When it comes to hanging curtains or drapes, most any homeowner can easily do this. The most important part of this process would be correctly measuring for a curtain pole. Depending on the type of the pole and the desired placement, the measurements will vary.

Before measuring, one should have the right tools handy. For this, a retractable or foldable tape measure is best. If the window is narrow enough, one may be able to use a yardstick. This is not ideal, but is acceptable when in a pinch. Secondly, a notebook or something to take down notes will be quite helpful. If multiple windows need to be measured, drawing windows and writing in the specifics on the paper will help to keep all of the different measurements organized. Modern homes will usually have windows that are the same size, but this is definitely not the case in older houses.

There are two main types of mounting when it comes to installing curtain poles. The first would be what is considered an inside mount. This is when the entire pole or curtain rod is placed on the inside of the window frame. The pole is generally attached to the top or sides of the inside frame.

To measure for an inside mount, one needs to take the inside width of the frame area. It is important to measure the most inside area as this is where the pole will be mounted.

An outside mount is when curtain poles extend past the sides of the window. Generally, the pole is extended approximately 20 cm past the edge of the window. This is done so that the curtains can be pulled completely away from the window to allow the most amount of light into the home. This distance is simply a recommendation. One can shorten or increase this length as desired. A longer length pole with curtains that extend the full length of the window can give an illusion of having larger windows.

To measure for the outside mount, simply take the measurement for an inside mount and add the additional desired length. When looking at the location of where the mounting hardware will be, it is usually best to have this occur on a stud or section of window framing. If this is not the case, wall anchors should be used to ensure a secure installation.

With any measurement, it is always beneficial to check the numbers at least twice. This will ensure the most accurate number. Also with larger windows, having another person to help hold the tape measure will generally make things much easier during this process.

Once all of the proper measurements are noted, one then has the exciting job of shopping for the perfect curtain poles for the home.

Please visit Custom Curtains for more information on Curtain Poles

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