TLDR; Use a steel tape, measure width and height in three spots each, and record width first. For an inside mount, report the narrowest width and tallest height with no deductions. For an outside mount, add about three inches to the width for overlap. When in doubt, a free in-home measure removes the guesswork.
Getting the measurements right is the most important step in ordering custom blinds. A window that is off by half an inch can leave a gap that lets in light and afternoon heat, or a blind that binds against the frame every time you raise it. If you live in Dalton or Rocky Face and you are thinking about new custom blinds, here is how to measure your windows the way a professional does, and where most homeowners go wrong.
What You Need Before You Start
Grab a steel tape measure, not a cloth or fabric one. Cloth tapes stretch and give readings that drift by an eighth of an inch or more, which is enough to throw off a custom order. You will also want a pencil, a notepad, and a step stool for taller windows. Write every measurement in inches, rounded down to the nearest eighth. Always record the width first and the height second, because that is the order manufacturers read them in. Flip the two and you can end up with a blind built sideways.
Inside Mount vs. Outside Mount
The first decision is whether your blinds will sit inside the window opening or on the wall and trim around it. Each one is measured differently, so decide before you pick up the tape.
An inside mount sits cleanly within the window frame and shows off the trim. It gives that built-in look, and it is the most popular choice in the older homes around downtown Dalton. To measure for an inside mount:
- Measure the width at the top, the middle, and the bottom of the opening. Use the narrowest of the three numbers.
- Measure the height at the left, the center, and the right. Use the tallest of the three.
- Measure the depth of the frame to be sure it is deep enough for the headrail. Most blinds need at least an inch and a half of clearance.
Do not make any deductions for an inside mount. The workroom takes off the right amount so the blind clears the frame. If you shave the numbers yourself, you double the deduction and end up with gaps on both sides.
An outside mount covers the whole opening and part of the surrounding wall or trim. It is the better pick when a window is out of square, when the frame is too shallow for an inside mount, or when you want to block as much light as possible in a bedroom. To measure for an outside mount:
- Measure the width you want the blind to cover, then add three inches for an inch and a half of overlap on each side.
- Measure the height the same way, adding a few inches above for the headrail and below for full coverage.
- Check that you have a solid piece of trim or wall to mount to.
The Mistakes That Cost You a Good Fit
After years of walking Dalton and Rocky Face homes, the same handful of measuring mistakes come up again and again:
- Measuring only once. Almost no window is a perfect rectangle, especially in a home built during the carpet-mill years. Measure in three spots every time.
- Rounding up. For an inside mount, always round down to the nearest eighth. Rounding up is how you get a blind that will not fit the opening.
- Forgetting the depth. A shallow frame can rule out an inside mount before you start. Check it first.
- Measuring the old blind instead of the window. Your existing blind may already have been cut wrong. Measure the opening itself.
- Ignoring obstructions. Cranks, handles, alarm sensors, and tile sills all affect how a blind hangs. Note them.
Why a Professional Measure Is Worth It
You can absolutely measure your own windows, and this guide gives you what you need. But custom blinds are made to order, which means a measuring mistake is on you, not the manufacturer. A home with twenty or thirty windows is a lot of chances to be off by an eighth of an inch, and one wrong number can turn a single install day into a series of re-cuts while the boxes sit in your dining room.
That is why a free in-home measure is part of every quote. Ben and Ashley Honeycutt laser-measure each opening to the sixteenth, note the depth, the obstructions, and whether the window is out of square, and write the order to match what is actually on your wall. Because they live and work in Whitfield County, the same local team handles the measure and the install, so there is no handoff between the person who took the numbers and the person who hangs the product. It works the same for faux wood blinds in a busy kitchen or custom shutters in a formal room.