DIY measuring guide
How to Measure Curtains
Curtains are measured differently from blinds. A blind covers an opening; a curtain dresses a wall. You are choosing how wide the track should run and how far the fabric should fall, and both are style decisions as much as measurements. This guide walks through the two numbers we need, width and drop, and how to pick them so the finished curtain looks intentional.
Our DIY curtains are made to the sizes you enter, with the track included, so once you have the two numbers you can price the whole thing online.
The two measurements
Width is the track. Drop is track to floor. Everything else is preference.
The width you enter is the full length of the track, not the window. Run the track wider than the glass on both sides so the curtain has somewhere to stack when it is open; a curtain that bunches over the window blocks light all day and makes the window look smaller.
The drop is measured from the top of the track to wherever the hem should finish. Floor-length is the default for a reason: it makes ceilings look higher and rooms look finished.
Step 1: decide where the track fixes
Tracks can fix to the wall above the window or to the ceiling. Ceiling fixing is the modern look: the curtain runs from cornice to floor and the window reads as a full wall of fabric. Wall fixing suits rooms with cornices or services in the way, and the higher you fix it above the window frame, the taller the window appears.
Whichever you choose, check what the track will screw into. Plasterboard alone will not carry a curtain long-term; the fixings want studs, joists or solid backing along the track line. If you are not sure what is behind the plaster, that is a good reason to use the fitted service instead.
Step 2: measure the width, with stack room
Mark where you want the track to start and end, extending past the window opening on each side. That extra track is the stack room: the space the open curtain folds back into. Wide windows and heavy fabrics need more of it; small windows need less. Measure the full distance between your marks in millimetres. That is your width.
If the track must run wall to wall, simply measure the wall and let the stack sit over the glass edges; it is a look plenty of people choose on purpose. For corner windows or very wide openings beyond the DIY size range, book a measure instead and we will design the run.
Step 3: measure the drop and pick the hem
Measure from the top of the track position straight down to the floor, at both ends and in the middle of the run. Floors are rarely level, so use the shortest number if you want the hem to clear the floor along the whole track.
Then decide how the hem should sit. Just off the floor is the practical choice and the easiest to vacuum around. Brushing the floor looks tailored. Puddling, with extra fabric resting on the floor, is the softest and most relaxed. Enter the drop that matches the look you want.
Use a metal tape measure, write every number down in millimetres as you take it, and measure each window separately even when they look identical. They almost never are.
Measured like this? Price it online.
Enter your width and drop, pick a sheer or blockout fabric, and see the price instantly. Track included, shipped Australia-wide.
Curtain measuring questions
Do I measure the window or the track?
The track. Your width is the full length of the track, which should run wider than the glass so the curtain can stack clear of it. The curtain's fullness is handled in the making.
How much wider than the window should the track be?
Enough that the open curtain stacks mostly on the wall rather than over the glass. The wider the window, the more stack room it needs. When in doubt, go wider; a track that is too short cannot be fixed later.
Where do I measure the drop from?
From the top of the track down to where you want the hem to finish. For our S-fold curtains the fabric hangs below the track, so track-to-floor is the number to capture.
Should curtains touch the floor?
Floor-length almost always looks best: either just clearing the floor, brushing it, or puddling for a softer look. Sill-length suits kitchens and windows with furniture below.
What if my floor is not level?
Measure the drop at both ends of the track and the middle, and use the shortest if you want the hem to clear the floor everywhere. Wonky floors are common; the measurements deal with it.
What if I get a measurement wrong?
Send us your numbers before you order and we will sanity-check them. Or skip the tape measure entirely: in Melbourne the measure and quote is free, and the sizes become our job.
More guides: How to measure roller blinds and how to install roller blinds.
Free, in your home, Melbourne
Rather not measure at all?
In Melbourne, we do it for you. Free measure and quote, fabric samples brought to your home, and the sizes become our responsibility.