Small-space field notes · 01
Measure the patio.
Then the way into it.
A chair can fit on a balcony and still block the door. Start with the space you use, test the furniture in motion, then check how it will get there.
Take a tape measure and a pencil. Use removable tape only on a suitable surface. Print this guide or save it as a PDF with your browser’s Print command.
Draw what is already there.
Sketch the usable floor area, including any narrow or irregular parts. Use one unit throughout: inches or centimetres.
- Measure clear width and depth between fixed obstacles, not just the outside edges of the patio.
- Mark doors, their swing, gates, steps, posts, railings, drains and planters that will stay.
- Trace the routes you actually walk. Include the trip through the door when someone is seated.
Leave access to doors, drains and equipment. Check any building requirements that apply to your space; a layout sketch does not establish a required clearance.
Test more than the footprint.
Use the exact model and variant’s overall assembled width, depth and height. Check what those measurements include.
- Mark each piece’s full outline, including arms or projecting bases. Do not use seat dimensions as the overall size.
- Allow for the way it works: pull a chair out, sit down, stand up, and account for swivel, rocking or reclining movement where relevant.
- Check the largest setup you intend to use: an extended table, reclined chair or open folding piece.
There is no single clearance number in this guide. Use the actual furniture instructions, your movement needs and requirements for the space.
PORCHROOM OUTDOOR · MEASURING GUIDE
Walk it from arrival to patio.
Measure the clear openings along the whole route: gates, doors, halls, stairs, turns and overhead obstructions. If an elevator is involved, record its opening and usable interior.
Ask the supplier for packed dimensions, packed weight, number of packages and what arrives assembled. Check delivery service limits and where the carrier will leave the order.
Keep unknowns visible.
A package’s narrowest side alone does not prove it can make a turn. Record tight corners and ask for an access review when the route is uncertain.
A foldable item may still arrive in a larger carton. A layout outline does not confirm delivery access, surface suitability or a building’s load limits.
If a needed measurement is missing, write “unknown” and ask before ordering. Do not fill the gap with a similar-looking product’s dimensions.
Your measurement record
Print and fill in. Keep the same units, and note the source and date of product measurements.
- Units used / date
- inches or centimetres
- Usable patio width × depth
- Exact product / variant / dimension source
- Assembled width × depth × height
- Space needed while using the furniture
- Packed dimensions / weight / package count
- Tightest openings, turns, steps and overhead limits along the delivery route
Furniture-clearance checklist
- Door and gate swings checked with the layout marked.
- Chair pull-out and sitting/standing movement tested.
- Swivel, recline, rocking or extension space checked, if applicable.
- Walking route checked with furniture in use.
- Legs and bases have suitable support; drains stay accessible.
- Package sizes and delivery route compared; unknowns recorded.