How to Measure Your Blinds by Product Type: Vertical, Wooden, Roman, Pleated, and Panel

Different blind types demand different measuring decisions. The tools and preparation remain the same — steel tape measure, pencil and paper, spirit level if needed, and a helper for large windows — but the specific measurements required, the size limits, and the installation considerations vary considerably between products.

This guide covers five product types in detail. Use the section headings to navigate directly to the blind type you are measuring for.

Part One: How to Measure Vertical Blinds

What Measurements Do You Need for Vertical Blinds?

Vertical blinds require two measurements: width and drop.
 

Width is the measurement of the track. For recess fitting, this is the width of the window opening. For blind size (exact size), this is the finished length of the track itself.

Drop is measured differently depending on which sizing method you use. For recess size, the drop is the measurement of the recess from top to bottom. For blind size, the drop is measured from the top of the track to the bottom of the louvres — the hanging fabric slats.

As with all recess fitting, take three width measurements at the top, middle, and bottom of the recess, and two drop measurements at the left and right sides. Enter the smallest of each set.

Does the Track Sit Inside the Recess or on the Wall?

Vertical blinds can be fixed in two ways, and the fixing method affects both where you measure from and which bracket type is appropriate.

Top fix brackets are used when fixing into the ceiling of the recess or into a horizontal surface above the window. Face fix brackets are used when fixing to the wall above the window or to the face of the window frame. The correct number of brackets for your blind's width will be included with your order — you do not need to calculate this.

If you are uncertain which fixing position will give the most secure result for your window, assess the surface. A solid lintel or timber head within the recess gives excellent top fix support. If the ceiling of the recess is plasterboard without adequate backing, face fixing into masonry beside the window is the stronger option.

How Does Louvre Width Affect Stack-Back Space?

This is the consideration that catches most customers off guard when measuring for vertical blinds. The louvres — the individual fabric vanes — stack to one side, or to both sides if a split bunch is selected, when the blind is open. The depth of that stack depends on two things: how many louvres there are, and how wide each louvre is.

89mm louvres are narrower. More of them are required to cover a given width, which means the stack when fully open is deeper than with wider louvres.

127mm louvres are wider. Fewer are needed to cover the same width, so the stack is shallower.

Manual vertical blinds are available in both 89mm and 127mm louvre widths. Electric vertical blinds are available in 89mm only.
 

Why does this matter when measuring?

If you are planning for the blind to be drawn fully to one side — for example, to allow access through a patio door — you need to ensure there is sufficient wall or frame space beside the window to accommodate the stack. A very wide blind with 89mm louvres bunching entirely to one side will produce a stack of considerable depth. If space is limited, specifying a split bunch — where half the louvres stack left and half stack right — reduces the stack depth on each side.

When measuring, consider the available wall space on each side of the window and select your bunch direction accordingly before ordering.

What Are the Maximum Sizes for Vertical Blinds?

Vertical blinds are well suited to large openings, which is one of the reasons they are so commonly specified for patio doors and wide window walls. If your opening exceeds these dimensions, contact estimates@newblinds.co.uk before ordering.

Are Vertical Blinds Suitable for Patio Doors and Room Dividers?

Patio doors: Vertical blinds are one of the most practical choices for patio doors. The louvres can be drawn fully to one side — or split — to clear the full door opening without obstruction. When measuring for a patio door, consider which side the door slides or opens towards and specify your bunch direction to stack away from that side. If the door opens inward, ensure the louvres clear the door's travel path when the blind is fully open.

Room dividers: Vertical blinds can be hung from a ceiling-fixed track to divide a room. For room divider applications, contact estimates@newblinds.co.uk with details of the space, as ceiling fixing and room divider configurations involve specific considerations that differ from standard window installations.

Sliding doors: The same approach as patio doors applies. Confirm the direction of travel, ensure the stack does not obstruct the door's path, and consider whether a split bunch might be more practical if the door slides to the centre.

Bay windows: Each window section within a bay should be measured individually. Treat each as a separate blind order and label them clearly — for example, "Bay Left," "Bay Centre Right," and so on.

Part Two: How to Measure Wooden and Faux Wood Blinds

What Measurements Are Required for Wooden Blinds?

Wooden and faux wood blinds use the same measuring approach as other blind types: width and drop, provided as either recess size or blind size (exact size).

For recess fitting, take three width measurements at the top, middle, and bottom of the recess, and two drop measurements at the left and right sides. Enter the smallest of each set. For blind size, provide the finished dimensions you require, having already accounted for any necessary deductions.

Does Slat Size Affect the Measurements You Take?

No. Whether you select 35mm, 50mm, or 63mm slats, the measurements you provide remain the same. Slat size affects the visual appearance of the blind and the number of slats required to cover the opening — more slats are needed for narrower widths, fewer for wider — but it does not change where or how you measure.

