrude 1–2 inches into the corridor on each side.
⚠Assuming a long item can be carried flat through a turn — most require tilting vertically or pivoting around the corner.

Frequently asked

Questions we keep getting.

What is the standard hallway width in the US?
Building codes require a minimum of 36 inches for residential hallways. Most modern homes have hallways 42–48 inches wide. Older apartments may have hallways as narrow as 34–36 inches.
01
How do I navigate a hallway corner with large furniture?
Tilt the item vertically (on its end) to reduce the footprint at the turn. Have one person guide the top while the other controls the base. For L-shaped turns, pivot the item around the inside corner — the wider the hallway on both sides of the turn, the easier this is.
02
What if my hallway is too narrow for my furniture?
Try tilting the item on its side or standing it upright to reduce its footprint. Remove any protruding legs, handles, or cushions. If the hallway has doors along it, open or remove them for extra clearance. As a last resort, check for an alternate route through a different room or exterior entry.
03
Do hallway turns have different clearance than straight sections?
Yes — turns are almost always the tightest constraint. A 90-degree hallway corner requires significantly more space than the straight corridor width because the item must pivot. The usable turning space depends on the width of both corridors meeting at the corner.
04
Should I measure the hallway with or without baseboards?
Measure wall-to-wall and then subtract baseboard thickness on each side (typically 0.5–0.75 inches per side). Baseboards reduce the usable width by 1–1.5 inches total. If the furniture will be carried above baseboard height, you can use the wall-to-wall measurement.
05

References

Built on published standards.

Clearances and minimums in these checks trace back to established building codes and accessibility guidelines.

IRC R311.6Hallways — minimum width 36 in. View source
ADA 403Accessible routes — minimum clear width and passing space View source
ANSI A117.1Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities View source

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