How to Measure for Curtains
Of all the window treatment decisions you will make, curtain measuring is the one that rewards a bit of patience and a clear plan before you start.
Curtains do things that no other window treatment does. The fabric softens a room, insulates it, blocks light, diffuses sound and, when the choice is right, makes a statement that sets the tone for everything else. They are the largest piece of fabric in most rooms and the one that does the most work, visually and practically.
With blinds, you are filling a space. With curtains, you are making a decision about the whole wall. How high the fixing goes, how wide it runs, how the fabric falls when open and when closed, all of it matters, and all of it starts with a tape measure and a clear head before anything else.
Here is what you actually need to know.
Track, Pole or Tracked Pole, Decide This First
Before you measure anything, you need to know what your curtains are hanging from. This affects where you fix, how high you go and how wide you need to be.
A pole is decorative and visible. The rings, the finials and the pole itself are all part of the look. Poles work beautifully in most rooms and are available in wood, metal and resin. They are best suited to hand-drawn curtains where the aesthetic of the pole is part of the design intention.
A track is functional. It is the right choice where a pelmet or lambrequin will cover the top of the curtain, where the heading is in a recess, or where practicality matters more than the look of the fixing. A track will always run more smoothly than a pole, particularly on wider windows. If the track is going to be visible, it is worth choosing one that looks considered rather than just functional. There are some very good-looking tracks available that sit somewhere between the two.
A tracked pole is the best of both. It looks like a beautiful wooden or metal pole from the front but operates on a track mechanism within it, making it ideal for corded or motorised curtains. If you want the aesthetic of a pole with the smooth operation of a track, this is the answer. It is the option we recommend most often on wider windows where hand-drawing a heavy curtain becomes impractical.
Once you know what you are working with, you can start measuring.
Step 1: Where Does the Fixing Go?
The first measurement is not the window itself. It is where your pole, track or tracked pole will sit.
Height above the window: go as high as you practically can. The higher the fixing, the taller the curtain, the taller the window appears and the more considered the room looks. As a minimum allow 10cm above the window frame. Where there is space to go higher, to the ceiling, to the coving, or just below a cornice, do it. The only constraints are the ceiling itself, any coving or architrave detail, and whether there is adequate wall to take the bracket fixing.
If the curtains are hanging above a door rather than a window the same principle applies. Measure from just below the door frame upwards and go as high as the space allows.
Width either side: go as wide as you practically can. Curtains that stack back over the wall rather than the glass give you better light when open and better light blockage when closed. As a minimum allow 10cm either side of the window or door frame, more is better where the wall allows it. Think about what is either side of the window, radiators, furniture, light switches, plugs, door frames, and measure to where the stack will clear those obstacles comfortably or be happy with reaching behind to operate electrics.
Step 2: Measure the Width
Once you know where your fixing will sit, measure the full width of the pole or track, not the window.
For a pole, measure the usable coverage, the section where the rings will run, and remember to allow for the finials at each end. Finials sit outside the usable width and can add anywhere from a few centimetres to considerably more depending on the style. They need wall space too.
For a track, measure the full length of the track.
This is the width your curtains will be made to. The width of the window itself is not the measurement that matters here.
Bay windows: if you are fitting into a bay, measure each section of the bay separately. A track can be bent to follow the angle of the bay, allowing the curtains to run continuously around it on one track. This is the neatest solution and always worth considering. A pole in a bay requires jointed sections at each angle, which works but is more complex to specify and fit.
One important note on bay windows with tracks: when a curtain hangs on a track that bends at an angle, the pleats will naturally dress forward rather than following the angle of the bay. Once you know to look for it, it is noticeable. If this bothers you, a pelmet across the bay is the cleanest solution. It hides the track entirely and the curtain beneath it just needs to hang and draw.
Remember with bay windows that you need to consider the returns into the room. Deep window sills might look good but you will need to cover them.
Step 3: Fit the Pole Before You Confirm the Drop
This is the step most people skip, and it is the one that causes the most problems.
Different heading types are measured from different points, and those points only exist once the pole or track is in place. A pinch pleat heading gives you more flexibility whereas a tape heading is restricted to where the hook pockets are. As a general guide:
If you have rings on a pole, measure from the bottom of the ring down to where you want the fabric to end.
If you have eyelets, measure from the top of the pole.
If you have a track and want to hide it, measure from the top of the track. The curtain needs to cover it.
If you have a track that is a design feature, a decorative track or tracked pole, measure from underneath the track so the fixing itself remains visible above the curtain.
Fit the pole or track first. Then take the drop measurement. In that order. Width x Drop.
Where the curtain ends is entirely a matter of preference and practicality:
On the sill: the curtain ends level with the window sill. Practical for kitchens, bathrooms and anywhere the curtain needs to clear an obstacle below such as a radiator or worktop.
Below the sill: the curtain drops a few centimetres below the sill. A good option where an on-the-sill curtain would look uneven but floor length is not practical.
Skimming the floor: ends just above the floor with around 1cm clearance. Clean, tailored and practical. The curtain hangs well and draws without catching. This is how we were taught to make, it's the classic, practical option.
Kissing the floor: just touches the floor with no clearance. A slightly softer finish than skimming. Looks beautiful when the curtain is still but can catch slightly when drawn. Currently on trend but not always practical.
Puddling: extends beyond the floor by 5 to 20cm or more, pooling in a deliberate excess of fabric. Unashamedly grand. It works in formal rooms and bedrooms where the curtains are a genuine design statement. Worth knowing it requires more fabric and is less practical in high-traffic rooms.
Measure the drop you want and be specific. A difference of 1cm between skimming and kissing the floor is immediately visible once the curtains are up.
Step 4: Think About Stack Back
Stack back is the width of curtain that sits either side of the window when the curtains are open. It is one of the most overlooked parts of curtain planning and one of the most important.
A pair of curtains that stacks entirely onto the wall, clearing the glass completely, will let in significantly more light and look considerably better than one that stacks partially over the window. This is why measuring wide either side matters. If there is not enough wall to absorb the stack, the curtain will sit over the glass when open.
Stack back is not something you can calculate from a tape measure alone. It depends on the heading, the fabric, the weight, the interlining and how the curtain is made. A heavily interlined triple pleat stacks very differently to a lightweight wave on a sheer voile. What matters at the measuring stage is that you leave enough wall either side to absorb it. How much that actually is comes down to the curtain itself, and that is a conversation worth having before anything is ordered.
A Note on Pattern Repeat
If your chosen fabric has a pattern, the repeat will affect how much fabric is needed, sometimes significantly. A large pattern repeat means more material is required to ensure the pattern runs continuously and matches across joins. This is something we work through carefully at the estimating and making stage, but it is worth remembering that patterned fabric almost always requires more material than a plain.
When to Get Help
Bay windows, angled ceilings, very wide windows, doors with limited wall space above them and any window where the fixing point is not obvious are all situations where a proper measurement visit is worth having before anything is ordered.
Curtains are one of those things where getting the measurements right at the start saves a great deal of difficulty later. A curtain that is 3cm too short or too long is not easily fixed.
If you are not certain, measuring is included as part of our made-to-measure service and we would rather come and look at the window properly than have you second-guess it from a distance.
