Curtain Size Lab Search

LENGTHS GUIDE · REVIEWED SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

Sill-Length Curtains: How to Measure the Drop

Measure sill-length curtains from the correct heading point and compare inches with centimeters.

MEASURED WIDTHFINISHED DROP
Original proportional diagram. Use actual measurements; drawing is not to scale for a specific product.

SHORT ANSWER

Start here

A sill-length curtain ends just above the sill rather than resting on it. John Lewis gives a 0.5–1 cm (roughly 1/2 in) clearance example; measure from the real heading reference and adjust for the product.

EndpointJust above sill
Example clearance0.5–1 cm
Best inputHanging point to sill
TypeDesign guidance

How to measure

  1. 01

    Measure the actual working rod or track width; if hardware is not installed, record the window-frame width and your planned side extensions separately.

  2. 02

    Measure the drop from the reference point stated for the selected heading—not from an unrelated edge of the window.

  3. 03

    Check whether a package contains one panel or a pair, then compare total flat fabric width rather than the label width alone.

  4. 04

    Recheck the selected product, tape, hooks, carriers, and fabric before ordering or cutting.

Measure to the sill surface

Use the nearest projecting sill edge that the curtain could touch, then subtract the desired clearance.

Check nearby obstructions

Handles, radiators, desks, and countertops can make a short treatment practical, but they also change the safe visual endpoint.

Choose the nearest retail drop last

Do not start from 63 inches simply because it is common. Start from the measured hanging-point drop.

Before you order or cut

Measure the actual window and selected product. Finished sizes, fullness, header take-up, hardware geometry, and manufacturer tolerances vary. Fabric can shrink, stretch, or behave differently by composition. Measurements do not guarantee fit, privacy, water containment, installation, load capacity, or structural safety. Use the selected product instructions, and have a professional workroom verify expensive custom-fabric orders.

SOURCE NOTES

What this page is based on

Measurements here combine mathematical results with labeled commercial conventions and design recommendations. Disagreements are kept as ranges rather than averaged into a false standard.

  1. Buying curtainsJohn Lewis & Partners · reviewed 2026-09-11

    Retailer/workroom guidance on pole extension, hanging references, sill/floor endpoints, ready-made metric ranges, and double fullness.