--- title: "The delivery path: doors, stairs and floors between the truck and the opening" description: "Every doorway, turn and stair the appliance must pass, the weight the floor has to carry, what to inspect before the crew leaves, and how the old unit should…" url: "https://applianceinstallation.center/guides/the-delivery-path-doors-stairs-and-floors/" date_modified: "2026-09-26" --- Get the space ready # The delivery path: doors, stairs and floors between the truck and the opening The appliance delivery path is every doorway, hallway turn, stair and floor between the truck and the final opening. Measure each narrow point against the appliance's depth and width, confirm the floor can carry heavy built-ins, which can exceed 800 pounds, protect finished surfaces, inspect the carton and the unit before the crew leaves, and make sure the old appliance leaves safely. By [ApplianceInstallation.center technical team](https://applianceinstallation.center/authors/technical-team/) Published September 26, 2026 ## At a glance. Most delivery-day failures happen before the appliance reaches its opening: a door frame an inch too narrow, a stair turn nobody measured, a floor that cannot take the weight. Walking the route with a tape measure a week ahead turns those surprises into a short list of things to fix or to tell the crew. Read the whole guide ### Heaviest units 720 to 820 lb for a 42- or 48-inch built-in True, before any food goes in. ### Floor under a built-in Rated for 150 lb per sq ft True asks for a flooring expert to confirm it. ### Lifting a built-in From the sides, with moving equipment Never by the front, back, doors or handles. ### Old cold storage Refrigerant recovered before scrapping EPA puts that duty on the final disposer. In this guide 1. Walk the route before delivery day 2. Weight: what the floor, the stairs and the crew must carry 3. Protecting finished floors on the way in 4. Inspecting the delivery before the crew leaves 5. The old appliance on its way out 6. Step by step 7. Questions ## Walk the route before delivery day Start at the curb and walk to the opening the way the crew will, noting every point where the appliance has to pass: the front steps, the entry door, hallway turns, interior doors, stairs and the last few feet into the kitchen or laundry. For each one, the question is whether the appliance's smallest side, usually its depth without doors and handles, fits through with the crew's hands and a dolly beside it. Mapping the appliance delivery path is a quarter of an hour with a tape measure and a notepad. Whirlpool's advice for moving a drying machine applies to any appliance: measure doorways and hallways first, and if the unit is too wide, take off the door or remove the obstruction. Many cold storage doors and handles come off by design, and the installation manual shows how, which can turn a tight doorway into an easy one. - Narrowest doorway, measured between the door stops with the door fully open - Hallway turns, measured as a diagonal as well as a width - Stair width, headroom at the landing and the direction of the turn - Railings, light fixtures and trim that can be removed for the day - The last few feet: an island, a peninsula or a closet door that swings in ### Measuring a doorway the way movers do The clear width of a doorway is smaller than the frame. The door itself, standing open, and the stop molding on the frame each take an inch or more. Measure between the stop on one side and the face of the open door on the other; if the appliance is within an inch of that figure, plan to take the door off its hinges before the truck arrives. Source: [Whirlpool — How to move a direct wired dryer](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Laundry/Dryers/Product_Info/Dryer_Tips_and_Tricks/How_to_Move_a_Direct_Wired_Dryer) — Measure doorways and hallways before moving; if too wide, remove the door or obstructions; use a dolly or appliance mover; [True Residential — 42/48 built-in installation manual](https://true-residential.