Measuring for made to measure blinds can be quite an intimidating job but don't worry, it's much easier than you think and needn't be a job left only for the professionals or confident DIY'ers.
By knowing where and how to measure you can do this yourself in a matter of minutes. Simply follow our instructions below, measure carefully and you'll be ready to place your order in no time!
Use a steel tape measure
It is imperative that you use a steel tape measure to get accurate results! We love Gatortapes for ease of use especially when measuring a recess, but a standard metal tape measure is just fine.
Fabric tape measures - these can stretch and are hard to keep straight and flat, so provide inaccurate measurements. Laser tape measures - although they advertise extra accuracy, these are really made for measuring longer distances such as the length of a whole room rather than the width of a window recess and so can again give less accurate readings.
Measure to the nearest mm
Before you start measuring please note that any measurements taken should be to the nearest millimetre (mm) to ensure it is as accurate as possible - for example 198.7cm or 190.2cm
Firstly decide whether you are going to fit your blind inside or outside of the recess.
If you are fitting inside the recess...
Take wall to wall measurements in three places for both the width and drop.
For the width, take your measurements at the top, middle and bottom of the opening and note down the smallest.
For the drop, measure on the left, middle and right - again noting down the smallest size.
By working with the smallest measurements this ensures that the blind will fit within your reveal. It is important to note down your sizes with no reductions as we will make a small reduction to ensure the blind fits into this space for you.
OR if you are fitting outside of the recess...
Work out the entire space that you would like to cover. Ensure that you leave adequate space above the recess for fitting the brackets & the tube. Another factor to consider with roller blinds is that the fabric width is approximately 3.5cm narrower than the total blind size (outer bracket to outer bracket). Neglecting this consideration could result in the fabric being narrower than your opening & therefore not covering the reveal.
Take measurements in three places for both the width & drop.
For the width, take your measurements at the top, middle & bottom of the opening and note down the smallest.
For the drop, measure on the left, middle and right - again noting down the smallest size.
When fitting outside the recess we again work with the smallest measurements to ensure that the blind will fit within the available area.
When placing your order
You will need to specify whether your measurements are Recess Fitting, Blind Size or Fabric Size. This information is crucial as it affects the finished size of your blind.
If you provide us with a Recess Fitting measurement then we will make a small reduction on the width to give you a tiny amount of manoeuvring space when fitting the blind. This reduction varies depending on the product and the reduction amount will be specified on each product page.
If you provide us with a Blind Size measurement then we will make your blind to this exact size from bracket to bracket with no reductions on the width.
If you provide us with a Fabric Size measurement then we will cut the fabric of the blind to that measurement, with the final blind being 3.5cm larger from outer bracket to outer bracket to accommodate the size of the mechanism and brackets.
Important Note
With any roller blind there will be a difference of 3.5cm between the total blind size (outer bracket to outer bracket) and the width of the fabric. This is due to the size of the control mechanism, the brackets and the fact that the fabric can not run fully to the ends of the tube as it would get caught and frayed during operation.
Need more help? Please feel free to get in touch and a member of our friendly customer care team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Call us on 0115 969 9933 or email info@orderblinds.co.uk
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