What slat size does affect is the gap between slats when the blind is tilted open. Narrower slats create a finer light-filtering effect; wider slats give a bolder, more open feel and tilt through a broader angle of light control.

Should You Choose Real Wood or Faux Wood Blinds?

Real wood blinds offer an authentic natural appearance and are the standard choice for living rooms, bedrooms, and studies where moisture levels are low.

Faux wood blinds are manufactured from a composite or PVC material that resists warping and discolouration in humid environments. They are the appropriate choice for kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, and any space where the blind will be regularly exposed to steam, condensation, or splashing. Real wood blinds exposed to sustained moisture will warp over time and are not covered under warranty for moisture damage. If there is any doubt about moisture levels, specify faux wood.

The minimum and maximum available sizes differ slightly between real wood and faux wood options and between slat widths. Check the product page for the specific size range applicable to your selection.

What Are the Size Limits for Wooden Blinds?

For manual wooden blinds, the most commonly specified maximum width is 2400mm. The exact maximum varies depending on whether you are ordering real wood or faux wood and the slat width selected.

Electric wooden blinds are available with 50mm slats. The minimum and maximum sizes for electric wooden blinds vary depending on the motor selected — check the product page for the limits that apply to your chosen motor option.

Do Brackets Need to Be Calculated Separately?

No. The correct number of brackets for your blind's width and drop are determined during manufacture and included with your order. You do not need to calculate bracket quantities. 

Are Wooden Blinds Heavier Than Other Blind Types?

Real wood blinds are heavier than faux wood alternatives, and considerably heavier than roller or pleated blinds of the same dimensions. For large real wood blinds, ensure the fixing surface — whether recess ceiling, wall, or frame — is solid enough to support the weight. A large real wood blind fixed into plasterboard without adequate noggins or backing is a structural risk over time. If you are in any doubt about the fixing surface, seek advice from a qualified installer before ordering.

Part Three: How to Measure Roman Blinds

What Measurements Are Required for Roman Blinds?

Roman blinds require width and drop measurements, provided as either recess size or blind size (exact size).

For recess fitting: three width measurements at top, middle, and bottom; two drop measurements at left and right. Enter the smallest of each set. For exact size: provide the finished dimensions, with deductions already applied.

The available size range for Roman blinds is a minimum of 350mm and a maximum of 2500mm for both width and drop.

How Does a Roman Blind Differ From a Roller Blind in Terms of Measuring?

The most important distinction is what happens at the top of the window when the blind is raised. Roman blinds do not roll onto a tube. Instead, the fabric folds into horizontal pleats — stacking upward from the bottom as the blind is lifted. The higher the blind is raised, the taller the stack of fabric folds becomes.

This stack height is directly proportional to the drop of the blind: a blind with a long drop creates a taller stack when fully raised than a blind with a short drop. Before measuring, assess whether there is adequate clearance above the window — within the recess or between the top of the frame and the ceiling — to accommodate the folded blind when it is fully raised. 

Does Fabric Gathering or Fullness Affect the Measurements?

No. Roman blinds are flat when closed — there is no gathering or fullness in the fabric. The folds are created mechanically when the blind is lifted. You measure for the finished flat size of the blind only. No allowance for fullness is required.

Does the Chain Position Affect the Measurements?

No. The chain can be specified as left or right of the blind and this does not change the measurements you provide. Specify your preferred chain side when ordering.

Do Lining Options Affect the Measurements?

No. The available lining options — standard, blackout, thermal, or blackout and thermal combined — do not affect the measurements. The lining is incorporated into the blind during manufacture at the same finished dimensions. Select your preferred lining based on performance requirements: blackout for bedrooms or media rooms, thermal for windows where heat retention is a priority, or the combined blackout and thermal option where both apply.

What Do You Need to Consider If There Is a Radiator Below the Window?

A Roman blind that drops below the window sill on a window above a radiator may hang in front of the heat source. This restricts heat circulation into the room and, over sustained periods, can discolour or damage the fabric. Therefore:

• If installing the blind on the wall above the recess, measure the drop to stop at the window sill or above the top of the radiator, so the blind is clear of the heat source when lowered. 

If the radiator is positioned very close beneath the sill, a different blind type — or positioning the radiator — may be worth considering.

Part Four: How to Measure Pleated Blinds

Why Do Pleated Blinds Have More Than One Measuring Method?

Pleated blinds are available in several mounting systems — free hanging corded, Perfect Fit, Intu, and stick-on — and each system requires a different measurement. Selecting the wrong measuring method for the system you have ordered is one of the most common errors with pleated blinds, and it results in a blind that either does not fit into the frame or cannot be installed at all.

Before you take a single measurement, confirm which pleated blind system you are ordering.

