How to Measure Before You Order

A dining table is one of the few purchases where the thing that stops the delivery is not the table. It is the route. Fifteen minutes with a tape measure now avoids finding out on delivery day that a doorway is two inches too narrow, which is the most expensive way to learn it.

Start with the table

Take the width, depth and height from the Specifications on the product page, then think about the space around it rather than the space it occupies.

• Allow at least 36 inches of clear floor on every side so chairs can pull out and people can pass behind them. 42 to 48 inches is comfortable rather than tight.
• Mark the footprint on your floor with masking tape before you order. It is the fastest way to know whether a 120-inch table is ambitious or right.
• Check the table height against the seat height of the chairs you plan to use. Most dining chairs want a table between 29 and 31 inches high.

Then measure the route

Measure every point the table has to pass through, from the kerb to the room it will live in. The narrowest point is the one that matters.

• Front door. Width and height measured inside the frame, with the door open. Include any storm or screen door.
• Interior doorways along the route, measured the same way.
• Hallways. Width, and the diagonal at every turn. A narrow hall with a ninety degree turn is the single most common failure point, because a long crate cannot pivot in it.
• Stairs. Width, the ceiling height above the treads, and the depth of any landing where the piece has to turn.
• Elevators. Door width and height, interior depth, and the interior diagonal.
• Ceilings and fixtures. Low beams, pendant lights and stair-turn light fittings all reduce usable clearance.

The crate is what has to fit, not the table

Tables ship crated and palletized, and the crate is larger than the table on every dimension. Assume several inches of packaging on each side and additional height from the pallet underneath.

If a measurement is within a few inches of the table's own dimensions, treat it as too tight. If you need the crate dimensions for a specific piece before you order, contact us and we will get them for you.

Plan for who moves it

Freight delivery is scheduled with you in advance and the carrier will call to book a window. Delivery is to the kerb or the threshold rather than into the room of your choice.

• A large dining table can weigh between 200 and 850 pounds once crated. It is not a one-person job.
• Arrange help for delivery day and clear the route before the truck arrives.
• Unpack and inspect the piece while the packaging is still intact. Damage has to be reported within 48 hours, with photographs that include the original packaging.

If anything is tight, ask first

Get in touch before you order and we will help you work out whether a piece will make it in. A refused delivery is treated as a return, which carries a 15% restocking fee and return freight. We would far rather spend ten minutes on measurements with you than have a table go back on the truck.