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How to measure for curtains

Measuring for curtains
How to measure up for pencil pleat and eyelet curtains, and choose the right size drapes for your window.
Before you begin measuring for your curtains
With the tools below you should be ready to get started!
- Steel tape measure
- Somewhere to note down measurements as you go
How to measure for eyelet curtains
- For the width measurement, using your metal tape measure, measure the length of your curtain pole excluding the finials. If you don’t have a pole up, as a general rule of thumb we recommend measuring the width of your window plus 20cm either side.
- The length is a matter of taste, for eyelet curtains measure from the top of the curtain pole down to your chosen length. The guide below shows the three most popular ways to have your curtain length.
How to measure for pencil pleat curtains
- For the width, take your steel tape measure and take the length measurement of your track or pole, excluding the finials on your curtain pole. If you don’t have a track or pole up, as a general rule of thumb we recommend measuring the width of your window plus 20cm either side.
- Now to take the drop measurement. For pencil pleats on a track, measure the drop by starting from the top of the track, and for pencil pleats on a curtain pole, measure from the eye of the curtain rings (where you’ll be hooking your curtains into).
- Measure from either of these points down to your chosen end point and that’s your drop measurement. The length is a matter of taste, however there is a handy guide below explaining how to measure to the most popular lengths.
About curtain drops
The drop of your curtains, also known as the length, is a matter of taste so just consider the following as a guide. Generally people choose one of three options: just above the windowsill (by 1cm), below the sill (by 15cm), or floor length (ending 1cm above the floor). Your choice on this can be guided by the look you want to achieve plus any practical factors, like if you have a radiator under the window or want to keep fabric out of the way of pets.
Our Readymade Curtains
Our Made To Measure options
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