Curtain Size Calculator: The right size can make all the difference
Are you in the market for curtains? Before you click “buy” be sure that you’re getting the right size for your window. Curtains come in pretty standard sizes. Your job is to choose the size that is the closest to what’s ideal for your window.
Get a curtain that is too small/narrow and it looks like a mistake. Get the right sized curtain for your space and you’ll elevate your room.
Here’s an example from my own home. In the photo on the left, the curtains look too wimpy for the window vs the image on the right where the curtain is more substantial. There’s a 2 part formula to make sure you get the curtain that makes your space look warm and cozy. Click here to skip right to the calculator.
Part 1 – How Long Should A Curtain Be?
The thing I realized after buying and making countless sets of drapes is that curtain rods are easier to move up and down than curtains are to hem. Standard curtain lengths are 72 inches, 84 inches, 96 inches and 108 inches.
These are the questions you need to answer before you choose the right length for you:
- What is the distance from the top of your window to the floor?
- How high are your ceilings?
- Do you want curtains to barely touch the ground or pool on the ground?
Hanging your curtains HIGHER than you window sill makes you window look larger. Nothing looks worse than curtains that are too short. If your ceilings are 8 feet (96 inches), you will probably want to stick with 84 inch curtains.
Measure 4-6 inches above the window frame to the floor. This is the ideal height for rod which gives you the length for a curtain.
You will probably find this exact length is NOT a standard size. From there, adjust the curtain rod height to get to a length that IS available (you can see my favorite sources for drapes here). Add an extra 1-2 inches if you want the curtains to pool at the bottom.
Part 2 – How Wide Should A Curtain Be?
The rule of thumb is that your curtains should be 2 to 2.5 times as wide as your window. If you never plan to close the drapes, some would say 1.5 times is wide enough. This measurement works for a single panel if you want curtains only on one side of your window, or divide it by two for curtains on both sides.
It can be tempting to settle for 1.5 times as wide as the window. Curtains are expensive and a 50 inch panel is much cheaper than a 100 inch panel. But the extra fabric adds a real feeling of luxury. I regret skimping in my bedroom thinking that I could always get new curtains. It’s been several years. Don’t skimp unless you don’t plan to use the curtains for very long.
It’s ALWAYS better to err on the side of too wide. The patterned curtain above is 1.5x the width of the window. The windows is 30 inches and the curtain is 45 inches. The curtain on the right is 2x as wide as the window.
Standard Curtain Size Calculator
If you don’t want to read, you just want the size here’s the table for you. This guide is for floor-length curtains. If you have two windows next to each other, count the width of both together.
| Fullness | Ceiling height | Window Width | Curtain Size |
| regular fullness (one panel each side) | 8 feet | 0-66 inches | 2 panels, 84 inches long, 50-54 inch panels* |
| regular fullness (one panel each side) | 9 feet | 0-66 inches | 2 panels, 96 inches long, 50-54 inch panels* |
| regular fullness (one panel each side) | 10 feet | 0-66 inches | 2 panels, 108 inches long, 50-54 inch panels* |
| Luxury (one panel each side) | 8 feet | 0-50 inches | 2 panels, 84 inches long, 50-54 inch panels* |
| Luxury (one panel each side) | 9 feet | 0-50 inches | 2 panels, 96 inches long, 50-54 inch panels* |
| Luxury (one panel each side) | 10 feet | 0-50 inches | 2 panels, 108 inches long, 50-54 inch panels* |
| regular fullness (one panel each side) | 8 feet | 66-132 inches | 2 panels, 84 inches long, 100 inch panels* |
| regular fullness (one panel each side) | 9 feet | 66-132 inches | 2 panels, 96 inches long, 100 inch panels* |
| regular fullness (one panel each side) | 10 feet | 66-132 inches | 2 panels, 84 inches long, 108 inch panels* |
| Luxury (one panel each side) | 8 feet | 50-100 inches | 2 panels, 84 inches long, 100 inch panels* |
| Luxury (one panel each side) | 9 feet | 50-100 inches | 2 panels, 96 inches long, 100 inch panels* |
| Luxury (one panel each side) | 10 feet | 50-100 inches | 2 panels, 84 inches long, 108 inch panels* |
* some manufacturers make 50-inch standard panels, some 52-inch and some 54-inch. Etsy and Pottery Barn sell 100 inch panels
How Many Panels Do I Need?
If you want one panel on each side of the window, you can use the table above. If you have a window in a corner, or you just want a curtain on one side, you can put all of the width on one side of the window.
