What Size Curtain Rod Do I Need

Measuring for curtain rods sizes is elementary if you lot keep the following guidelines in mind.

How to measure for curtain rods

Some guidelines are fairly straightforward such as:

Measure your window from casing to casing or frame to frame. Don't mix and lucifer otherwise you will end upwardly with an uneven expect. If it is required to mix and friction match measurements, please give the states a call or e-mail united states of america so we can walk through it together and effigy out the best solution!

Window Frame and Casing illustration

Use a metal tape mensurate. Other types such as cloth can requite erroneous measures

Tape all measurements to the nearest i/16th of an inch

E'er double, triple check your measurements! Y'all don't want to cease upward in the same position as this footling fella...

Double check your measurements

Other things to keep in mind are a bit subjective and here are general guidelines for you lot to piece of work with:

WIDTH. When measuring for window widths, you are trying to derive the correct drape rod length while considering how much you would like your curtains to bear on by the window opening.

For determining advisable rod length, general industry rule of thumb is to add ~twenty% to the measured frame or casing width. Hither is a table to keep handy for determining rod lengths quickly:

window width guidelines

The factor to consider when measuring the width is space needed for the stack. When your curtains are opened, they will gather on either end – this is what is referred to as the "stack or stack dorsum". This is of import, especially when dealing with small windows as you volition want to expose as much of the window glass equally possible to requite an illusion of a larger window.

curtain stackback

As an case, if your window is 48 inches (4 anxiety) wide and your curtains split up in the middle. If the stack width of your chosen curtains is ten inches on either side, it would upshot in 10 inches of window glass on either side beingness covered by the gathered pall. In other words, a full 20 inches (or ~40%) of the 48 inches of window glass will be covered by the stack. Not ideal!

Ideally, you will want to take the stack pushed all the way over so that very little, if whatever, of the window glass is covered. To accomplish that, you would need to make certain the pall rod is at least twenty inches larger than the original window size of 48 inches, or 68 inches. This would result in all 48 inches of window glass showing when curtains are fully opened. Most platonic!

It is not necessary for your drapery to always clear the window glass; however, we recommend allowing at least 3 inches minimum on each side to let the curtains to open up completely! Let the sunlight through!

For about drapery, you should allow approximately ane-tertiary of the width of the window for the stack-back. If the pall fabric is unusually bulky, yous may need to add an extra inch or ii. Heavier fabrics and wider windows crave more of a stack-back than lighter-weight fabrics on narrow windows.

A skillful rule of thumb is to have the curtain rod extend iii to four inches from each side of the window frame. Using a pencil, make a small marker at the advisable width on the wall. Y'all may want to employ a level to brand certain the marks are straight.

Bookkeeping for Finials. Exist certain to consider the extra space required for decorative finials equally the rod dimensions will non include the additional width added by each finial. Finials come in a wide range of sizes, from ane.v inches to 9. If infinite is tight, you can ever opt for an end cap.

HEIGHT. Determining the appropriate height to hang your drapery rod is crucial to achieving a successful drapery installation.

Measure the height of your window treatments from the desired betoken (floor, window sill, etc.)

Measure on each side of your window to ensure that the window hardware is straight. Utilise a pencil to make a pocket-sized marker on the wall on each side of the window, at the correct height.

You lot volition desire to hang the drapery high enough then information technology covers the top of the window past at to the lowest degree a few inches if possible. If you are using tab / tie top curtain panels or clip rings which volition lower your curtain making it sit well below the rod, you will demand to move the rod upward a few inches as an allowance for the difference, thus ensuring the top of your window will not be visible through the 'gap' created by the tab / tie summit panels or the clip rings.

Draperies can too help create the illusion of a taller / higher ceiling. Y'all can achieve that past mounting your rod viii to 10 inches above your window; or for a more dramatic effect, two – iii inches below your ceiling line or simply below your crown molding or trim.

We recommend a minimum of iv inches to a higher place. By doing so, the drapery volition draw the eye up, creating a visually vertical line that gives the illusion of a higher ceiling. This creates a deluxe look, and is likewise helpful when you want to emphasize existing high ceilings or want to draw attending to intricate architectural details in a room.

If yous are using ready-fabricated draperies, check to see what lengths are bachelor, and decide on the rod height according to the advisable panel length for your ceiling pinnacle. Most set up-made drapery panels are bachelor in a diverseness of lengths, ranging from 84 inches, 96 inches, 108 inches and 120 inches. This offers flexibility without requiring custom drapery panels.

CWF PRO TIPS: Things get complex when determining how loftier to install pall rods.

From our professional experience over the years, we accept ascertained that most customers tend to initially want their rods hung as well low. Once nosotros explicate the blueprint and conceptual advantages of installing mantle rods higher, most tend to concur and end upward much happier and satisfied with the overall expect after the completed installation.

curtain install

A drapery rod becomes a focal betoken once it is installed, and if information technology is installed likewise depression it will create an optical illusion of a lower ceiling thus bringing down the peak of the room. The picture above sums that upwards pretty well. A pall rod installed higher makes the windows and room look taller, grander. The eye is tricked, creating the visual illusion of top.

Y'all can continue reading onto how to measure out for and select curtain rod sizes and brackets or browse our extensive curated selection of curtain rods to dress your windows similar you lot've always wanted.