Blinds are a great window covering choice if you’re looking to add privacy, but also the ability to control how much or how little light comes into your home. With so many different styles, designs, and colours of window blinds available, it can sometimes be overwhelming to choose the right blinds for your home. But before you start looking at the kind of blinds you want, you will first have to take measurements to make sure they will fit your windows properly.
There are a few different styles of blinds out there that require different methods of measurement, so we’ve broken down how to accurately measure blinds so that they are the perfect fit for your windows!
Determine How You Want to Mount Your Blinds
What many people don’t realize and often fail to take into consideration is the fact that there are two different ways that you can mount blinds in a window. There are pros and cons to each mounting style, so it really is up to your personal preference of what you’re looking for. Inside-mount blinds often provide a cleaner, more modern look that will showcase the trim around your window. This makes them a great choice if you’ve got detailed window trim that you want to highlight. Outside mount blinds are mounted in a way that typically conceals the window trim and in turn, does a better job of blocking out light.
Measuring Inside Mount Blinds
Inside mounted blinds are mounted inside the window frame and are a popular choice as they provide a neater look. However, it’s crucial that your window is deep enough to accommodate the blind. When measuring your windows for inside-mount blinds, there are two main measurements that are required, and it is important to be as accurate as possible when taking your measurements.
First, you will want to measure the width of the window, and you’re going to want to take three separate measurements, one at the top, at the bottom, and in the middle. It’s important to remember to hold the measuring tape on the inside of the window frame to ensure an accurate measurement. The smallest width measurement of the three is the one you will use. Next, you’re going to repeat this process for the height of the window. You will want to take three height measurements, one from the left side of the window, one from the center, and one from the right side. Of these measurements, the longest measurement is the one you want to use.
Measuring Outside Mount Blinds
When measuring for outside mount blinds, you first want to make sure that you have enough wall space surrounding the window to accommodate the blinds. While outside mount blinds aren’t a common choice, they are a great alternative if your window doesn’t have the depth required for an inside mount.
Your first measurement is going to be to determine where the mount will be, which is typically 1 ½ to 3 inches above the window. Next, you’re going to want to measure height, which involves measuring from the proposed location of the mount down to 2-4 inches below the bottom of the window. The overlap is to ensure privacy and block out light. When measuring width, you’re going to want to carefully measure the window, then add an additional 2-4 inches to either side, again to reduce light and add privacy.
Regardless of the mounting style you choose, blinds are a great window treatment option for both adding privacy and blocking out unwanted light. To add an extra design element to your home, you can even double up on window coverings by adding stylish curtains to either side of the window to help block out any extra unwanted light.