If that’s the look you want, it’s still best to get a curtain panel that is wider than the window by 1.5x. Here’s an example of that look with the Pottery Barn Drapes.
What Size Curtains Do I Need For TWO Windows ?
If you have two windows together, simply add the widths before applying the 2x rule. For example, two 30-inch windows are 60 inches wide. You would ideally want 120 inches of drapery.
Wait! Curtains don’t come in 120 inch widths (or even 60 if you are using a panel on each side). If you need 120 inches of fabric, ask yourself this question. Is this a room where I want a cozy feeling? More fabric makes a room feel more cozy and comfortable.
Curtain width calculator: If it’s a bedroom, aim for at least 2x. If it’s a dining room or a kitchen, just under 2x is OK. It’s better to have 3x the width of your window than 1.5x if you want a cozy, warm look. To get this, purchase multiple panels and hang them together. You can get a 100 inch panel and 50 inch panel (in the example where I want 120 inches).
Buying curtains is probably not something you are going to do every year. Take the time to be sure the curtains you buy will stand the test of time. I’ve definitely learned from my mistakes in this area.
If you liked this post you might be interested in this curtain size chart or how wide should my curtains be for a 36 inch window.
How wide should curtains be for 72-inch window?
I received so many questions with individual size questions that I wanted to add the most frequent size as an example. If you have a 72-inch window, you would ideally want 108 to 144 inches of fabric. This is not a standard drapery width.
I’ve found that I like the look of a more full drape vs less full. I would get two 100-inch panels if it is a bedroom or living room. One panel for each side. I would hang them above the window and outside the window frame to make the window look even bigger. Two 50-inch panels would look a little bit skimpy because it’s less than 1.5 times the total width of the window.
You can search for “extra wide curtains”. You will find sellers on Etsy that make a 75-inch width curtain. Two of these would also work, especially in an area like a dining room or kitchen. These are less common.
How wide would curtains be for a 120-inch window?
When your windows get to be this wide, you will need to opt for the widest drapes available. The best choice would be to get two 100-inch panels.
The length depends on your ceiling height. The standard lengths are 84 inches, 96 inches and 108 inches. Get the one that is the longest, but fits within your ceiling height.
These extra wide panels are not available everywhere, but a good place to start is to search specifically for 100-inch curtains or “extra wide”. They are available on Amazon, Pottery Barn and Target, but there is less selection. Etsy has a good selection if you want to have a custom fabric.
Andrea, I love these posts because they are SO informative! Iced in for a week! Yikes! And stop eating peanuts-how scary.. we have crows at our cabin and they are HUGE and a bit scary. After watching the movie The Birds you will need to share your crow knowledge with me. Happy Sunday!
Great advice Andrea! I love your diagram with the measurements – I’m definitely a visual learner! 🙂 Love your stick blinds in the second picture too! You’re always so inspiring, my friend!
Will two 50 inch panel curtains look good for a 36inch window
Chuck,
Yes, two 50 inch panels are more than enough for a 36″ window. The rules would say you need 72″ of fabric, so 50″ on each side will look nice and full.
Thanks for your question.
Andrea
I have window that’s 110 inches wide x63 long. I really only want 2 panels. What do you suggest?
Lisa,
I would get the widest panels you can find. Search for “extra wide curtain panel”. That’s a very wide space, but it’s YOUR home so you can break the rules. I’m jsut trying to give you the guidelines.
I would recommend hanging the curtains above the window and getting drapes that go to the floor. This will make the most out of your amazingly large windows. If you want to share a picture I’m happy to take a look.
Andrea
I have to buy curtains for two windows in the apartment I just moved to. One window is 71 inches wide and 64 inches long. The other wiñdow is 54 inches wide and 47 inches long. The curtain cannot hang more than two inches below the window sill. What sizes do you recommend?
Richard,
Thanks for your question. Here’s what I recommend.
First window: For a 71-inch window you need at least 106 to 140 inches of fabric across, but curtains don’t come in these sizes. Two options: 1.) Bare minimum I would get is two 52-inch wide panels. If your ceilings are 8 feet, then I would get an 84-inch length. Don’t get anything smaller than this 2.) If you want a fuller more luxurious look, I would get two 100-inch wide panels that are 84-inch in length.
Second Window: For a 54-inch window you need between 81 and 108 inches of fabric across the window. Two options: 1.) Bare minimum get two 42-inch wide panels that are 48-inch length If you have lots of room above the window you can get a 54-inch length 2.) For a fuller more luxurious look I would get two 54-inch wide panels that are 48-inch in length.
