Will A Treadmill Fit Through A Doorway? (Most Can)

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Having a treadmill in your home is very convenient for getting fit and healthy. I always recommend you have them assembled in the room you want to keep it in. But there may be occasions when you want to move it. Perhaps you’re moving house or there’s a reason you need it in another room. At some point it’s going to have to go through a doorway, but will it fit?

Planning

Some treadmills will fit easily and some may take some work to get through. Whatever you do, you need to plan carefully. First you’ll need a tape measure or some other measuring device. Measure the doorway width and height. They’re normally 30 inches or 80 cm wide but it’s best to make sure. The height measurement is important too.

Now you need to measure every aspect of the treadmill, height, length and width. It will be really helpful to have the owner’s manual, hopefully you kept it when you bought it. If not, you can normally find them on the manufacturers website or a Google search may show where it can be downloaded, especially with older machines.

You might need two or more people to help you move it. Extra care needs to be taken because of the electrical parts and motor doesn’t really like being manipulated this way. Manual treadmills are lighter than motorized ones, the manual or makers website should tell you the assembled weight. Most treadmills are around 28 inches wide which should fit through a doorway and some have wheels at one end.

Consider renting a furniture dolly for those heavy treadmills to make everything easier. Then you just lift it on that and move it through the door and in place. If the unit is wider than the door then a dolly may add to the inconvenience. Sometimes removing the door might be all that’s needed. It’s something to consider so you can avoid damaging the treadmill.

Folding treadmills

These are a lot easier to fit through a doorway and easier to move because it’s a better size. Obviously initiate the folding mechanism and I recommend you have one person at either end of the machine depending on how heavy it is. If it has wheels then you’ll just need to lift one end and if it doesn’t then you should lift the whole thing.

Take it slow and easy. If it’s wider than the doorway then you’ll need to angle the treadmill on it’s side slightly until it fits. The good thing is that as it’s folded the center of gravity is low so it’s unlikely to tip over. Take care not to drop it or scrape it along the floor as you may rip the carpet. Even when it’s through still carry it slowly.

If the treadmill is very heavy then you may need 3 people to move it. Some of them can weigh 250+ lbs so getting it through a doorway by lifting it will be like a military maneuver! Work out which end of the treadmill is heavier and have two people on that end. Bend your knees as you lift so you don’t injure your back and hold it close to you.

Non Folding treadmills

These are a bit trickier. The center of gravity is higher due to the arms. You can’t turn it on it’s side due to the arms as well. This is where the manual or assembling diagram will be needed. You might need some tools and hopefully you’ve kept any Allen wrenches that were used during assembly. If it’s not as wide as the doorway it could be a case of careful lifting.

You may need to remove the arms to get the treadmill through the door. If you have the assembly instructions then it’s a case of working backwards and disassemble, measure once done and move. Pay attention to see if there are any wires that go down from the console as it needs to get it’s power from somewhere when it’s being used.

Make sure the treadmill is unplugged and also that the incline is flat. If you have no knowledge or expertise, if you don’t have any instructions or tools. You may need a technician to come out to you and disassemble the treadmill and then reassemble once moved. There are many fitness equipment repair companies who I’m sure could help for a price.

Summary

It’s not just doorways you need to navigate if you’re moving your machine upstairs or downstairs. That’s why you should always assemble it in the right room you when you first buy it. If you or anyone else feels any pain when lifting or moving the treadmill, then stop right away. You may not be used to lifting heavy equipment.

If you’re moving home you could always hire movers to do the work. I still advise you do some measurements to see what may be involved for them. Whatever you choose to do, moving your treadmill through a doorway need not be a major headache. With some planning and extra help, it’s the sort of task that will hopefully be straight forward for you.

Thinking of buying a treadmill? Here’s my favorite, I always recommend it when asked.