Curtains & Blinds

How to Measure for Curtains & Blinds in India (2026): A Step-by-Step Guide

Curtains forgive a small error. Blinds do not - they are cut to order and cannot be resized. Here is exactly how to measure each, and where people go wrong.

By FloorWallDecor Editorial | Updated August 2026 | 9 min read

The most common ordering mistake we see is not choosing the wrong fabric or the wrong blind - it is measuring the window instead of the rod, or measuring a blind recess in one place instead of three. Curtains hide a small error in their folds. A roller blind that is 15 mm too wide will not go into the recess at all, and it cannot be trimmed afterwards. Ten minutes with a steel tape, done in the right order, is the difference between a fitting that takes an hour and one that has to be remade.

Before You Start: Three Rules

Use a steel tape, never a cloth tailoring tape. Cloth tapes stretch, and on a 7 ft drop that error is visible.
Pick one unit and stay in it. Inches or centimetres, not both. Mixed-unit measurements are the single biggest cause of remade blinds. Write the unit next to every number.
Measure every window separately. Two windows in the same room that look identical are routinely 10-20 mm apart in an Indian build. Never copy one measurement across a room.

Part 1: Measuring for Curtains

Curtains need three numbers - width, drop and fullness. The first one is where most people go wrong, because you measure the rod, not the window.

Rod or track width

Measure the full length of the curtain rod, end to end, excluding the decorative finials. If the rod is not up yet, measure the window frame and add 6 to 12 inches on each side. That extension is what lets the curtain stack clear of the glass when open - without it, you lose daylight even with the curtains fully drawn back.
Drop (length)

Measure from the top of the rod down to where the curtain should end. Four standard finishes:
- Sill length — about ½ inch above the sill. Best for kitchens and small windows.
- Below sill — 4 to 6 inches under the sill. Common for windows with a seat or radiator below.
- Floor length — ½ to 1 inch above the floor. The default for living rooms and bedrooms; the small gap stops the hem dragging and dirtying.
- Puddle — 2 to 4 inches longer than floor length so the fabric pools. Looks luxurious, collects dust, needs frequent cleaning.
For eyelet curtains, remember the fabric sits slightly below the rod, so measure from the top of the rod and let the supplier account for the eyelet drop.
Fullness

Curtains must be wider than the rod or they hang flat and look like a bedsheet. Multiply the rod width by:
- 2x for eyelet and simple gathered curtains
- 2 to 2.5x for pleated curtains (pinch, box or pencil pleat)
- 1.5x only for sheers on a very wide run, where cost and bulk matter more than gather
Number of panels

Divide the total fabric width by the width of one panel and round up. If you want the curtains to part evenly in the centre, use an even number of panels.
Stitching allowance (custom curtains only)

If the curtains are being stitched to size, add 4 to 8 inches to the drop for the header and hem. Critically, tell the tailor whether the drop you gave already includes this or not - ambiguity here is why curtains arrive two inches short.

Worked example: a 4 ft wide living room window, floor length

Window frame width	48 in
Rod width (frame + 12 in each side)	72 in
Fullness for eyelet curtains (72 × 2)	144 in
Panel width available	48 in
Panels needed (144 ÷ 48)	3 panels
Drop, top of rod to ½ in above floor	e.g. 94 in
Order	3 panels × 94 in drop

Standard Ready-Made Curtain Sizes in India

Ready-made curtains in India are generally sold in three drops. Treat this as the common market convention, not a guaranteed specification:

Name	Typical Drop	Usually Used For
Window curtain	~5 ft (60 in)	Standard bedroom and kitchen windows
Door curtain	~7 ft (84 in)	Doorways, tall windows
Long door curtain	~9 ft (108 in)	Floor-length windows, French windows, high ceilings
Panel width	~4 – 4.5 ft	Varies by brand — always confirm

Important: panel widths and drops differ between brands and sellers, sometimes by several inches. Confirm the exact panel width and drop of the specific product you are buying before you calculate how many panels you need - do not assume the convention above. If your drop falls between two standard sizes, order the longer one and have it hemmed; you cannot add length to a short curtain.

