How to Measure Your Windows for Made-to-Measure Curtains (a 10-Minute Guide)

Measuring for made-to-measure curtains takes about ten minutes, a steel tape, and someone to hold the other end. The fear of measuring, on the other hand, sells a lot of in-home consultation appointments.

Here is how to measure for curtains the way we do it ourselves: three numbers, written down twice. And before the steps, the answer to the question you are actually asking, which is what happens if you get a number wrong. If you measure wrong, we remake the curtain, and you pay for the new fabric and manufacture only, never the full price twice. That is the written policy, not a favour you have to negotiate on the phone.

TL;DR: Use a steel tape and measure in millimetres. Decide wall or ceiling mount first. Width is your track length, or wall to wall for the full designer look. Drop is the top of the track to the floor, sent exactly as the tape says, because we allow the 10 mm floor clearance for you. Measure everything twice. If a number is still wrong, the remake policy covers you.

What you need

• A steel tape measure (fabric tapes stretch and lie)
• A pencil and something to write on
• A second pair of hands for wide windows

Measure in millimetres: every configurator field and every factory order works in mm, so staying in one unit removes the most common source of error.

Decide where the curtain will sit before you measure

Wall mount or ceiling mount, decide this first because it changes both numbers. Wall mounting suits most homes: the track sits 100 to 150 mm above the window frame. Ceiling mounting gives the full floor-to-ceiling look and makes rooms feel taller. Our measuring guide shows both with diagrams.

Width: cover the wall, not the glass

The generous option is wall to wall: measure the full width of the wall and we make the track and curtains to span it. If you are framing just the window, your width is the track length, which should extend 150 to 200 mm past each side of the frame so the curtains clear the glass when open.

One honest note while we are here: blockout is the fabric, but a dark room is mostly about the edges. The further the fabric runs past the frame, the less light sneaks around it. That overlap does more for a bedroom than any fabric upgrade, and it costs you nothing but wall.

Enter the total width in the configurator and we handle the fullness, so the fabric arrives properly gathered rather than stretched flat.

Drop: top of the track to the floor, exactly as the tape says

Measure from the top of the track, or the line where it will sit, straight down to the floor, and send the exact number. Do not subtract anything: we allow a 10 mm clearance in manufacture so the curtain hangs clean without dragging. Finishing at the sill instead? Same idea, measure to your finish point.

Measure twice. It is the whole trick.

Write each number down as you go, then do the window again from scratch and compare. If the two passes disagree by more than a few millimetres, a third pass settles it. Order #1 through this store was the founder's own house, measured with exactly this process. The curtains fit.

The mistakes that cause remakes

• Measuring the glass instead of the coverage area.
• A fabric tape that stretched years ago.
• Mixing centimetres and millimetres in the same order.
• Assuming two windows in the same room are twins. They differ by 30 mm more often than you would think.
• Deducting your own clearances. Send exact sizes; the deductions are our job.

When not to do this yourself

Bay windows, corner windows, very wide spans, or anything you are not sure about: stop and email photos with your rough sizes to contact@mekaninteriors.com.au and we will sanity-check them before anything is cut. We would much rather spend ten minutes up front. And if you want to feel the fabric before any of this, free samples ship free anywhere in Australia.

Questions we get about measuring

Should curtains touch the floor?

They should look like they do. The 10 mm clearance we build in reads as touching without collecting dust. If you want fabric pooling on the floor, add the extra length to your drop measurement.

Do I measure the window or the track?

The track. If one is already installed, its full length is your width. If not, plan for 150 to 200 mm past each side of the frame, or go wall to wall.

What if I measured wrong?

We remake it. You pay for the new fabric and manufacture only, never the full price twice. The policy is written into our terms, not buried in fine print.

Wall mount or ceiling mount?

Wall mount suits most rooms and sits 100 to 150 mm above the frame. Ceiling mount earns its keep with high ceilings, or when you want the wall-of-fabric look. The measuring guide has diagrams of both.

Ready to price it? Open the curtain customiser, enter your numbers, and you will see your exact price on the spot, no quote appointment required. Still unsure about a measurement? Call 0424 309 389 and you will be talking to the founder, not a call centre.