Guide to Measuring for Window Treatments

New window treatments can transform a room’s decor, offer insulation, control sunlight, and provide privacy. If you are ready for new window treatments and have decided on the functionalities and styles, the next step is to measure your windows. Window treatments require precise measurements to ensure the perfect fit; windows are hardly ever perfectly square or even alike in measurements. So, we will help walk you through how to measure for new blinds or shades in a few easy steps.

Note: The following window measuring instructions apply to most blinds and shades products, including wood blinds, roman shades, roller shades, solar shades, sheer shades, cellular shades, woven wood shades, and pleated shades. If you’re shopping for shutters, draperies, vertical blinds, arched window treatment, bay, bow or other specialty window treatments situations, contact us today for more information about our window treatment measurement and installation services.

Tools Necessary for Measuring for Window Treatments

To ensure your window treatments are the perfect fit, it’s important that you have the most accurate measurements, and a steel measuring tape is the best way to get that. While you can collect measurements using a yardstick or cloth measuring tape, they won’t provide the necessary accuracy.

Keep in mind when measuring to round to the nearest ⅛”.

Choose a Mount for Your Window Treatments

Blinds or shades can be hung in two ways, either an inside mount or an outside mount. Before you collect your measurements, you’ll need to decide how your window treatments will be mounted.
With an inside mount, the window treatment is mounted inside the frame of the window with the brackets screwed attached to the top of the window casing.
With an outside mount, the window treatment will need to be larger in order to mounted outside the window frame.

How to Measure for an Inside Mount of Blinds or Shades

Measure the Width- You’ll want to start by measuring the width of your window at three place inside the frame- the top, middle, and bottom. Take note of these numbers and do not make any deductions. If there is any variation between these three measurements, you’ll want to go with the smallest measurement to make sure that the blinds or shades clears the window frame without scraping the sides.
Measure the Height- Just like the width; you’ll want to measure the height of your window in 3 places- the left, center, and right- started from the window sill to the top of the window opening. If there is any variation between these three measurements, you’ll want to go with the tallest measurement to make sure that the blinds or shades cover the entire opening. Again, don’t make any deductions to the measurements, round to the nearest ⅛”.

How to Measure for an Outside Mount of Blinds or Shades

Measure the Width- There are two ways to outside mount blinds or shades, either to the trim around your window or to the wall above the window opening.
If you are mounting to the window trim, you’ll want to measure the width of the trim at the top of the window.
If you are mounting to the wall, measure the width at which you’d like the window treatments to be. We recommend adding around 2 to 3 inches to the window opening width.
Measure the Height
For windows with a protruding window sill, measure the height starting at the sill up to about 3 ½” above the top of your window allowing enough room for any mounting hardware.
For windows without a protruding sill, start your measurement about 2 to 3 inches below your window opening. Again, adding 3 ½” to the top. So, in total, you’ll be adding about 6 ½” to the actual height of your window opening.

When creating custom window treatments for your home, you’ll want to make sure they are the perfect fit, which requires exact measurement. The professional designers and window treatment installers at Innuwindow are always happy to help with the measuring process. Contact us today for more information!