It is faster to shop if you put the sizes into your search. Let me know if you want more information.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
Hi,
I have many questions 😊. My living room has two 35 inch width windows, with a 28 inch space between them. My ceilings are 9 feet. Would it be best to do separate panels on each window or two that cover both windows? If I do separate panels for each window should I do one panel per window or two? Would 72” x 100” be the correct measurement for floor length?
Thanks for your question.
It’s unusual to have 28 inches between windows. My approach would be to try and make it look like one large window with a curtain in between. It will make the windows look larger. To make that happen you would need to treat the entire space as a window. 35 + 35 + 28 = 98 inches. (we are pretending the windows take up the whole space) I would use three panels, one on each side and one in the middle.
If your ceilings are 9 feet tall I would use an 8-foot drape (96 inches).
Since drapery panels are only sold in a few widths I would order three 50×96-inch panels and use one long rod over both windows. Then I would barely pull the middle panel over the window. This makes it appear that the window goes farther over than it does. This is 150″ total width of drapes which is the minimum for your window.
If you have a larger budget or you want a full drape, I would do two 50×96″ drapes on the outsides and a wider panel in the middle or two 50″ panels (for a total of 4). This is 200″ of total width and the upper end of the range for a 100″ window.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
Hello Andrea. I have a similar scenario to this one except my windows are 40 in with 22 in space between them and 9 ft ceilings. I am not overly fond of drapery rings but it seems like I would need to use them if I have one long curtain rod over the two windows to compensate for the support brackets. Do you have any other suggestions? Thank you in advance!
Mary,
The space between doesn’t mean you have to have rings. You can still use a rod pocket curtain or a grommet, but they are more difficult to close. It depends if you want to move them. In my dining room I never move the curtains and they are rod pockets.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
I have windows 96 in x 72in in my den and dining room. We are trying to get curtains but my wife only wants one panel per side. Help
John,
Is the 96″ the width? or length? If you only want one panel on each side, make it an extra wide one. They are more pricy, but you can still get a full look. Pottery Barnk makes 100-inch panels (probably the more expensive option) but they are nice. Wayfair does also.
I would search by the dimensions that you want. Happy to send you some options if you let me know what your color scheme is.
Andrea
My window measurements are 54 inches long and 85 inches wide. What size curtains would you recommend for a cozy warm effect? Thank you.
Elaine,
The fact that you used the word cozy suggests to me that you a more full curtain will give you a warm feeling. You want 2x the width of your curtain in fabric. That’s 170 inches. But of course, they don’t make that size. I would get two 100-inch wide panels, because two of the next size down will look like barely enough.
The height of the window is not as important as the height of your ceilings. In most rooms, you want to hang a full length curtain even if the curtain is only 54 inches. If your ceilings are 8-feet you probably want 84 inch length, 9-feet you want 96 inches and 10-feet 108 inches.
If you want to send me a photo I’m happy to send you specific suggestions.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
Hi – I have a 58w x 59l window in one room and 70w x 59l in another room.
What size do you recommend.
Lynn,
Can you tell me how high your ceilings are? I would base the length of the curtain on your ceiling height rather than the height of the window. If you have 8-foot ceilings, I would get 84-inch length, if your ceilings are 9-feet I would get 96-inch length, 10-feet, 108-inch length.
The width depends on how full you want the drapes to look, bedrooms often look good with more fabric for a cozier feel. If you want both windows to have a curtain on each side I get 2×50 inch panels for the 58 inch window and 2x 100 inch panels for the 70 inch window. You could go smaller, this would give you lots of fabric, so consider the room.
I am happy to look at the windows and give you specific suggestions if you want to send photos.
I hopt this helps.
Andrea
Help 🥺 I’m so new to curtains. We have a 126″ wide sliding glass door that I want to put curtains over. 84″ height. How many panels should I get and what size?
Daniella,
I am going to assume a few things. First, you will hang the rod about 1 foot over the door. This will make opening and closing it easier because the rod is not right on top of the door frame. I would look for 96-inch length curtains.
The width of the curtain depends on whether you want to be able to cover the full width of the sliding door or whether you will leave them open. If you want to be able to cover the full width you will need 189 inches of width.
Standard curtain widths are 50 inches and more uncommonly 100 inches. I would get 2×100 inch panels that are 96 inches in length. If you don’t want to cover the windows you could use less width. For example, if you want to keep the drapes pulled to one side and always have some of the window exposed you could do 2×50-inch panels. This will not be nearly as lush looking.
