Will It Fit Through the Hallway?

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