When it comes to dressing your home, one of the most important aspects of it is the curtains. Windows are the focal point of each room, so you want to make sure that you not only have good quality curtains, but you also have good fitting curtains.
However, the measuring can be difficult especially if you don’t know where to start. Follow our 8 simple steps for measuring curtains for windows.
1. Chose Your Curtains
What type of curtains do you want? Do you want ones that fall the entire length to the floor or do you want those that hang just below the window frame? The first thing you need to do is decide on the type of curtains that will fit the room. If you have a small room, you don’t want floor-length as this will make the room look smaller.
2. Measure Your Curtain Pole
If you already have a curtain pole, you want to make sure that it fits wider than your window, so your first step is to measure the curtain pole.
However, when you measure it, you don’t want to include the end pieces, as the curtain won’t be reaching this far, instead just measure the pole.
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3. Measure Your Window Width
Once you have established how long your curtain pole is, you want to make sure that it is wide enough for your window, because you want some overhang on either side to make sure that your curtains fully cover the window.
Measure from a place where you’re not overextending or reaching to get the best measurement. Start at one end of the frame and extend the tape measure out to the other end, recording the number.
4. Compare Measurements
Once you’ve got the width of your window written down, compare it to the measurement of your curtain pole.
You will want at least 20cm on either side of the window to allow for the curtains to block out the light. If your curtain pole is the same width, you will need to invest in another.
5. Measure the Height of Your Window
So, you now know how wide your window is, the next step is to find out the height of it. You may need help to achieve the best measurement, so grab a step ladder and have someone hold it.
One thing to bear in mind is that you want to measure from where you will be placing the curtain pole rather than the top of the window. This is because you want the curtains to hang lower than the frame.
6. Find the Centre of the Window
You’ve now got the curtain pole length, the width of the window, and the height of the window written down. To make sure that the curtains draw in the middle and look presentable you want to find the center.
Take the measurement of the curtain pole, divide it by 2 and then mark this measurement on the wall. This is where the center of the curtain pole will be placed.
7. Measure the Width of Your Curtains
You’ve now got all your measurements in place for the window, so you want to make sure that the curtains are wide enough to not just cover the window but to have some space on either side.
This means they will block out the light. So lay the curtains flat and measure the width, it should be wider than the window.
If your curtains aren’t wider than the window then you may want to consider buying different ones, as you will want to make sure that they block out the light.
8. Measure the Length of Your Curtains
The final measurement that you need is the length of the curtains. You want to ensure that they hang lower than the frame or just above the ground depending on which ones you have opted for.
Make sure the measurement corresponds with the height of the curtain pole rather than the height of the window. This makes sure that you have enough clearance and enough curtain hang to block out the light.
Final Thoughts
Measuring a window for curtains isn’t a difficult process, however, it pays to make sure that you get all the measurements right off the bat.
This way you can save yourself time by working out if the pole does or doesn’t fit, the curtains are the right width and length, and you have the center point for the pole.
All of this prework makes sure that you don’t have to deal with curtains that are too short or too narrow and will fit just right. As the old saying goes, measure twice and cut once.
