User-Friendly Guide: Steering Clear of Common Measuring Pitfalls for Your New Shades

Measuring for window coverings is a straightforward process, provided it is done correctly. Just like with anything else, misunderstandings of instructions can lead to mistakes. In this article, we’ll highlight common mistakes that occur regularly and provide guidance on how to avoid them. We’ve categorized them into inside mount and outside mount for clarity. It’s crucial to identify the specific application you are measuring for, and you can easily do this on our How to Measure for Blinds and Shades page.

Inside Mount: Some customers attempt to streamline the measuring process by measuring the size of the blinds or shades they are replacing. To simplify the process, we take on the challenge of ensuring a perfect fit by considering all necessary adjustments for mounting hardware at our manufacturing facility. This requires inside dimensions of the window frame, as outlined in our How to Measure Video. Another common pitfall is when customers try to compensate for deductions made at our factory. They may order shades slightly wider than their window dimensions to eliminate light leakage on the sides. However, this adjustment often results in shades arriving too wide, necessitating a return to the manufacturer for correction. If you prioritize ultimate light blockage, consider exploring products in our Room Darkening Shades category.

Outside Mount: When measuring for an outside mount, it’s crucial to account for the head rail. Customers often forget this, causing the shade to arrive too short for the window. Always add 2” to 4” for the head rail when measuring for this type of blind or shade. For detailed instructions on measuring for the exact product you are ordering, visit our How to Measure page. For outside mount shades, light leakage is common as the shades sit in front of the window. To minimize this, we recommend adding 2” to 3” to the width of the blind or shade when possible. This significantly reduces side light, ensuring your satisfaction with the ordered window treatments.

We hope these tips assist you in the measuring process. Our goal is to provide you with custom-made window treatments that will bring you years of enjoyment.