You just ordered a bed base in 140×190 or 160×200 for your Nantes apartment, and on the delivery day, it gets stuck in front of the elevator. This scene is common in collective buildings in the city center or neighborhoods like Hauts-Pavés, Saint-Félix, or Île de Nantes. The problem does not come from the bed base itself, but from a discrepancy between its dimensions and those of the cabin, and especially the elevator door.
Elevator Door in Nantes: The Real Measurement to Take Before Purchase
Most buyers think about the size of the cabin. They forget the door. In a standard residential elevator, the door opening is the narrowest passage point, often well below the interior width of the cabin.
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Specifically, the door of a typical collective building elevator measures between 80 and 90 cm wide. The cabin itself may offer a slightly more generous space. A monobloc bed base of 140 cm wide will never pass flat through an 80 cm door. Even tilted, you need to calculate the diagonal passage considering the available height.
Before placing any order, get a tape measure and take three measurements: the width of the elevator door, the depth of the cabin, and its interior height. These three combined dimensions determine whether your bed base can enter, even at an angle. To delve deeper into this point, ID Habitat’s tips for Nantes detail the correspondences between bed base formats and common elevator templates.
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Kit Bed Base or Monobloc Bed Base: Which Format Fits in a Standard Elevator
A monobloc bed base in 90×190 generally passes without difficulty in most residential elevators. Beyond that, things get complicated. A 140×190 or 160×200 in one piece almost always exceeds the door width, even when tilted.
The Kit Bed Base, the Most Reliable Solution for Nantes Buildings
The kit bed base is delivered in several flat pieces, to be assembled in the bedroom. Each panel measures a fraction of the total width. It passes easily through a standard elevator door, a narrow staircase, or a curved hallway.
Assembly usually takes less than half an hour. The frame and slats are fixed by interlocking or simple screwing. The result, once assembled, offers the same sleeping surface as a classic bed base.
The Dismantlable Bed Base, an Interesting Compromise
Some manufacturers offer so-called dismantlable bed bases: the frame separates into two or four parts. The difference with a kit lies in the sturdiness of the frame, often made of solid wood, compared to lighter panels for the kit. A dismantlable bed base retains rigidity close to a monobloc after assembly.
However, check that the dimensions of each separate element can indeed pass through your elevator door. A half-bed base of 80 cm wide can get stuck in an 80 cm opening if the thickness of the frame is added.
Bed Base Dimensions and Sleeping Comfort: Do Not Sacrifice Usable Surface
The temptation is strong to choose a smaller bed base to simplify delivery. Moving from a 160×200 to a 140×190 saves 20 cm in width, but significantly reduces the sleeping surface for two people.
Do you really need to downsize? Not necessarily. Here are options that preserve comfort without transport issues:
- Two 80×200 bed bases side by side replace a 160×200. Each element fits in any standard elevator, and together, once placed side by side, they offer the same surface as a large bed base.
- A kit bed base 160×200 with each panel measuring less than 70 cm wide. Check the packaging dimensions before ordering.
- A 140×190 kit bed base for more compact rooms, common in Haussmannian buildings in central Nantes.
The choice between these formats also depends on the mattress. A 160×200 mattress placed on two 80×200 bed bases works perfectly, provided that both bases are at the same height and secured by a fastening system.
Difficult Access in Nantes: When the Elevator Is Not Enough
Some Nantes buildings, particularly in the Graslin neighborhood or around the Place du Commerce, have old elevators with particularly narrow cabins. Others simply do not have one.
In these cases, the staircase becomes the only passage. Intermediate landings, 180-degree turns, and ramps further reduce the available space. Measure the width of the narrowest passage along the entire route, not just the elevator.
If even a kit bed base does not fit (a rare but real case in some very old buildings), two solutions exist:
- The folding bed base, which folds in on itself and fits through openings of less than 60 cm. Comfort is lower, but practicality is maximized.
- Passing through the window with a lift, a more expensive solution but allows for the delivery of a monobloc bed base up to the fourth or fifth floor.
- The slatted bed base without a rigid frame, where the elements are transported one by one and placed on a metal frame assembled on-site.
Check Access Before Confirming the Order
Several bedding stores in Nantes offer a technical visit before delivery. Request it. The delivery person checks the dimensions of the elevator, the staircase, and the apartment doors. This step avoids a return of merchandise and associated costs.
A well-chosen bed base in dimensions always fits, provided that you have anticipated every bottleneck along the route. The kit format or the configuration of two bed bases remains the safest options for a collective Nantes building. Take your measurements, compare them to the packaging dimensions of the targeted model, and the delivery will proceed without any unpleasant surprises.