How to measure ceiling fan size for any room

Getting a new ceiling fan isn’t as complicated as you think! Once you know how to measure ceiling fan size, you’re halfway there. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to show you how to measure rooms and ceiling fan sizes so you can find the right match.

After reading this guide, you’ll be ready to purchase and install your new ceiling fan! 

What to measure to get the right size for a ceiling fan

To get the correct ceiling fan size, you’ll need to take note of the following:

• Ceiling height

• Area of the room in square feet

• The sweep or blade span 

• The distance of the fan blades to the nearest wall 

• Length of downrod (for sloped or high ceilings)

If you don’t know how to get these measurements for your ceiling fan installation, no worries! We’ll guide you through the steps as well. 

How to measure a room for a ceiling fan

The first step is to determine the room area that can accommodate the ceiling fan. 

• Start with the ceiling height. Simply get a tape measure and measure from ceiling to floor. If you can’t manage to reach a ceiling on your own, you can get a local handyman to help you out. 

• Next, measure the area of the room. To do this, get the length and width of the room in feet, then multiply these 2 numbers.

Remember to measure twice and to take note of each figure. This helps you stay accurate when measuring ceiling fan sizes. 

Now, it’s time to learn how to measure a ceiling fan’s size.

How to measure a ceiling fan

How do you start measuring the size of a ceiling fan? It’s easy! You’ll need the sweep or blade span, as well as the downrod length. 

Step 1: Measure the sweep

• For ceiling fans with odd-numbered blades: Measure from the centre of the fan to the tip of a blade. Multiply this figure by 2 to get your sweep. 

• For ceiling fans with even-numbered blades: Measure from one blade tip to another. The result is your sweep. 

Here’s an example of how to determine ceiling fan size: 

Let’s say you have a ceiling fan with 5 blades, and the length from centre to blade tip is 26 inches. 26 x 2 = 52 inches. The ceiling fan size is 52 inches.

Step 2: Get the downrod length

• To do this, use a tape measure to get the height of the ceiling fan. This includes the motor housing and lighting fixture without the actual downrod. This figure will usually be between 8-12 inches. 

• Next, calculate your required downrod length. You can do this by using the formula (CEILING HEIGHT - FAN HEIGHT) - DESIRED HANGING HEIGHT = DOWNROD LENGTH.

Pro-tip: Remember that your fan blades should have at least 2 m of clearance from the floor, and at least 50 cm of clearance from the nearest wall, door, or window. 

Recommended ceiling fan size chart

Now that you know the dimensions you’re working with, it’s time to go through the various ceiling fan sizes to check for their measurements. 

Recommended ceiling fan sizes based on room size

Recommended ceiling fan downrod length based on ceiling height

As you can see, how to measure and get the right ceiling fan size is easy and straightforward! For example, if you want to know the best ceiling fan size for a master bedroom measuring 75 sq ft, you can get a 48-inch ceiling fan. 

Here’s another example. Let’s say you want to see if a 52-inch fan is too big for a 12x12 ft room. Based on the chart, this will be a bit too small to ventilate a 144 sq ft. room, but you CAN install multiple 52-inch units in the area. 

If you have 2.7 meter-high ceilings, you can get a downrod of up to 30 cm long. This allows for enough clearance. Of course, you can always check with a local handyman if you’re unsure about how to proceed with your ceiling fan installation. 

Additional tips to measure your ceiling fan

While you go about getting your ceiling fan measurements, here are some other tips that can help:

1. Check with an expert if your ceiling is strong enough to support the fan, and if the appropriate electrical junction box is installed. 

2. Your ceiling shape matters. While some ceiling fan units can accommodate a slope of up to 30 degrees, you might need a bracket or angled ceiling mount adapter.

3. If you’re getting light kits with your ceiling fans, note that these will add inches to the unit’s height.

4. When calculating clearance height and downrod length, account for the height of cabinets and doors. You don’t want the blades to knock over your furniture! 

Get your ceiling fan up and running

Now that you know how to measure ceiling fan size and room size, it’s time to install your new unit! Sounds complicated? Thankfully, you can leave this job to a highly-rated ceiling fan installer near you - and you can book one on Airtasker right now!