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/848062-TR-42-48-C-Install-Manual_REV_C_EN.pdf) — 720 and 820 lb; lift only from the sides with moving equipment; tip hazard while uncrating; shipping brackets for moves; floor rated for 150 lb per sq ft; door removal section; tape the water line to the floor; inspect packaging and unit; 30-day cosmetic warranty ## Weight: what the floor, the stairs and the crew must carry Built-in columns are in a class of their own. True's 42- and 48-inch built-ins weigh 720 and 820 pounds, arrive on a skid, and must be lifted only from the sides with appliance moving equipment, never from the front or back and never by the handles, doors or hinges. True warns that they can tip while being uncrated and moved, must not travel without their shipping brackets, and need a floor rated for at least 150 pounds per square foot where they finally stand. Ordinary appliances carry more than their empty weight once they run. Whirlpool gives 315 pounds for one of its washing machines with water and a load, and asks for a floor that can support it, is level within 1 inch and is not carpet or foam-backed. An upstairs laundry room or an older floor structure deserves a look from underneath before a heavy pair arrives. ### Which way up it travels Each maker says how its appliance may be laid down during handling. GE has its built-in dish care machines laid on their back to remove the shipping base, never on their side, and True walks its built-ins off the back of the skid and guides them upright. If the crew plans to carry anything differently to get it around a turn, check the installation instructions first. Source: [True Residential — 42/48 built-in installation manual](https://true-residential.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/848062-TR-42-48-C-Install-Manual_REV_C_EN.pdf) — 720 and 820 lb; lift only from the sides with moving equipment; tip hazard while uncrating; shipping brackets for moves; floor rated for 150 lb per sq ft; door removal section; tape the water line to the floor; inspect packaging and unit; 30-day cosmetic warranty; [Whirlpool — Electrical supply needed for a washer](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Laundry/Washers/Product_Info/Washer_Installation_Support/Electrical_Supply_Needed_for_a_Washer) — Floor must support 315 lb with water and load; maximum slope 1 inch; carpet or foam-backed surfaces not recommended; [GE Appliances — Installation instructions, built-in dishwasher](https://products-salsify.geappliances.com/image/upload/s--yxlKQraa--/4e08089748bc59f01329d93f1d3a0456e6018299.pdf) — Lay it on its back, not its side; do not kick off the wood base; tips over when the door is opened without the base; report a damaged unit to the dealer or builder immediately Close on floor protection boards laid down a hallway to a kitchen. ## Protecting finished floors on the way in Rolling a heavy appliance across new hardwood, vinyl or tile concentrates its weight on small wheels and dolly edges. Hardboard or plywood sheets laid along the path spread that load and give the dolly a smooth surface, and they are worth having ready even if the crew brings its own. Ask for them to be taped at the seams so an edge cannot catch. The floor under the final position has its own requirements. Whirlpool asks for a floor covering installer to confirm the flooring under its freestanding cooking appliances can withstand at least 200°F. GE warns against kicking the wooden shipping base off a dish care machine, which damages it, and notes that the machine will tip forward if its door is opened once that base is removed and before it is secured. - Sheets of hardboard along the route, seams taped - Door jambs and stair nosings wrapped where the dolly will pass - A clear, swept spot in front of the opening for unpacking - Water line taped to the floor in its marked area before a built-in rolls in, as True directs Source: [True Residential — 42/48 built-in installation manual](https://true-residential.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/848062-TR-42-48-C-Install-Manual_REV_C_EN.pdf) — 720 and 820 lb; lift only from the sides with moving equipment; tip hazard while uncrating; shipping brackets for moves; floor rated for 150 lb per sq ft; door removal section; tape the water line to the floor; inspect packaging and unit; 30-day cosmetic warranty; [GE Appliances — Installation instructions, built-in dishwasher](https://products-salsify.geappliances.com/image/upload/s--yxlKQraa--/4e08089748bc59f01329d93f1d3a0456e6018299.pdf) — Lay it on its back, not its side; do not kick off the wood base; tips over when the door is opened without the base; report a damaged unit to the dealer or builder immediately; [Whirlpool — Installation instructions, 30-inch freestanding gas ranges (W10658550)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250817103740/https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/installation-instructions-W10658550-RevB.pdf) — Floor covering under the range must withstand at least 200°F ## Inspecting the delivery before the crew leaves True asks installers to inspect the outer packaging for damage before opening it, to follow its procedure for accepting deliveries, and then to inspect the appliance itself once the packaging is off. Its stainless doors, handles and shelves carry only a 30-day warranty for cosmetic defects, so dents and scratches need to be noted on the paperwork and photographed that day. GE's instructions say that a damaged unit should be reported to the dealer or builder immediately. Open every door and drawer, look along each side panel in raking light, and check the back for crushed tubing or a bent cord. Refusing or noting damage is far easier while the truck is outside than once the unit is built in. Source: [True Residential — 42/48 built-in installation manual](https://true-residential.