# Understanding Dresser Dimensions
A review of four online retailers uncovered four different ways of expressing the dimensions of the dressers they have for sale, involving the order in which dimensions are stated and also a variation in terms. Target uses length, height and width. Rooms to Go uses length, width and height. Pottery Barn uses width, depth and height. Ethan Allen uses width, height and depth.
A dresser is a three dimensional object. However, in practice, four different terms are often used to refer to the dimensions of a dresser. The four common terms are length, depth, width and height.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
Instructions
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1
Dresser dimensions may be expressed in terms of length, depth, width and height. Review the terms. Length is a horizontal distance, generally considered to be the longest dimension of a 3-D object. Depth is the horizontal distance from front to back, from the front of the dresser to the back edge near the wall. Width is also a horizontal distance, measured sometimes from side to side and sometimes from front to back. Height is a vertical distance, measured from top to bottom.
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You should be able to find the dimensions of the dresser you are considering online. Check the dimensions of the dresser you are considering. Retailers will state the dimensions using only three of the four terms given in Step 1. Only the first letter of the word will usually be used. For example, the letter H stands for height.
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3
Determine what the three measurements mean. Determine what the terms mean. If a height measurement is given, that will be the vertical dimension of the dresser. The other two dimensions may be stated as length, width or depth. If a depth measurement is given, that will be from the front of the unit (the front face) to the back of the unit (facing the wall). The third dimension (either stated as length or width) will be the horizontal distance from one side of the piece to the other.
If, however, you are given both a length and a width dimension, then the length is the horizontal measurement from side to side, while the width is the horizonal measurement from front to back. All measurements are taken at the dresser's most prominent points.
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4
Check your space to be sure the dresser will fit. Check your space. Now that you understand what the three numbers of your dresser dimensions mean, you are ready to check to be sure the dresser will fit your space. Using the two horizontal dimensions, check available floor space. Use the height dimension to verify that you have sufficient wall space.
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