How Do You Measure Free-Hanging Corded Pleated Blinds?

Free-hanging corded pleated blinds are measured using either recess size or blind size (exact size), in the same way as roller, venetian, wooden, and roman blinds. Take three width measurements at top, middle, and bottom; two drop measurements at left and right. Enter the smallest of each for recess fitting.

How Do You Measure Perfect Fit, Intu, and Stick-On Pleated Blinds?

These systems attach directly to the window frame or to the glass itself, rather than being fixed to the wall or ceiling of the recess. For all three systems, you measure the visible glass size — the area of glass you can see, not the overall frame or recess dimensions.

Measure the glass width and height directly. The system's brackets or clips fit within the window beading, and the blind is sized to the glass, not to the opening.

Top-down/bottom-up pleated blinds — which can be raised from the bottom or lowered from the top independently — are supplied in ‘Stick On’ format and therefore also require the glass size.

Window bead compatibility: Perfect Fit and Intu systems require the window to be internally beaded UPVC. If your window is not UPVC, or is not internally beaded, these systems are not compatible and a free hanging corded blind or a different blind type will be required.

How Do You Measure Pleated Blinds for Skylights?

Skylight pleated blinds are among the more technically demanding measuring tasks, primarily because of the access challenge. Measuring accurately from a ladder or platform on a horizontal or sloped skylight window requires care and, where practical, a helper.

For custom or non-branded skylights — Recess or Blind Size measurements are required. A written measuring guide is available at newblinds.co.uk and a measuring video at youtu.be/VAbMmaqPvpw. Follow these instructions carefully. An inaccurate measurement on a skylight blind is particularly costly to resolve, given both the product cost and the access required for installation.

How Do You Measure for Branded Roof Window Blinds?

For branded roof windows — Velux, Fakro, Dakstra, and Rooflite — you do not need to measure the glass manually. Locate the window code or model number on the frame. This code is all that is required to identify the correct blind.

What About Conservatory Roofs and Shaped Windows?

Conservatory roof blinds and shaped window blinds — arched, triangular, or otherwise non-rectangular — are not available to order through the standard website. For either of these applications, email estimates@newblinds.co.uk with your measurements, a photograph or scale drawing of the window, your preferred blind type, control method, and fabric requirements. A quotation can be provided on request.

Part Five: How to Measure Panel Blinds

What Measurements Are Required for Panel Blinds?

Panel blinds — also referred to as panel track blinds — require width and drop measurements, provided as either recess size or blind size.

The available size range is:

• Minimum width: 900mm
• Maximum width: 5200mm
• Maximum drop: 3250mm

There is no stated minimum drop — check the product page for the current specification.

How Many Panels Do You Need?

The number of panels is not something you determine solely by preference. For narrower windows, the minimum number of panels offered is three. For larger windows, a range of panel count options becomes available based on the width you have entered. The website will present the available options for your measurement.

Panel width is calculated from the track width and the number of panels selected. You do not need to calculate individual panel widths manually.

What Is the Stack Position and How Do You Choose It?

When panel blinds are drawn open, the panels slide and stack to one side, or to both sides if a split bunch is selected. The three options are:

• Left bunch: All panels stack to the left
• Right bunch: All panels stack to the right
• Split bunch: Panels divide and stack to both sides

The same principle applies here as with vertical blinds: ensure there is adequate wall or frame space beside the track to accommodate the stacked panels. Wide panel blinds with many panels produce a deep stack. If wall space is limited on one side, a split bunch distributes the stack depth across both sides.

What Windows and Applications Are Panel Blinds Suited To?

Patio doors: Panel blinds are a clean, contemporary alternative to vertical blinds for patio door applications. Specify the bunch direction to stack away from the door's opening side.

Room dividers: Panel track systems can be ceiling-mounted across an open space to divide a room. For room divider applications, contact estimates@newblinds.co.uk with the full dimensions and ceiling fixing details.

Large window walls: The maximum width of 5200mm makes panel blinds one of the most practical options for very wide openings where other blind types would require multiple separate units with visible gaps between them.

Bay windows: Measure each section individually. A panel blind spanning the full bay is rarely practical given the angled junctions between sections; individual blinds per bay facet are the standard approach.

Quick Reference: Size Limits by Product Type

Where a range is listed as "varies," consult the relevant product page on newblinds.co.uk for the current specification applicable to your chosen configuration.

If Your Window Does Not Fit the Standard Range

For windows that fall outside the standard size limits, or for applications not covered by the website — shaped windows, conservatory roofs, room dividers, or unusually complex configurations — email estimates@newblinds.co.uk with your measurements, photographs, preferred blind type, control method, and any specific requirements. Advice is available without obligation and a quotation can be provided if required.

For order queries on existing or in-progress orders, contact customer.services@newblinds.co.uk.