Part 2: Measuring for Blinds

Blinds are made to your measurement and cannot be resized after cutting, so the sequence matters. Decide the mount type first, because inside and outside mounts are measured completely differently.

Inside mount (inside the recess)

Neat, built-in look, sill stays usable
Needs adequate frame depth for the mechanism or cassette
Small light gaps at the edges are unavoidable
Unforgiving if the recess is out of square

Outside mount (over the frame)

Better light blocking, no edge gaps
Hides an uneven, damaged or out-of-square frame
Makes a small window look larger
Works where the recess is too shallow for the mechanism

Inside mount: how to measure

Width at three heights — top, middle and bottom of the recess. Use the narrowest of the three.
Height at three points — left, centre and right. Use the longest of the three.
Check the depth of the recess against the mechanism the blind needs. A roller or zebra cassette needs meaningfully more depth than a slim vertical track.
Give the raw figures to the fabricator and let them deduct the running clearance.

Confirm who deducts the clearance. An inside-mount blind must be slightly narrower than the recess to run freely. Most workshops deduct that clearance themselves from your raw measurement. If you deduct it as well, the blind ends up too narrow with a permanent light gap - and no one notices until installation day. Ask the question explicitly: "are you deducting, or should I?"

Outside mount: how to measure

Width — the area you want covered, adding 3 to 4 inches of overlap on each side of the frame.
Height — from where the bracket will sit (typically 3 to 4 inches above the frame) down to where the blind should end: sill, just below the sill, or floor for a door.
Check obstructions — AC units, wall switches, ceiling coving, a curtain rod already in place, or a wardrobe edge that the bracket would foul.

Type-Specific Points to Check

Blind Type	What to Watch When Measuring	Practical Single-Unit Width
Vertical blinds	Slats should clear the floor by about ½ in. Decide the stack side (left, right or split) before ordering.	Best choice for very wide openings
Roller blinds	Recess depth for the cassette; which side the chain hangs; how much fabric the roll takes up at the top.	Split into two above roughly 6–7 ft
Zebra blinds	Same as roller, plus the striped bands should line up across side-by-side units in one window.	Split into two above roughly 6–7 ft
Wooden blinds	Weight is the constraint — wide single units sag and are hard to lift. Split wide windows.	Split earlier than roller types
PVC blinds	Preferred for kitchens and bathrooms; check clearance from taps, hobs and splash zones.	Moisture areas

Width limits above are practical guidance, not fixed specifications — the exact maximum depends on the fabric, tube and mechanism your blind is made with. Confirm the limit for your chosen product before ordering a single wide unit.

Special Cases

Situation	How to Handle It
Sliding doors	Measure the full opening including both panels and the frame, and add side overlap. Decide which way the stack must sit so it never blocks the operating panel. See vertical blinds vs curtains for sliding doors.
French windows	Usually treated as floor-length. Watch the handle projection — an inside-mount blind can foul the handle when closed.
Bay windows	Measure each facet separately and decide the corner treatment in advance. Worth a professional visit; the angles are rarely what they look like.
Out-of-square recess	If the three width readings differ by more than about 10 mm, go outside mount. An inside mount will show a wedge-shaped light gap.
Windows with an AC unit	Measure the clear width remaining, and check that the bracket and stack will not block airflow or the remote sensor.
Tiled or skirted walls	Floor-length drops must account for skirting and floor level changes. Measure the drop at both ends of a wide window — Indian floors are seldom perfectly level.

