To measure for a sofa bed when it is fully open, you need three figures: the open length from the back of the frame to the foot of the bed, the full width including the arms, and the clearance you need around it to walk, open doors and reach the bed comfortably. Measure the room, mark the open footprint on the floor with masking tape, and only then compare it against product dimensions. That simple step avoids most of the problems people run into after delivery.<\/p>\n
Every product page in our range of modern sofa beds UK<\/a> lists both closed and open dimensions, and knowing how to read those figures properly is the key to getting the right fit. Below we explain exactly what to measure and why.<\/p>\n Most people measure the wall where a sofa will sit and stop there. With a sofa bed, the closed dimensions only tell half the story. When the mechanism unfolds, the piece can extend well over a metre further into the room, and that extra length is what determines whether a guest can actually get into bed, open a wardrobe or leave the room in the night.<\/p>\n In many UK homes, spare rooms and living rooms are compact, and the open bed may need to share space with a coffee table, a radiator, a chest of drawers or a door swing. Planning for the open footprint first makes everything else easier. If you are still comparing seating styles, our wider collection of modern sofas UK sale<\/a> lets you compare proportions across standard sofas and sofa beds.<\/p>\n Start by measuring the full length and width of the room at floor level. Then note the position of anything fixed: doors and the direction they open, radiators, fireplaces, sockets, windows with low sills, and built in cupboards.<\/p>\n Door swing is easy to overlook. An inward opening door needs a clear arc, and if the open bed sits within that arc, the door will not open fully. Measure from the hinge side to the edge of the door and treat that as the radius of space you need to keep free.<\/p>\n Sofa bed listings usually give several measurements. It helps to know what each one means.<\/p>\n The overall width of the sofa from arm to arm. This is the wall space it occupies during the day.<\/p>\n The distance from the back of the sofa to the front edge of the seat. This tells you how far it projects into the room when used as a sofa.<\/p>\n The total distance from the back of the frame to the end of the bed when fully converted. This is the most important figure for planning.<\/p>\n The size of the mattress or sleeping surface itself. In the UK, common sizes are single at around 90 by 190 cm, small double at around 120 by 190 cm and double at around 135 by 190 cm, although sofa bed mattresses are sometimes slightly shorter than standard beds.<\/p>\n The difference between open length and sleeping length matters. The frame, the folded backrest and any arms all add to the overall footprint, so a bed with a 190 cm sleeping surface may need considerably more floor space when open.<\/p>\n Using the product’s open length and overall width, mark a rectangle on the floor with masking tape in the exact position the sofa bed will sit. Start from the wall, because most sofa beds sit a few centimetres away from it to allow the backrest to move.<\/p>\n Once the shape is marked, walk around it. Try opening the door. Stand where a guest would stand to get into bed. Check whether you can reach the light switch and whether curtains or blinds can still be drawn. This physical test reveals problems that numbers on paper often hide.<\/p>\n Clearance is the space around the bed that makes it usable. As a guide, aim for around 60 to 70 cm of clear floor along at least one long side of the open bed, so someone can walk past and get in comfortably. If two people will share it, clearance on both sides is helpful, though not always possible in a compact room.<\/p>\n Also think about the space at the foot of the bed. If the end of the open mattress sits close to a wall or another piece of furniture, getting in and out becomes awkward. A little breathing room here makes a noticeable difference.<\/p>\n In many living rooms, a coffee table sits directly in front of the sofa. When the bed opens, that table usually needs to move. Consider where it will go and whether it is light enough to lift easily. Nesting tables, lighter coffee tables and designs with castors make this nightly shuffle far simpler.<\/p>\n The same applies to rugs. A thick rug can make the legs of some pull out mechanisms catch, so check whether the bed opens smoothly over it or whether the rug will need folding back. Our collection of modern coffee tables UK sale<\/a> includes lighter designs that are easy to move aside when guests arrive, and our modern nest of tables UK<\/a> are a compact alternative that tuck away neatly.<\/p>\nWhy the open size matters more than the closed size<\/h3>\n
The tools you need<\/h3>\n
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Step one: measure the room itself<\/h3>\n
Step two: understand the product dimensions<\/h3>\n
Closed width<\/h3>\n
Closed depth<\/h3>\n
Open length<\/h3>\n
Sleeping area<\/h3>\n
Step three: mark the open footprint on the floor<\/h3>\n
Step four: allow for clearance<\/h3>\n
Step five: account for furniture that needs to move<\/h3>\n