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/848062-TR-42-48-C-Install-Manual_REV_C_EN.pdf) — 720 and 820 lb; lift only from the sides with moving equipment; tip hazard while uncrating; shipping brackets for moves; floor rated for 150 lb per sq ft; door removal section; tape the water line to the floor; inspect packaging and unit; 30-day cosmetic warranty; [GE Appliances — Installation instructions, built-in dishwasher](https://products-salsify.geappliances.com/image/upload/s--yxlKQraa--/4e08089748bc59f01329d93f1d3a0456e6018299.pdf) — Lay it on its back, not its side; do not kick off the wood base; tips over when the door is opened without the base; report a damaged unit to the dealer or builder immediately ## The old appliance on its way out Household refrigerators and freezers usually leave a home with their refrigerant still inside. EPA's rules make the last person in the disposal chain, such as the scrap recycler or landfill, responsible for making sure the refrigerant is recovered, and require a signed statement naming who recovered it and when if it arrives already empty. A haul-away that simply dumps the unit does not meet that. Doors come off before an old unit leaves the house. GE tells owners to remove the doors of a refrigerator or freezer being discarded, leave the shelves in place so children cannot easily climb in, and make any lock unusable; its laundry instructions ask for the door of an old drying machine to be removed as well. On a gas appliance, GE has the old flexible connector and ducting discarded rather than kept for the new unit. ### Old unit out before the new one comes in Taking the old unit off its supplies comes first: water closed and capped, gas closed and the connector removed, power switched off. Doing it the day before delivery frees the opening for measuring once more and keeps the crew from working around a live gas or water line. Source: [EPA — Stationary refrigeration safe disposal requirements](https://www.epa.gov/section608/stationary-refrigeration-safe-disposal-requirements) — Household refrigerators and freezers enter the waste stream with refrigerant intact; the final disposer must ensure recovery and keep a signed statement if it arrives empty; [GE Appliances — Side-by-side refrigerator owner's manual (49-60198)](https://www.geappliances.com/content/older-pdfs/49-60198.PDF) — Before discarding an old refrigerator or freezer, take off the doors, leave the shelves in place and make any lock unusable; [GE Appliances — Dryer owner's manual and installation instructions (49-3000386)](https://images.salsify.com/image/upload/s--xjgUHYwo--/adddbe062f46e3a5cfe1dabf3a195badcac0609e.pdf) — Remove the door before an old dryer is discarded; disconnect and discard the old flexible gas connector and ducting ## Where to stop Carrying a built-in column, a stacked laundry pair or anything over a few hundred pounds up stairs is crew work with moving equipment, never a family job. Disconnecting the old appliance's gas line, cutting a water line or pulling a hardwired cord is installer work; book a visit rather than doing it the night before. If a floor flexes visibly or cracks under a heavy unit, stop and have it assessed before the appliance is set in place. Written by [ApplianceInstallation.center technical team](https://applianceinstallation.center/authors/technical-team/). Installers who fit new household appliances, writing from real openings and hookups and each maker's installation instructions. Sources: [Whirlpool — How to move a direct wired dryer](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Laundry/Dryers/Product_Info/Dryer_Tips_and_Tricks/How_to_Move_a_Direct_Wired_Dryer) · [True Residential — 42/48 built-in installation manual](https://true-residential.