Mistakes That Force a Reorder

Every one of these, we have seen this year

Measuring the window instead of the curtain rod, so the curtains never clear the glass
Measuring the blind recess in only one place, on a wall that is 12 mm out of square
Both customer and workshop deducting the running clearance, leaving a permanent light gap
Copying one window's measurement to three "identical" windows in the same room
Recording some numbers in inches and some in centimetres, with no units written down
Measuring from the top of the window frame instead of the top of the rod, losing several inches of drop
Forgetting the door handle, latch, AC unit or wall switch that the blind now fouls
Using the old curtain as the measurement, when the old curtain was the wrong size to begin with

Send Us These and We Can Quote Immediately

Measurement checklist

A straight-on photo of each window, plus one from the side showing the recess depth
Room name and window reference, e.g. "Bedroom 2 - left window"
Width and height, with the unit written next to each figure
For blinds: all three width readings and all three height readings
Inside mount or outside mount, if you have decided
Desired finish: sill, below sill, floor length, or puddle
Anything in the way — AC, switches, handles, existing rods
Curtain or blind type you are considering, if you already know

Should You Measure It Yourself?

For curtains, yes - fullness and hems absorb small errors, and the worst case is a hem adjustment. For blinds, get them measured professionally. They are cut to order, cannot be resized, and the cost of a remade blind is far higher than the cost of a site visit. That goes double for sliding doors, bay windows, recesses that are out of square, and anything wider than about 6 ft. We measure free across Delhi NCR, and if you are still deciding between types, our comparisons on blackout vs sheer curtains, zebra vs roller blinds and blinds vs curtains are the right place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I measure a window for curtains? ▾

Measure the curtain rod width rather than the window, then the drop from the top of the rod to where you want the curtain to end, then multiply the rod width by 2 to 2.5 for fullness. Use a steel tape, measure each window separately even if they look identical, and keep every measurement in the same unit. If the rod is not up yet, measure the frame and add 6 to 12 inches on each side.

How much wider than the window should curtains be? ▾

The rod should extend 6 to 12 inches beyond the frame on each side, and total fabric width should be 2 to 2.5 times the rod width. A 4 ft window usually takes a 5 to 6 ft rod and 10 to 15 ft of total fabric across all panels. Curtains cut to the exact window width hang flat, leak light at the edges and never clear the glass fully when open.

What are the standard curtain sizes in India? ▾

Ready-made curtains are commonly sold in three drops - roughly 5 ft for windows, 7 ft for doors and 9 ft for long doors or floor-length windows - with panel widths usually around 4 to 4.5 ft. These are market conventions rather than a fixed standard and they vary between brands, so confirm the exact panel width and drop of the product you are buying before calculating panel counts.

Should blinds be measured inside or outside the window frame? ▾

Inside mount looks neater and keeps the sill usable, but needs enough recess depth and shows small light gaps at the edges. Outside mount blocks light better, hides an uneven or out-of-square frame, and works where the recess is shallow. Decide which one you want before measuring, because the two are measured completely differently.

How many curtain panels do I need for one window? ▾

Divide the total fabric width by one panel's width and round up. A 72 inch rod at 2x fullness needs 144 inches of fabric, which is three 48 inch panels. Most windows use two panels and door-width openings three or four. Use an even number if you want the curtains to part evenly in the middle.

Do I measure blinds to the exact window size? ▾

For an inside mount, measure width at three heights and use the narrowest, then height at three points and use the longest. Give those raw figures to the fabricator and let them deduct the running clearance - but confirm who is deducting, because if both of you do, the blind comes out too narrow. For an outside mount, add 3 to 4 inches overlap each side and 3 to 4 inches above for the bracket.

Should I measure myself or have someone come and measure? ▾

Curtains are forgiving, so measuring them yourself is usually fine. Blinds are cut to order and cannot be returned or resized, so professional measurement is worth it - particularly for sliding doors, bay windows, out-of-square recesses and anything above 6 ft wide. We measure free on site across Delhi NCR.

Free On-Site Measurement Across Delhi NCR

Send us your window photos and rough sizes on WhatsApp, or book a visit and we will measure, advise on mount type, and quote from exact figures - no reorders.

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Ready-made curtain sizes, blind width limits and clearance allowances described above are common trade conventions and vary by brand, fabric and fabricator. Confirm exact specifications with your supplier before ordering. For made-to-measure blinds we recommend a professional site measurement, as cut-to-size products cannot be resized or returned.