How to measure for blinds (and why a few millimetres matter)

Measuring for blinds is simple to understand and surprisingly easy to get wrong. The principle takes a minute. The margin for error is a few millimetres. This guide walks through how it works, so you know what's involved before you book a free measure with us.

First: inside mount or outside mount?

Every blind is fitted one of two ways, and it changes how you measure.

• Inside (recess) mount. The blind sits inside the window reveal, for a clean, built-in look. You need enough depth in the reveal for the blind to fit, and the opening has to be square.
• Outside (face) mount. The blind sits on the wall or frame above and around the window, covering the whole opening. It's the choice for shallow reveals, out-of-square windows, or when you want to block more light around the edges.

Which one suits a window depends on the reveal depth, whether the opening is square, and how much light you want to keep out. It's the first thing our measurer checks.

Measuring the width

Measure the width in three places: top, middle and bottom of the window. Write all three down.

• For an inside mount, use the smallest of the three measurements, so the blind fits even if the reveal narrows. We then make our own small deductions for clearances so the blind operates freely.
• For an outside mount, measure the full area you want covered, plus an overlap each side to block light.

Windows are rarely perfectly square. That's exactly why you take three measurements rather than one.

Measuring the drop (height)

Measure the drop, top to bottom, in a few places too.

• Inside mount: measure from the top inside of the reveal to the sill.
• Outside mount: measure from where the blind will mount above the window down to where you want it to finish. Go past the sill if you want to block light at the bottom.

The mistakes that cost you

Most measuring problems come down to the same handful of things:

• Measuring in one spot instead of three, and missing an out-of-square window.
• Forgetting to allow for handles, locks, tiles or meter boxes the blind has to clear.
• Not accounting for the clearances a blind needs to roll or tilt without fouling the frame.
• Mixing up width and drop when ordering (always width first, then drop).
• Guessing the reveal depth and finding the blind doesn't fit inside it.

A few millimetres out on any of these can mean a light gap down the side, a blind that catches on the frame, or one that won't sit square. And on a made-to-measure blind, it's made to the size you gave.

Why we measure it ourselves, for free

Here's the honest part. We're happy to explain how measuring works, but we strongly recommend our free in-home measure over measuring your own windows. Our measurer accounts for the reveal, the mount, the clearances and how the blind actually operates. Because we measure it, make it and fit it, we stand behind the fit. There's no charge for the visit and no obligation.

It also means you choose fabrics in your own light, with samples in hand, in the room they're going in.

Ready to get it right?

If you'd rather skip the tape measure, that's what we're here for. Book a free measure and quote and we'll come to you, measure every window properly, and give you an exact, no-obligation price. Call (02) 6332 2144 or book online.