Precision and Privacy: How to Measure for Blinds Perfectly Every Time

Looking for advice on how to measure for blinds? You've come to the right place. We're the experts in all aspects of measuring for blinds, including roller blinds, vertical blinds and Roman blinds.

Getting the right measurements for your new window blinds is essential as it will impact the light leakage and the level of privacy you enjoy. You also need to make sure your window blinds will fit within your window recesses and won't be obstructed by window handles.

Measuring for window blinds

The first step for getting the right measurement for your blinds is to determine if you want your blinds inside the window recess or outside the window recess. The window recess is the part between the window surface and the wall.

Some blinds – like vertical blinds – look much better when placed inside the window recess. While other blinds – like Roman blinds – can look better when placed outside the window recess. Roller blinds are very versatile, as they can be placed either inside or outside the window recess. Venetian blinds may be placed inside or outside the window recess.

If you are replacing an existing blind, it's usually a good idea to place it in the same spot. Unless, of course, you dislike the placement of your current blind and would like more exact fitting blinds. Exact size blinds are commonly placed outside the recess space.

If your window sill protrudes significantly, it can be better to place the blind inside the window recess, as this will limit the length of the blind and prevent the blind from hitting the window sill. This will allow the blind to sit flush against the window within the recess.

For bay windows, you will need multiple blinds to cover each window pane. In this case, we might recommend a modern blind like perfect fit blinds. These are attached to each window pane, rather than hanging over the window. For these, you will need to measure the width of each window.

Measuring for roller blinds, vertical blinds and Roman blinds

Before getting started with measuring your blinds, you'll need to gather your tools. We recommend using a metal tape measure over a fabric tape measure as fabric or cloth ones can stretch over time and result in a poor measurement.

If you are replacing an existing blind and you like the placement, simply measure the width and length of this blind. The benefit of made to measure blinds is that you don't have to pay for excess length that you don't need. This is particularly beneficial for wooden blinds, as a lot of the window pane would otherwise be taken up with window slats.

If you are switching to window blinds, you will need to measure the space inside the window recess. You'll first need to measure the depth of the recess, and take into consideration any window handles. This will allow you to confirm if the blind will fit inside the reveal or if you need to place it outside.

The next measurement is for the Take three measurements in each direction for your window. This means three horizontal and three vertical measurements.

Don't worry about trying to round up or down with any of these numbers. If the three measurements are not the same size, measure again to be certain. It could be that your windows are slightly uneven. Report all three numbers, not just the smallest measurement.

We will remove a small amount from the measurement to ensure a perfect fit, you simply need to provide the exact measurements. We need the overall width and the overall height of your window to create your new blinds.

Top tip for roller blinds: A roller blind will be around 43mm wider than the fabric width when you include the bracket and fixtures. This means that the perfect fit could mean something different, depending on if you want the roller blind to sit flush in the window recess or outside the window recess. You can therefore choose if you want your measurements to be for the fabric width or for the total width measurement.

Inside or outside the window recess?

Inside the window recess is the better choice for most blinds, but this doesn't work for everyone. You might have a very shallow window recess, which means that you would be unable to place a window blind flush against the window frame without risking the blind getting caught in the handle.

If you choose to place your new window blinds inside the window recess, it's vital that you make sure there is no visible glass around the blind. This will ruin the look of your blinds and also provide very little privacy or light control.

If your blinds are to be placed outside the window recess, you need to ensure they are not only sufficient to cover the full width of the window, but that they also provide adequate coverage on the length of the window. If the window sill protrudes, the blinds need to stop flush with this length, just add 10cm to account for this.

How to measure for blackout blinds

The goal of blackout blinds is to eliminate light leakage and provide as close to absolute darkness as possible. As such, you want to make sure you get a snug fit inside the window.

When fitting blackout blinds, it's a good idea to place these outside the window recess and make the width measurement a little wider than the space. You can then pair your blinds with curtains that fit outside the window recess to achieve a complete blackout effect.

With a blackout roller blinds inside the recess, there will always be light bleed around the roller blind. A wide window frame might be able to work alongside your roller blinds to stop light leakage. However, combining roller blinds with curtains is often more effective.

Most people find they can start measuring and complete the process in just minutes, but if you run into problems, don't struggle alone. For windows that are less straight forward, like a bay windows, you might struggle measuring this space. In this case, we can provide a measuring service to ensure the perfect fit for your roller blind, Venetian blind, Roman blind or vertical blind fits like a dream.

Get in touch today to arrange a visit from our team, or check out our measuring guide for more information.