Installing curtains onto your window is not a hard task as long as you manage to measure the curtains with your windows accurately because sometimes windows are designed with a wide variety of sizes. Therefore, measuring your windows is the most important before you can install the curtains onto them. The standard measurements that you can use as guidelines for your window curtains and drapes are at least 6 inches above the frame of your window, 3 inches beyond the window’s sides and also 3 inches below its bottom. Whatever height that you choose for hanging your curtains is one of the simple steps that you could take in order to change your room’s appearance. It does not matter whether you make your own curtains or purchase from your home décor centre or even order it custom made, getting the correct measurement of the window is important factor when you want to install curtains for your home.
To measure curtains, you need:
- Measuring Tapes
- Paper And Pencils
Measuring Curtains
The Correct Way for Measuring Curtains
- First thing that you need to do is to determine what type of curtains to use for your home. You can choose several available types such as the floor-length formal drapes, informal tab-tops or even the café styled curtains.
- Floor-length curtains usually gently brush the floor of your house and you do not hide it from view of your guest.
- It also has standard sizes enabling you to adjust whenever you install it onto the curtain rod in order to accommodate any of the extra length of the curtain.
- Floor-length curtains usually gently brush the floor of your house and you do not hide it from view of your guest.
It is important to use accurate measuring tool like a retractable metal tape measure like the one used by carpenters. It is recommended that you use a retractable metal tape rather than using a sewer’s cloth tape because it will always remain flat and tight to the surface that you want to measure. A sewer’s cloth tape measure always slip or bend when you use them to measure your curtain thus resulting to a bad measurement of the curtain.
- You also need to decide where you want to place your curtain rod. It should be placed at least 6 inches above your window frame.
- However, you can even place it higher or lower than the above mentioned measure in order to create a dramatic look especially if you have a tall and deep window within the window frame.
- For those of you who like café styled curtains, it normally comes in pairs with two rods where the top rod is used for holding the valance. It will be positioned inside your window frame while the lower rod will be placed halfway down your window. You can also place it according to the height of a glazing bar.
- Your measurement should start down from the lower rod placement right to the bottom edge of your window opening which is the length of your larger curtain piece.
- In order to create curtain fullness, you need to measure your window starting from side to side and then multiply them by two.
If you are using a wall mount, you have to place your curtain hardware on the wall around the window in order to create a large appearance for your window. The hardware should be mounted at least 3 inches beyond the window trim on each side and also 4 to 6 inches on top of your window trim. These measurements should be added on to the width and height of your raw dimensions of the window enabling you to get the right size for the curtains.
- However, you can even place it higher or lower than the above mentioned measure in order to create a dramatic look especially if you have a tall and deep window within the window frame.
- Another thing that you need to decide is the coverage that you want.
- A standard curtains normally stretch approximately 6 inches above your window frame along with 2 to 3 inches for both of its sides as well as 2 to 3 inches for its bottom.
- You should also take into consideration how much sunlight that you want to prevent from entering your house especially if your windows face the east.
If you like to draw attention to the original size of your window, you can use the trim mount option. For using the trim mount, your curtain hardware needs to be placed directly on the molding on both side of the window. In order to get the yardage for the trim mount, you can simply use the measurements from your actual window size because the size normally includes the trim.
- A standard curtains normally stretch approximately 6 inches above your window frame along with 2 to 3 inches for both of its sides as well as 2 to 3 inches for its bottom.
- The next step is to take a tape measure and start to measure starting from your curtain rod right until your desired bottom point. Then, proceed to measure from side to side.
- Then, you need to multiply the side-to-side measurement by in order to create generous full curtains.
For those who like to make Roman Shades or when you have nice decorative molding surrounding the window that you would like your guest to view, you can make use of the inside mount. You only need to mount the curtain hardware just inside the edge of your window which is along the inside edge of the trim. It is easier to measure when you are using the inside mount because you only need to measure starting from the inside edge f the window’s molding right to the opposite inside edge of the molding.
Always remember that whenever you want to measure curtains for your windows,
- You must ensure that your interior decorator or curtain salesperson understands that the measurements that you provide to them are the desired finished dimensions of your curtains and not your window’s dimension. However, it is always helpful if you would be able to provide your window dimensions along with the measurement of your curtains.
- Measuring your window should start by placing the end of your tape measure along the outside edge of your window’s molding and not along its glass. You need to also measure the opposite outside molding edge of your window.
- As for measuring the height of your window, you should place the end of your tape measure along the top edge of your window’s molding and measure it until you reaches the window sill.
- Then, you need to multiply the side-to-side measurement by in order to create generous full curtains.
