Buying the wrong size cover is the single most common outdoor cover purchasing mistake — and it’s entirely avoidable. A cover that’s too small won’t close properly, leaving your equipment exposed. A cover that’s too large pools water on top, billows in wind, and actually creates more problems than it solves.

This guide covers the correct measurement technique for every major product category — from BBQ covers to caravan covers — so you get the fit right the first time.

Why Getting the Size Right Matters

It goes beyond aesthetics. An ill-fitting cover:

• Allows water ingress through gaps or loose areas
• Creates abrasion points where loose fabric rubs against surfaces in wind
• Pools water on flat top surfaces, adding weight that stresses seam integrity
• Lifts in wind if the hem can’t draw tightly under the item
• Looks unprofessional in outdoor settings (relevant for commercial or rental properties)

Conversely, a well-fitted cover:

• Seals snugly, excluding rain and debris
• Stays in position through wind and weather
• Drains water efficiently off its contoured surface
• Is easy to apply and remove without forcing

Taking five minutes to measure before purchasing is well worth the effort.

How to Measure for a BBQ Cover

BBQ covers are sized by width × depth × height.

Step 1 — Width: Measure the widest point of your BBQ, including side shelves if they’re regularly deployed and you want them covered.

Step 2 — Depth: Measure front to back at the widest point.

Step 3 — Height: Measure from the ground (or from the wheels/legs base if you want the cover to reach the ground) to the top of the lid when closed.

Key tip: If your BBQ has a hooded lid, measure with the hood closed at its highest point. If you want to cover the side tables in the folded-down position, measure with them folded. Add 5–8cm to each dimension to allow for comfortable fitting and removal.

How to Measure for Outdoor Furniture Covers

Furniture covers are sized by the overall footprint dimensions of the furniture group — not individual pieces.

Dining sets: Measure the table at its widest point (including any extended leaves if you use them regularly), then measure the full depth of the set with chairs pulled out to their normal dining position. Add chairs to the depth measurement, not just the table. Height = top of the tallest chair back.

Lounge and sofa sets: Measure the full width of the configuration as arranged (sofa + corner piece + armchair, for example), the full depth, and the height of the highest backrest.

Stackable chairs: If you stack chairs for storage under a cover, measure the stacked configuration — typically narrower but taller than a single chair.

Key tip: Measure with cushions in place if you plan to cover the furniture without removing cushions. This is the more common scenario for Australians, particularly for quick weather cover-ups during unexpected showers.

How to Measure for a Caravan or RV Cover

Caravan cover sizing is primarily about length, but width and height matter for full covers.

Length: Measure from the very front of the tow hitch (or A-frame) to the rear of the caravan body. This is the overall length including any protruding hardware.

Width: Measure at the widest point of the van body, including any external storage boxes or awning rail brackets.

Height: Measure from the ground to the highest point on the roofline (not including any roof-mounted accessories like solar panels or AC units unless the cover is specifically designed to accommodate them).

For roof covers only: Length is measured from the front roof edge to the rear roof edge, and width from side to side at the roofline. Roof covers typically add a generous overhang to protect the upper side walls.

Key tip: Always measure your own van rather than relying on manufacturer’s “nominal” size. Van bodies vary by 5–15cm between models of the same advertised length.

How to Measure for a Motorcycle Cover

Motorcycle covers are sized by overall length and height.

Length: With the bike on its stand (side stand or centre stand), measure from the very front of the wheel (or front mudguard) to the rearmost point — which may be the tail light, number plate holder, or a luggage rack.

Height: Measure from the ground to the highest point — typically the top of the windscreen or the top of the seat if there’s no screen.

Width: For most standard bikes, width isn’t a critical measurement — covers are cut generously in width to accommodate varying handlebar and mirror widths. For very wide touring bikes or Harleys with wide fairings, check the cover’s specified maximum width.

Key tip: Include mirrors in your length measurement if they extend beyond the handlebar ends — they’re often the longest point on naked bikes and standards.

How to Measure for a Boat Cover

Boat cover sizing requires hull length, beam width, and height.

Hull length: Measure at the gunwale (the upper edge of the hull) from bow tip to transom (rear), excluding any outboard motor.

Beam: The widest point of the hull, typically measured at the widest point of the gunwale.

Height: From the gunwale at its highest point to the highest fixed point inside the boat — typically the windscreen, bimini frame attachment, or console.

For trailerable covers: Also note the position of trailer cross-members relative to the hull, as well-designed covers include reinforced contact points at common cross-member positions to prevent abrasion.

Key tip: Boat covers are typically sized in 2-foot increments (e.g., 14–16ft, 16–18ft). Always choose the size that accommodates your full measurement — a cover slightly larger than your boat is always preferable to one slightly smaller.

General Measurement Tips

• Use a flexible tape measure, not a rigid ruler or laser. Hull curves, furniture configurations, and caravan profiles all require a measure that conforms to shape.
• Measure twice, note the larger dimension. If your furniture is 178cm wide at the table but 185cm wide when the chairs are in the extended outdoor position, use 185cm.
• Note any protruding features — BBQ handles, furniture armrests, bike mirrors, caravan aerials — that might be damaged by a cover that fits too tightly.
• Check the size chart on the product page rather than relying on size names alone. “Large” means different things across different manufacturers.

All Cacatua cover product pages list dimensions clearly — width, depth, and height for furniture covers; length and size range for vehicle covers. If your measurements fall at the boundary between two sizes, always choose the larger.

Shop Cacatua’s full range of correctly sized outdoor covers at cacatua.com.au — with clear size guides on every product page.