I’m happy to suggest specific curtains, I’m happy to send them to you. A picture would be really helpful.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
I’m wanting to put outdoor waterproof drapes on my gazebo. I have exactly 110 inches of width. I can find drapes that are 100, 110 and 120 inches in width. Which size in width should I use, The drapes also have grommets at top….Thanks
Steve,
I would get 2-100 inch panels for you gazebo. Would love to see pictures! I don’t know how long they should be, but I recommend that outdoor curtains don’t reach the ground because they tend to get a bit more dirty than indoor curtains.
Thanks for your question.
Need some help.
I have a 142″ wide sliding glass door and 94″ length. How many panels do you recommend and sizes?
Thx!!
Chris,
I assume that you want to fully close the curtains. If you want to only have the drapes pull to one side and always have one side open, I would have a different suggestion.
In terms of width you want 210-280 inches of fabric. They don’t make curtains wider than 100 inches normally. I would get 2-100 inch panels minimum that are 108 inches long (9 feet). If you want a more lush curtain you can add a second 50′ curtain on each side.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
I have 2 windows in my bedroom. They are 48.5 W by 48.5 L. What size panels do I need. I want to be able to close all the way to block out the light. I want them nice and cozy.
Deann,
In bedrooms I like to aim for 2x as wide as the window. The length depends on how high your ceilings are more than how tall the window is. I would get 2-100 inch panels. If your ceilings are 8 feet, get 84 inch panels (which make the windows appear larger). If your ceiling are 9 feet het 96 inch panels and 10 feet, 108 inch panels.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
I have a 56 inch wide window .
How wide of curtain do you recommend?
Vanora,
If you want your curtains to be on both sides of the window I would bet two 50-inch panels, one for each side of the window. 50 inches is a pretty standard width because fabic is 54 inches wide.
You didn’t say what kind of room you have, but 2 panels 50-inch panels are plenty for a bedroom. If it’s a living room where you hare not needing to close the curtains you could get away with less fabric. I always prefer more and that’s a nice large window.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
My window is 70W and 60L. I want to put 4 panels. What size panels do I need?
Romy,
It’s not the height of the window that matters as much as the height of your ceiling. If you hang the curtain above the window, it makes the window appear larger.
For an 8-foot ceiling I would use 84 inch length. For 9-foot ceiling use a 96 inch length and for 10-foot 108-inch use a length.
For the width you would want minimum 105 inches of fabric to 140 inches (which isn’t a size they make). Most curtains are made with 54 inch fabric, which makes a 50-inch width drape. You could use four of these if you want a really full look, just be sure to use a rod that also extends beyond the width of the window. Hang them high and wide.
If you look for drapes on Etsy you can find more sizes like 75″ wide. Two of that size would be ideal for your window. I hope this helps.
Andrea
Greetings!
I measured my closet opening/door and plan to use curtains instead. It’s measured at 62 inch wide, 98 inch long. I am thinking extra wide panels may be needed but wanted your opinion. Thank you so much for reading this
Greeting Marcus,
Thanks for your question. I would bet a minimum of 100 inches of fabric (2 50-inch panels) that are 108 inches long so you can hang them above the window. If it’s a bedroom or any room that you want to have a really cozy feeling, I would get 2-100 inch or 2-75 inch (available on Etsy) panels.
I hope this helps. Would love to see a photo.
Andrea
I have 12″ ceilings and my guest room has two windows (one 11″ from the ceiling and the other is 24″ from the bottom of the top window). As they are one above the other both windows measure 80″ wide. I would like for the curtains to be around 1/4″ to 3/4″ from the floor because it is a beach house on the Pacific Coast and if the curtains touch the floor they will get very dirty. As this is a beach house, I’m thinking I should purchase indoor/outdoor curtains as there is a lot of humidity and salt air in the area.
What size curtain should I purchase?
Ivy,
Thanks for your question. I’m a bit confused about the exact layout so I hope I got the layout right. It sounds like there is plenty of room for a rod above both windows, which are stacked on top of each other. I agree that you probably don’t want the curtains to reach the ground.
Since you have such high ceilings I would get 130″ length curtains. Hang them at the height above the top window to give you the 3/4″ clearance at the bottom. You have enough space to play with.
I would get two 80-inch panels if it’s a bedroom and 2 60-inch panels if it’s a room where you don’t want as much fabric.
I would use a service like this, where you can choose your own fabric. https://rstyle.me/+ACKOAua2WhlhU3jF7hHXxQ. Or you can search Etsy for sellers that make custom drapery, there are lots of them that let you send the fabric to them unless you are looking for a solid color like white or cream. Most retailers like Pottery Barn, don’t make curtains long enough to hang above the top window.
