Before you can order that gorgeous set of made-to-measure blinds you’ve been eyeing up, you’ll need to make sure you’ve measured your window – and accurately. Our expert team, at AH Blinds, have put together a comprehensive guide to make measuring your window, as easy as possible for you. And don’t worry, you only ever need to measure the width and drop (length) of the window.
Tools:
Before we get into it, make sure you have these tools that will make measuring your blinds a lot easier:
– A Pencil – for all home improvement projects, we advise using a pencil rather than a pen because, well, pencils can be erased. So, you don’t have to worry about making any mistakes.
– Piece of Paper – to write down your measurement.
– Metal Tape Measurer – A metal tape measurer is advised over a soft one. As it’s rigid, a metal tape measure won’t wiggle around as you measure. We need accuracy, and cloth tape measures can sometimes stretch and provide unreliable readings.
Choosing The Types of Fitting:
The first, and probably hardest step is choosing how you want your blinds to fit on your windows. You have two options:
– Inside Window Recess Fitting: This is the best option if you want your blinds to mount inside a window recess. Blinds that fit inside the window recess will appear flush with the surrounding wall and won’t come past it once the fitting is installed, giving the blinds a seamless appearance. This is the most common option.
– Exact Fitting / Outside Window Fitting: Choose this fitting If your windows are flush with the wall or if you want your blind to cover the entire window recess. These blinds will extend centimetres past the window’s edge and begin above the window, covering the wall centimetres above, below, and to the left and right of your window opening.
Inside Window Recess Fitting:
This is the measurement you need to make if the blind needs to fit inside the window recess.
- Take three measurements of your window’s width: across the top of the recess, across the recess’s centre, and the recess’s bottom.
- Record each of the three measurements.
- The smallest measurement will be the overall width of your window.
- Now you will want to measure the drop/length of the blinds.
- Once more, take three measurements inside the recess: down the left side of the recess, down the centre of the recess, and the right side of the recess.
- Record each of the three measurements.
- The shortest measurement is what you’ll use for your window’s drop.
- Give the exact width and drop measurement to your blind manufacturer.
AH, Blinds Top Tips:
– Check that the recess is deep enough to fit a blind into it. Always be aware and take into account any obstructions, such as window handles in the recess.
– If your recess has tiles halfway up the wall (commonly found in bathrooms or kitchens). The smallest measurement will probably be between the tiles.
Exact Size Fitting / Outside the Window Recess:
This is the measurement you need to take if you want your blinds to hang outside the recess overlapping the window.
- Choose how much you want to overlap the side recesses. To reduce the chance of outside light peeping through, we advise at least 7.5cm at the top, bottom, and sides.
- Measure outside the recess from one side to the other, starting and finishing where you want the edge of your blind to be.
- Record the measurement.
- Measure from top to bottom, starting where you want the rail to end where u want the bottom of your blind to be.
- Record the measurements.
- Give the exact width and drop measurement to your blind manufacturer.
AH, Blinds Expert Tips:
– Make sure there is no furniture in the way of your window, this fitting will take up the wall space surrounding the window. If any furniture overlaps with your blinds, they won’t hang properly.
And that’s it! Pretty painless right?
Just remember: Always check your measurements twice!
Please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our team at AH Blinds if you have any questions or concerns about how to measure a window for your made-to-measure blinds.
Now that you have your measurement, start browsing our luxurious made-to-measure blinds today.
