Sectional Sofa Dimensions: Will It Fit Your Room?
The usual sectional sizes, the space around them and how to check one against your room.
A typical L-shaped sectional is 100 to 130 in (254 to 330 cm) on the long side and 60 to 100 in (152 to 254 cm) on the short side, about 36 to 42 in (91 to 107 cm) deep in the seat. Leave 12 to 18 in (30 to 45 cm) to the coffee table and 24 to 28 in (60 to 70 cm) to walk past. It needs an L-shaped corner of the room, not just a wall. The one in the button is a corner sectional of 110 × 100 × 34 in (279 × 254 × 86 cm).
Sectional Sofa Sizes
- L-shaped, 3 seats and a chaise: 100 to 125 in (254 to 318 cm) long and 60 to 70 in (152 to 178 cm) on the chaise side. The most common.
- Corner (equal sides): 95 to 120 in (241 to 305 cm) on each side. Squarer, and it wraps a corner.
- U-shaped: 110 to 150 in (279 to 381 cm) across the back. It needs a large room.
- Depth: 36 to 42 in (91 to 107 cm) for the seat. The short side with a chaise is longer than the seat depth, which is why the 'short side' above is 60 inches or more.
Space You Need Around It
A sectional takes up an L-shaped part of the floor, and the gaps below apply to both of its sides. Nooked's L-shaped sofa is drawn as an L, so the corner it leaves empty is not counted as used.
- In front, to the coffee table: 12 to 18 in (30 to 45 cm). Closer is cramped, and further is hard to reach.
- Walkway past the sofa: 24 to 28 in (60 to 70 cm). Behind it or beside it, wherever people walk.
- On the chaise side, a walkway of 24 to 28 in (60 to 70 cm) beyond the end of the chaise.
- A rug under it: see rug sizes for a sectional sofa.
Where It Fits
A sectional needs a room of about 12 × 12 ft (3.7 × 3.7 m) or more. In a smaller room, a chaise sofa uses less floor than a corner sectional, and a modular one can be built with fewer pieces.
Measure the room along both walls it will stand against, and check where the chaise ends: which side the chaise is on matters, and so does a radiator, a door or a window in its path.
Getting It Through the Door
Measure the doorways, hallways and any stairs on the way in. A sofa usually goes through a standard door on its end, and legs and arms can often come off. If the route is tight, see will furniture fit through the door.
Where These Sizes Come From
These are typical ranges, not one product. Sofa sizes are not standardised, so check the listing for the exact one. Arms and cushions are part of the width, and a rolled arm can add several inches.
The sizes above are what most US sectionals measure. A modular sectional can be built to almost any size from its parts, so use the listing's own total.
Common questions
- How big is a sectional sofa?
- A typical L-shaped sectional is 100 to 130 in (254 to 330 cm) on the long side and 60 to 100 in (152 to 254 cm) on the short side. Modular ones vary more.
- How big a room do you need for a sectional?
- About 12 × 12 ft (3.7 × 3.7 m) for a typical L-shaped one, with 24 to 28 in (60 to 70 cm) to walk past and 12 to 18 in (30 to 45 cm) to the coffee table.
- How do you measure a sectional?
- Measure each side at its longest point, including the arms, and add the depth of the chaise. A sectional's listed width is usually the long side.
- What size rug goes under a sectional?
- Usually a rug that reaches under the front legs of every piece. See the guide to rug sizes for a sectional.
Check it in Nooked
Nooked is a furniture fit checker and decision tool that lets shoppers place real furniture at real scale before buying. Compare finds from different stores and build a moodboard of pieces that fit together in size and style.