How long is too long?

How long is too long? How long is too long?
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What’s the Ideal Length of a Roller Blind?



Showing what part to measure for the drop of a blindWhat’s the ideal length of the roller blind? Well, the sarcastic answer is: however long your window is, but we know you don’t need that kind of negativity. What you’re talking about are exact fit blinds.


Generally, this won’t often apply to recess-fit blinds because they should reach the bottom of the recess, as indicated by the drop measurement. However, there is a chance you may need to make a decision on drop lengths a little later on.


When you come to order your blind, you have to indicate to us whether you are going to install it inside or outside the recess. Recess fitted blinds go into a recess and we make the relevant deductions to make sure it will fit, so don’t go trying to account for brackets and whatnot before you enter the measurements into the website. We have it all covered.





Exact fit blind


Ideal Length for Exact-Fit Blinds


Exact fit blinds are made to your exact measurements – the size you give us is the size you get, so this is where the ideal length question becomes applicable.


We advise that you measure from the top to the bottom of the window and add 70mm at the top and the bottom. Measure from one side of the window to the other and then add 50mm to each side. This makes the blind wider and longer than the window, which helps you ensure the window is covered, reducing the chance of sunlight leaking through around the edges. Exact fit blinds give you the freedom to cover your windows exactly how you want them to be covered, which is quite empowering when you get into it. Think outside the recess and fit your blinds boldly!


So remember, add 100mm to the window's width and add 140mm to the drop measurement.


A diagram showing a recess fit blindIdeal Length for Recess-Fit Blinds


If you are measuring the drop of a blind in a recess, we recommend taking three measurements, particularly if the window is quite wide, to see if there is any change.


In old buildings, you may find the size changes as the building settles. If this is the case, use the longest measurement to ensure there is enough drop to run it all the way down to the window sill. If you were to give us the shortest drop measurement, you may find it meets the sill at one end but doesn’t touch it at the other.


If you get a little carried away with the drop measurement and give us more than you really need, then this isn’t much of an issue. For roller blinds, there is always meant to be excess fabric around the barrel, which we automatically add on too so if it is made a little too long you won’t notice it.


If it is too short, however, it will expose the barrel which doesn’t look ideal, so don’t be afraid to add a couple of millimetres if in doubt.









A recess fit roller blind Exact fit roller blind

So in conclusion, add extra to your exact measurement sizes and for recess blinds, the longer the length the better.


Get in touch if you have any questions when you come to measure your blinds or pay a professional to do it for you (find out more about our measuring and fitting service here!).