Recent Ruins / Catalogue / Guides
Measuring an opening
Take three measurements in each direction, record the smallest, and write down how far out of square the opening is before you go looking for anything to fill it.
Three, not one
Measure the width at the top, the middle and the bottom, and the height at both sides and the centre. Old openings are rarely consistent, and the number that matters is the smallest one, because that is what the piece has to pass. A single measurement taken across the middle is the most common reason a salvaged door or mantel arrives and does not fit.
Check the diagonals
Measure both diagonals of the opening. If they differ, the opening is out of square, and you now know by how much and in which direction. This governs how much you can afford to trim from a salvaged piece and where the trimming has to happen. It is also the difference between a door that binds at one corner and one that hangs.
Record the depth and the reveal
Width and height are only two of the three dimensions. Note the wall thickness, the depth of the reveal, and anything projecting into it: a skirting return, a pipe, an architrave that will have to come off. Depth is what determines whether a mantel stands proud of the room or sits into it, and it is the dimension most often left unrecorded.
Carry the numbers with you
Write the measurements down with a small sketch showing which is which, and take that with you rather than trusting memory in a yard. Include the dimensions of the route the piece must travel to reach the opening, because a cast-iron tub or a stair window that fits the room perfectly is still no use if it cannot get up the stairs.