Ultimate Guide To Measuring For Curtains
Before measuring your windows, you'll need to make a few decisions about your curtain design:
1. Track Position: Face Fix or Top Fix?
First, you'll need to decide if you'd like your curtains to hang just above your window (Face Fix) or hang from the ceiling (Top Fix)?
Top fix is ideal if your window is close to the ceiling or you installing inside a recess. If you have a cornice or would like a smaller curtain, face-fix is a great choice.
(If installing top fix inside a bulkhead or recess, you will need at least 100mm of clearance)
2. Wall to wall or just over the window?
Next you'll decide whether you'd like the width of your curtains to span your wall or just cover the width of your window?
Wall To Wall:
- Great for living areas
- Ideal for covering multiple windows
- Allows more light when open
Cover Window:
- Great for bedrooms
- Ideal for smaller windows
- Limits some light for blockout
3. How you’d like your curtains to sit on the floor?
Finally, you'll need to decide if you'd like your curtains to sit just above the floor or puddle?
Puddling is ideal if you want a luxe look but not great if you have pets. Expect some creasing in the fabric
Having your curtains finish just above the floor will give you a modern style and easier maintenance
Floors can be uneven and all fabrics fall in a different way. Getting your curtain to ‘kiss the floor’ can be difficult, so we recommend either designing it to sit just above the floor or to puddle
You've made your decisions about how you'd like your curtain to hang. Now it's time to measure! Follow the below instructions for an easy guide to measuring.
How To Measure Face-Fix Curtains
Measure The Width
Covering The Window
If you've decided to measure so that your curtain just covers the window, follow the below steps:
1. Measure the width of your window
2. Add between 100 and 150mm to each side. This will ensure that when the curtains are fully open, they frame the window and allow as much light as possible.
Remember: curtains will bunch approx 30% of the width of your track. If using a centre opening curtain, fabric will bunch 15% on each side.
Wall to wall
If you want your curtains to cover the whole wall, follow the below steps:
1. Measure the width of your wall from left to right
2. Take a 10mm deduction (5mm each side) from your width to allow for the track
Measure the Drop
1. For Face Fix curtains, the track should sit around 100 millimetres above the top of the window frame.
2. Measure from the track position down to where you want the curtain to finish. Take this measurement on the left and right-hand sides of the track. Select the smaller of the two measurements.
3. If you want a puddling effect, we recommend adding 30mm to your selected drop measurement.
4. Or to have your curtains sit just above the floor, we recommend deducting around 5mm from the selected drop measurement to ensure your curtains fit just above the floor
Keep in mind that floors can be uneven and all fabrics fall differently. Getting your curtain to ‘kiss the floor’ can be difficult, so we recommend either designing it to sit just above the floor or to puddle. Fabric can move up to 3%.
How To Measure For Top-Fix Curtains
If top-fixing your curtains., you'll need at least 100 mm to accommodate a single curtain.
Measure The Width
Covering The Window
If you've decided to measure so that your curtain just covers the window, follow the below steps:
1. Measure the width of your window
2. Add between 100 and 150mm to each side. This will ensure that when the curtains are fully open, they frame the window and allow as much light as possible.
Remember: curtains will bunch approx 30% of the width of your track. If using a centre opening curtain, fabric will bunch 15% on each side.
Wall to wall
If you want your curtains to cover the whole wall, follow the below steps:
1. Measure the width of your wall from left to right
2. Take a 10mm deduction (5mm each side) from your width to allow for the track
Measure The Drop
1. Position your measuring tape at the ceiling and measure down to where you’d like the curtain to finish. Take this measurement in two separate places.
2. Just above the floor we recommend deducting around 5 millimetres from the selected drop measurement to ensure your curtains fit just above the floor; OR
3. If you want a puddling effect, we recommend adding 30mm to your selected drop measurement.
Keep in mind that floors can be uneven and all fabrics fall differently. Getting your curtain to ‘kiss the floor’ can be difficult, so we recommend either designing it to sit just above the floor or to puddle. Fabric can move up to 3%.
