DIY Saver guide

How to measure your
windows for curtains.

This takes about 10 minutes for a whole HDB flat. You just need a metal tape measure, a notepad and a pen.

Before you start: Use a metal tape measure, not a cloth one. Cloth stretches and you will end up with curtains that are slightly off. Measure twice and write it down each time before moving on.

Step by step

Track or rod?

Most Singapore HDB and condo homes use a ceiling track, which is an aluminium rail that mounts on the ceiling or wall. Some homes use decorative rods. Have a look at what you have, or decide which you want. If you are not sure, go with a ceiling track. That is what we include with every order and it tends to look cleaner in a Singapore home.

Ceiling track: measure from the ceiling down to where you want the curtain to end. Rod: measure from the bottom of the rod down.

Measure the width

Measure the full width of where you want the track to go, from wall to wall. Do not just measure the glass. Curtains need to overlap the wall on both sides to block side light, so the track should extend beyond the window frame by about 10 to 15 cm on each side if space allows.

Write down the width in centimetres before moving on. Even if you think you will remember, write it down.

Common mistake: measuring only the window glass. If your track is the same width as the glass, the curtain will let light in at the edges when closed.

Measure the drop

The drop is measured from the top of where your track will sit down to where you want the curtain to end. You have three choices:

Floor length means measuring to 1 cm above the floor. Most popular and tends to make rooms feel taller.
Sill length means measuring to 1 cm below the window sill.
Below sill means about 15 cm below the sill.

Floor length curtains look better in almost every room, even when the window itself is not very tall. We recommend it for all bedrooms as a default.

Roman blinds measure differently

Roman blinds can go inside the window recess (inside mount) or on the wall above the window (outside mount). Here is how to measure for each:

Inside mount: measure the exact width of the recess and the height from the top of the recess to the sill. We deduct 1 cm on each side for clearance.
Outside mount: measure the width you want covered (the window plus 5 to 10 cm on each side) and the height from where you will mount it down to where you want it to end.

Check for obstructions: before choosing inside mount for a Roman blind, look inside the recess for any handles or locks that the blind might hit when lowered.

Do each window separately

Label every window as you go. Living room left, living room right, master bedroom, and so on. Measure each one individually even if they look identical. Windows in the same room often differ by a centimetre or two and that matters when everything is custom made.

Take a quick photo of your measurements before you submit your order. If there is ever a question you will have a clear record to refer back to.

Submit when you order

When you place your order you will enter each window's width and drop in the form. We look at every set of measurements before we confirm production. If anything looks unusual, we will WhatsApp you to double check before anything goes into production.

We check before we produce. If a measurement looks off we will get in touch first. You do not go into production with an error we have not caught.

On measurement responsibility: when you use DIY Saver, you are responsible for the accuracy of your measurements. We catch obvious errors but we cannot verify dimensions remotely. If curtains are made to incorrect measurements that you submitted, a re-order means paying the full production cost again. If you have any doubt at all, book our Professional Visit instead. It is included in the standard price.

Quick reference

Width	Track width, wall to wall
Drop	Ceiling to 1 cm above floor
Units	Centimetres
Precision	Nearest cm is fine

Typical HDB sizes

Living room	240 to 320 cm wide
Bedroom	120 to 200 cm wide
Ceiling height	About 260 cm
Typical drop	240 to 255 cm

If your numbers are close to these you are probably on the right track.

Order with DIY Saver Book a professional visit instead

How to measure yourwindows for curtains.