I would order a Multifunctional Tape heading and hang them on rings so they are easy to move which is more difficult with a really long curtain. Other header types can be hard to open and close (if you plan to do that).
The width required to cover your window is not a standard fabric width (which is 54 inches wide). When you start looking for outdoor fabric you should be sure to search for “extra wide outdoor fabric”.
I hope this helps, if you’d like more suggestions it would be great to see a photo of the windows and to know what colors you are looking for.
Andrea
Thank you so much Andrea. This was most helpful! I’ll send photos later.
Hi Andrea! I’m new to curtains. I have two 35 1/2 inch x 72 inch windows. Thinking one long rod and two 52 inch panels. I’m not sure what to do on the length though. I have cats, and the space is a guest room with a Murphy bed/dining room with an extendable dining table. There’s also a radiator cover in front of one of the windows and a window AC unit in front of the other. The ceiling are 9 ft. Can send pics if that’s helpful. Thanks in advance!
Rachel,
Thanks for your detailed description. I have a few questions for you first. Do you plan to close the drape over the radiator cover and AC unit? Or do you want a drape that comes to the top of these two things? I would suggest, either a full floor length drape IF you don’t want to close it over the radiator/AC or a drape that comes to the top of the radiator cover if you do plan to close them.
Ideally the best solution would be some kind of pull down shade or roman shades for privacy with the drapes on either side.
For 9 foot ceilings, I recommend a 96 inch length curtain for the floor length option. I think you are right about the 2×52 inch panels.
I hope this helps. I would love to see pictures.
Andrea
I have 8 1/2 ” ceilings and two double-hung windows that sit side-by-side. There is with a 7″ partition between the two windows, but they are framed like a single window.
Because they are framed together, the outside frame to outside frame measures 80″. So would 2 100″ width panels do the trick? Or should I put two 50″ panels on each side?
I love the light in this room and have used double rods in the past to take advantage of the pretty light filtering in but also to darken the room.
I will probably open the curtains often… are grommets most effective.
You have a great website, thanks!
F,
Thanks for your question. I would recommend 2 100″ panels. You could get 96″ length if you want to make the windows look larger.
I’ve got a 6″ space between windows just like that, I think it’s common.
Grommets are harder to open and close than rings if you have a choice.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
Hello!!
I have one window that is 91 in length, 29 W, 8 1/2 inches, from bottom of molding to top of window.
I hung the curtain rod in the middle. What length should I order? Using blackout rods. Also what diameter do you recommend? It is a very small room & I don’t want the rod to overpower.
Want panels to hang straight, no puddle. I like the more pleaded look using rings.
Other window is a double, same measurements except for the width it is 55W
Thank you very much!
LA
Leigh,
Thanks for the question. I’m not sure how tall your ceilings are. But assuming they are 9 feet and you want two curtains (on each side) I would get two 50 inch panels, that should be enough since it sounds like you don’t want a lot of fabric.
If your ceilings are 9 feet the length that will work for you is 8 feet (96 inches) unless you want to hang the curtain at the very top of your ceiling.
Most curtains only come in standard lengths 84, 96, 108 inches so you really have to back into the length that fits your ceiling height and determine where the rod goes based on that length.
For the second window you could use two 50 inch panels (but do you mean there are 2 55′ windows?) If there are two 55 inch windows so I would use two 100 inch panels.
I hope this helps. Feel free to email me directly [email protected] if you have more questions.
Andrea
Hi!
We have 144” LaCantina sliding doors. My wife purchased 4 50” panels. Then I read your post. Do I get two more 50” panels? I don’t think they sold out drapes in 100” length. Thanks!
Jason,
It depends on whether you will ever close the drape or it’s just for the look. Most sliding glass drapes I see are never closed. If you plan to keep the drapes pulled to the side at all times it will be enough to have 200 inches of fabric. I would hang what you’ve got and see if you like it. That’s a lot of fabric and it will look fine pulled to the side. If you plan to close it you can add more if it looks too skimpy.
I hope this helps.
Andrea
Hi there Andrea,
My Bedroom Window is 52” w x 64” l (which includes wood trim going around window). Ceiling height is 8’, and only have 10” above window wood trim to ceiling. I know I want to go with a fuller look so 2- 50” panels, but for the rod would you recommend going 6” past wood trim on both sides of window which would be a 64” rod? Or would you go larger than that? Thank you!
Maria,
I think 6″ is plenty beyond the window. 64″ sounds good.
Andrea