How to measure for blinds

Loved those perfect sets of blinds? But before you can order those beautiful blinds you've been wanting for a long time, you gotta do one thing right. You need to measure your window correctly. Read further to know how to exactly measure for blinds to ensure a flawless fit. Your blinds have to be cut down to the exact size of your window to be the wow factor that you want them to be.

My goal is to prevent your measures from turning into a dramatic story which will be funny for everyone except you. Employing this measuring technique will make taking accurate measurements a piece of cake. Before placing your order for new blinds, adopt the following methods, and follow these steps to make the entire process as smooth as butter. Let's get you perfectly sized blinds for your windows.

How to measure for blinds

You probably already have all the equipment necessary to measure for new window coverings with you. All you gotta do is find them and bring them onto the table. There are only three of them: a pencil, a piece of paper, and a metal measuring tape. That's it!

Inside the Window Recess

You must determine the size of the window recess if you plan to put your new window blinds inside the window recess. For an exact fit, measure the full width of the recess first.

Three exact measurements should be taken to determine the width of your window for a perfect recess fit. You gotta measure across the top of the recess, across the recess's centre, and the recess's bottom. Note all three measurements on paper.

You should also measure the width of the window recess at the location where any architectural features extend. It can be a chair rail or wall panel around the edge of the window frame. Circle the narrowest measurement at this point. You will use that measurement as the window's total width because it is the narrowest point of the window.

Next, measure the drop of your window (the length measurement from top to bottom). There are three areas inside the recess that gives you the exact recess size: down the left side, down the centre, and down the right side. The shortest measurement should be circled after writing down all three figures. You'll need this for your window's drop.

The width of the blinds you receive will be a little bit smaller than the specifications you supply if you order them based on the size of the recessed space. You'll notice that the slats are a little bit smaller on Venetian blinds. The fabric width will be significantly less for roller blinds. Additionally, the length will be a little bit shorter for vertical blinds. This will stop the edge of your blinds from catching on the window frame (or, in the case of vertical blinds, the window sill) as you open and close them.

You only need to supply the precise measurements of your window recess because the professionals will make these changes to give you your perfect made to measure blind.

Outside the Window Recess

You should choose "exact size" at the checkout if you're ordering blinds to mount outside the window recess. You must ensure that your measurements are accurate because the outside mount blinds you receive will span the entire width that you specify. To make sure that your window is completely covered by your blinds, we advise overlapping the wall by at least 35mm on each side of the window frame.

• Decide how far past your window on each side you want your blinds to extend before you start measuring.
• Using your pencil, mark the wall 35mm away from the left side of the window if you choose to stick with the minimum recommended distance of 35mm.
• Then, mark the wall with your pencil 35 mm away from the right side of the window.
• Use a level or the top or bottom of the window as a guide when making your lines to ensure that you are measuring across the window straight.

You can determine the breadth of the area by measuring from one pencil mark to the next.

Now add the height and width. Choose the location for your blinds' headrail installation and mark it with a pencil. Decide where the bottom of your blinds should hit, and then mark that location with a pencil. To confirm that you are measuring straight down from top to bottom, use a level or the left or right window frame.

You can determine the drop of your blinds by measuring the space between your top and bottom pencil marks. These accurate width measurements and other measurements will ensure exact fitting blinds for your windows.

Check your measurements twice

I don't mean to scare you but made-to-measure blinds cannot be returned once they have been cut. So, if your measures are incorrect, you will be responsible for paying for the second set of blinds. So, just make sure to check your measurements twice. 

As far as the colours are concerned, you can always order free samples before you start measuring. Another thing to note while measuring inside is whether there are any obstructions inside the window recess or not. You must take off window handles too to ensure smooth operation of the blind. You gotta take the overall width correct, pick the exact top tip to measure the length, and check everything twice. Take measurements from existing blinds, if needed, but width measurement may vary from window type to blind type. It could be anything from bay windows to roller blinds.

That's it. We are officially done! Now you have all the necessary numbers to order the blinds of your dreams.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much smaller should the blinds be than the window?

Having your blinds custom-made is the best method to ensure that they fit precisely. Blind Style can create a custom blind that fits properly if you measure the width and drop it in three separate spots and provide us with the smallest measurements.

What size blinds do I need for a 35-inch window?

For a comfortable fit inside a 35" opening, the blinds should be 34.5" (a half-inch smaller). So if your frame is exactly 34.5 inches, I would go with the 35" blinds. However, make sure the width is consistent along the entire length of the frame first.

Where will the blind hang?

It depends on the blind type and your preference. A roller blind has two mounting variants, both of which seem to be very common. You can either choose it to hang within the recess or hang it outside the window. The fabric hangs from that roller. In the case of shutters, the blinds hang onto the frame itself. In the case of other types like Venetian, the slats hang on to the mounted brackets.

Final Thoughts

The blinds in your home may appear modest, yet they are a vital element of peace, tranquillity, and energy efficiency. I hope with my comprehensive measuring guide, accurately measuring your blinds doesn’t seem so difficult now.

If you are looking for a friendly customer service team to guide you further, reach out to us at Blindstyle.