How NOT to Measure for Curtain Rods
Before you start your next home decor project, there are a few things you should know. For example, did you know that there are certain ways NOT to measure for curtain rods? That’s right, folks. If you want to do it the WRONG way, here’s how!
Get a random person off the street to help you.
They don’t need to know anything about curtain rods or measuring. In fact, the less they know, the better. This way, they can’t possibly give you any helpful advice or correct errors. Just make sure they’re available whenever you need them—you don’t want to have to wait around for hours while they finish up their shift at the coffee shop or finish their Netflix binge.
Go ahead and pick whatever numbers feel right.
Some people like round numbers, some people like prime numbers, and some people just like to pick numbers at random. It doesn’t really matter what numbers you choose—the important thing is that you feel good about them. Trust your gut and go with whatever feels right in the moment.
Don’t even bother with a tape measure.
You know approximately how long your curtains should be, so just go ahead and judge where your curtain rod should be hung without measuring first. What could possibly go wrong? Besides, tape measures are overrated anyway—everyone knows that the real experts use their hands and eyeballs to estimate measurements.
Perfection is overrated—just eyeball it.
Even if you manage to get your curtain rod to roughly the right size, your curtains probably won’t be hung perfectly. But who cares? Perfection is overrated, and besides, no one will notice if your curtains are a little bit off-kilter anyway. Just hang them up and call it a day!
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to botch the measuring process for your next home decor project—curtain rods included! Do you know someone that does home projects like this? It can be very frustrating, especially if it is someone you married or date!
Now that we've had some fun, keep reading for some helpful hints on the correct way to measure for new curtain rods! The best thing is to start by measuring for curtains, then it is much easier to decide what style and size curtain rod you need. Just remember that your curtain will be bunched up on the rod so base the size of the curtain rod on the measurement of your window width, not the width of the curtain.
- Start by taking the widest measurement of your window. This could be the width of the window frame itself or the width of the window opening. Either way, make sure to take into account any molding or trim that is around the window.
- Once you have the width measurement, add at least 12 inches to that number. This will ensure that your curtains are wide enough to cover the entire window and block out any unwanted light (or nosy neighbors).
- Next, take the measurements for how long you want your curtains to be. The general rule of thumb is that they should be about 1 1/2 times the width of your window, but feel free to adjust this according to your personal preference. Just remember that if you go too long, your curtains may drag on the ground; too short, and they might not provide enough coverage.
- Once you have all of your measurements, head to your local hardware store or home goods store and pick out some curtain rods. Make sure to get ones that are at least a few inches longer than your final measurements—you can always trim them down if necessary, but it's much harder to make them longer!
- Now all that's left is to install your new curtain rods and hang up your curtains. We hope you enjoy your perfectly fitting curtain rod and curtains!
Measuring for curtain rods may seem like a simple task, but as many people have learned the hard way, it's actually quite easy to mess up. So save yourself some time and headache by measuring properly from the start. Your windows (and your sanity) will thank you for it.