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/848062-TR-42-48-C-Install-Manual_REV_C_EN.pdf) · [Whirlpool — Electrical supply needed for a washer](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Laundry/Washers/Product_Info/Washer_Installation_Support/Electrical_Supply_Needed_for_a_Washer) · [GE Appliances — Installation instructions, built-in dishwasher](https://products-salsify.geappliances.com/image/upload/s--yxlKQraa--/4e08089748bc59f01329d93f1d3a0456e6018299.pdf) · [Whirlpool — Installation instructions, 30-inch freestanding gas ranges (W10658550)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250817103740/https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/installation-instructions-W10658550-RevB.pdf) · [EPA — Stationary refrigeration safe disposal requirements](https://www.epa.gov/section608/stationary-refrigeration-safe-disposal-requirements) · [GE Appliances — Side-by-side refrigerator owner's manual (49-60198)](https://www.geappliances.com/content/older-pdfs/49-60198.PDF) · [GE Appliances — Dryer owner's manual and installation instructions (49-3000386)](https://images.salsify.com/image/upload/s--xjgUHYwo--/adddbe062f46e3a5cfe1dabf3a195badcac0609e.pdf) ## Step by step. Four steps, in the order worth doing them. 01 ### Measure the route Record every doorway, turn and stair between the curb and the opening. 02 ### Clear and protect Remove doors or trim that are too tight, and lay floor protection along the path. 03 ### Check the final spot Confirm floor strength, level and surface rating where the appliance will stand. 04 ### Inspect before signing Examine the carton and the unit, photograph any damage and note it on the delivery paperwork. For the heart of your home. ## Questions owners ask. ### What is the most common measurement people forget? The clear width of an interior doorway with the door open and the stop molding in place, which is often an inch or two less than the frame suggests. ### Can the doors come off to get through a tight doorway? On many cold storage models, yes, as the installation manual describes. Removing a room door from its hinges is often simpler still. ### Who is responsible for the refrigerant in the old unit? Under EPA rules the final disposer must make sure it is recovered. Ask the hauler where the unit goes and whether the refrigerant is recovered there. ### What should I do about a small dent noticed after the crew has gone? Photograph it and report it to the seller at once. Some makers limit cosmetic claims; True gives 30 days for its stainless finishes. ## The problems behind it. Each has a page of its own: what it usually means and the causes in the order worth checking. [All 17 problems](https://applianceinstallation.center/problems/) Problem ### Unit Too Big for the Opening: Cutout, Depth and the Delivery Path 6 causes, cheapest first Problem ### New Appliance Not Level: Rocking Cabinets and Uneven Gaps 6 causes, cheapest first ## When it needs a technician. The installations on the right are where this guide ends when the checks do not settle it. ### Old appliance disconnect and removal The old unit shut off, disconnected, capped and carried out, its opening cleaned for the new one. ### Built-in and panel-ready fitting Built-in columns, drawers, wall ovens and panel-ready models set to the cutout, anchored, connected, and custom panels hung and aligned. ### Pre-installation site check A visit before you order: opening, path in, gas, water, drain, power and exhaust checked against the spec sheet. ## More in get the space ready. Everything worth having ready before delivery: an opening that matches the maker's cutout drawing, a clear path through doors, stairs and floors, and the water, drain and exhaust rough-ins the new appliance will need. [The whole section](https://applianceinstallation.center/guides/installation-and-setup/) The opening, the path in and the rough-ins ### Cutout dimensions and the spec sheet: reading the numbers before cabinets are built Product size, opening size and the clearances above and beside the appliance are three different sets of figures. How to read them on a spec sheet before anyone cuts a cabinet. The opening, the path in and the rough-ins ### Water, drain and exhaust rough-ins: what must be in the wall before the appliance Supply stubs, drain heights, air gaps, standpipes, laundry exhaust openings and hood ducts: the rough-in figures the installation instructions give, and why they are set before the walls close. Guides ### All 18 guides Six sections, by what you are trying to find out. --- **[Read on the site: The delivery path: doors, stairs and floors between the truck and the opening](https://applianceinstallation.center/guides/the-delivery-path-doors-stairs-and-floors/)** **[Book a visit with ApplianceInstallation.center](https://applianceinstallation.center/schedule/)**