Wardrobe guide

How a fitted wardrobe project works, step by step.

Fitted wardrobes are made to the wall you have, floor to ceiling and wall to wall. This guide walks through each stage, who does it, and where made-to-measure wardrobes from DTJ fit in.

Wardrobe cabinets being made in the DTJ Interiors workshop

The stages

Nine stages from empty wall to finished wardrobes.

Stage 1

Work out what you need

List what is going in: long dresses and coats, shirts, folded clothes, shoes, bags and bedding. That decides the mix of hanging, shelves and drawers.

Stage 2

Measure

Measure the wall, the ceiling height and anything in the way. Our wardrobe measuring guide shows how, including sloping ceilings and chimney breasts.

Stage 3

Choose the layout

Pick the height, the widths and an interior for each wardrobe, plus any chests, bedsides or a dressing table. We set out the run to fill the wall.

Stage 4

Choose the doors

Hinged Bella doors in 35 styles, our own MDF doors, handleless with an integrated rail, or sliding doors in mirror, glass or Egger board.

Stage 5

Quote and drawings

We draw the run in PolyBoard and send a quote with drawings, showing every wardrobe, its width, and where the scribes and fillers fall.

Stage 6

Order

Check the drawings, approve them in writing and pay a 50% deposit. Wardrobe cabinets take 1 to 2 weeks to make.

Stage 7

Prepare the room

Move any sockets or switches that would end up behind the run, and decorate the walls and ceiling before the wardrobes go in.

Stage 8

Fit

Your fitter levels the carcasses, fixes them to the wall, scribes the end panels and fillers to the walls and ceiling, then hangs the doors.

Stage 9

Finish

Plinths, top fillers, handles, interior fittings and any lighting go in last.

Decide first

Six things to decide.

1 · Height

How tall

Our wardrobes are 2160mm high as standard, for a 2155mm door, or made to height up to 2300mm. Top boxes and bridging units take a run up to the ceiling.

2 · Widths

How wide

Single wardrobes are 400, 450, 500 or 600mm wide and doubles 800, 900 or 1000mm, all 600mm deep. We set out the widths to fill your wall, with scribes and fillers where they need to fall.

3 · Interiors

What goes inside

Each wardrobe has one of five layouts: double hang, hang and shelves, five shelves, or a hanging rail over two or three drawers. Mix them along the run to suit what you store.

4 · Doors

Which doors

Bella doors from BA Components in 35 styles and 57 colours, made full height from 1700 to 2540mm, or our own one-piece MDF doors. Or go handleless, with an integrated handle rail.

5 · Hinged or sliding

How they open

Hinged doors open each wardrobe fully. Sliding doors suit a narrow room because nothing swings out, in mirror, glass or Egger board.

6 · Matching pieces

Chests and bedsides

Drawer chests, bedsides and dressing tables are built from the same carcass, so the fronts, finish and edges match the wardrobes.

Who does what

The trades you will need.

TradeWhat they do
Fitter or joinerFitting the carcasses, scribing end panels and fillers, hanging doors and fitting sliding door tracks
ElectricianMoving sockets and switches, and adding a socket for LED lighting if you need one
DecoratorWalls and ceiling, ideally before the wardrobes go in
Carpet fitterWardrobes usually go in before a new carpet, which is then fitted up to the plinths. Ask your fitter which they prefer.
DTJ InteriorsWardrobes, chests and bedsides made to your sizes, with doors and interiors, supplied ready to fit

How long it takes

Timings to plan around.

  • Making the wardrobe cabinets: 1 to 2 weeks from approved drawings and cleared deposit
  • Doors: BA doors and sliding doors have their own lead times, which we confirm on your quote
  • Fitting: depends on the length of the run and how awkward the room is; ask your fitter

Book your fitter for when the order is ready, and get any electrical and decorating work done first.

Where DTJ fits in

Made to measure, supplied for your fitter.

We make your wardrobes, chests and bedsides to your sizes in Long Eaton and supply them ready to fit. We don’t fit, but we can put you in touch with joiners who do.

Buying from DTJ

More on buying from DTJ.

Wardrobe guide

Measuring for fitted wardrobes

How to measure the wall, and fitting round sloping ceilings, eaves and chimney breasts.

Read the guide →

Wardrobe guide

Planning a walk-in wardrobe

Hanging, shelving and drawers, layouts and walkways, fittings and lighting.

Read the guide →

Guides

Planning guides

Step-by-step guides to kitchens, wardrobes, home offices, bathrooms, media walls and wall panels.

See all guides →

See it first

Samples

Board decor and door samples, £10 each and taken off your kitchen or bedroom order. Collect them from the workshop, or we post them in 3 to 5 working days.

Order samples →

Fitting

Find a fitter

We can put you in touch with local joiners who fit our cabinets.

Ask for a fitter →

Questions

FAQs

Prices, deposits, lead times, delivery, fitting and guarantees, answered in one place.

Read the FAQs →

Get a quote

Planning fitted wardrobes?

Send your room sizes and ceiling height to info@dtjinteriors.co.uk, call 0115 784 8231 or WhatsApp 07956 032306, and we will set out the run and send a quote with drawings.