How to Measure a Chandelier – Easy Guidelines

We get more than a few questions asking how we measure our chandeliers. What exactly does the listed length (height) of a chandelier include? How do you measure the width?

Simply put, the listed length is from the point that the chain attaches at the top of the chandelier to the lowest point on the chandelier.

Hanging light fixtures that hang by chain have a metal loop at the top. This loop is part of the chandelier, not part of the chain, and exists so that there is something to attach the chain. Very logical. We include that top loop in the measured length.

Most chandeliers require a screw loop assembly to hang a chandelier from a ceiling box. Keep in mind that the screw loop assembly, or “hook-up”, plus the one link of chain that MUST attach the screw loop to the top loop of the chandelier, takes up about 4″ of space. So when figuring how much chandelier will fit in a space, keep these extra 4″ in mind as it will cause your chandelier to hang lower than just the actual chandelier length. (34″ long chandelier + 4″ hook-up will make your chandelier hang 38″ from the ceiling.)

We then measure down the chandelier to the lowest point, which in this case is the bottom of the crystal ball. On our chandeliers, we position these balls to where we think they look best, but they are slightly adjustable.

Measuring the width of a chandelier can be a bit trickier. Because you can’t lay a ruler through the middle of most chandeliers and because some chandeliers have odd numbers of arms (branches), I think the easiest way to get a width is to measure the radius: half way – from the center of the chandelier to the outer edge. Then, double that figure to get the diameter. (See, there you go, using Geometry!)

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