Proper measuring for window treatments for your new windows is almost as important as the measurements we take when calculating the site to build your new windows. Because a perfect-fit replacement window starts with precision measuring techniques in your Long Island home, a member of our team takes responsibility for measuring every window and patio door in your home. It’s not because we don’t think homeowners are smart enough to read a measuring tape. It’s because it’s not as easy as it looks and we guarantee the fit. Our factory builds replacement windows to within 1/16 of an inch of the opening left when we remove your existing windows. Accuracy is critical to completing the installation properly – something else Renewal by Andersen guarantees. A well-built, properly installed replacement window will perform exactly as designed, making your home more comfortable, more energy efficient and more secure than it was before you decided to upgrade.
Now that you’ve chosen to update your home with modern, Energy Star certified replacement windows, you may be thinking about replacing your window treatments, too. So, we thought this might be a good time to give you some measuring tips that will ensure your blinds, shutters and shades fit perfectly and look as terrific as your home’s new windows.
Tip 1: No matter how perfectly your current shades fit, don’t measure the shade, measure your windows.
Tip 2: Consider whether you want window treatments that mount on the outside or inside. Inside mount blinds and shades fit inside the frame, only covering the glass portion of your window unit, outside mount options cover the frame around the window.
Tip 3: When ordering multiple window treatments for several rooms, work in a consistent pattern in every room and give each window a unique code. For example, let’s say you’re going to invest in new shades or blinds in the family room and two bedrooms. Stand at the primary entrance to the room and work your way from left to right around the room. If your family room has six windows, you would label each window FR (for family room) plus a number corresponding to each window in the order they were measured. So, you would have FR1 information for the first window, FR2 for the second, and so on until you reach the last window, which should be labeled FR6. Then move to the first bedroom and repeat the process, working from left to right. You could use 1BR1 for the first bedroom’s first window, and 2BR1 for the first window in the second bedroom.
Tip 4: Now that you have a plan, grab a pencil, metal tape measure and a notepad. It helps to have another person write down measurements as you call them off, and then switch places, a new person measuring and the previous person checking the numbers and window labels. This way, you measure twice and verify the right information made it onto your notepad. Some people prefer to make a spreadsheet instead of a sheet of paper or notepad. If so, you’ll need columns for the following info:
Remember all measurements should be in inches. So, don’t convert a 74 inch length to six feet, two inches. Whether you are ordering custom window treatments or off-the-shelf versions, you’ll find the standard is to list the width first and only use inches. If you are ordering custom shades or blinds, professional decorators recommend you round down to the nearest 1/8 inch when measuring for an inside-mount shades and round up to the nearest 1/8 inch when buying outside-mount window treatments.
Tip 5: Remember that the exact width or length may vary depending on whether you measure at the top, bottom or middle of your window unit because your beautiful replacement windows are built to precisely fit into the opening left when we remove your existing windows. This video shows where to measure so you have all the information you need when it is time to place your order, or visit your local brick and mortar store.
We take great pride in building modern, energy-efficient replacement windows and patio doors you can be proud to display in your home. Be careful never to drill into the glass portion of your new window if you plan to install new window treatments. This could permanently damage your windows and void all or part of your warranty. When in doubt about where to mount brackets and where to place nails or screws, please feel free to contact your replacement window specialist. You can reach us by filling in the short form on this page, or by calling (866) 609-5033 during business hours.
