Measuring a Bay Window for Curtain Tracks
Measuring a bay window can raise a few questions — especially when you’re deciding between sill-length or floor-length curtains, and whether the curtains should sit fully within the bay or extend onto the returns.
This page pulls together the most common bay window measuring situations and points you to the right guide, so you can measure with confidence (and avoid the usual “second-guessing”).
Choose the Guide That Matches Your Situation
Sill-Length Curtains in a Bay Window
If your curtains stop at the sill, the measuring points can change slightly compared to full-length curtains. This guide shows what to measure (and why) so your track sits in the right place.
How to Measure a Five-Sided Bay Window
Five-sided bays need measuring point-to-point around the bay to get an accurate fit. This guide makes it simple by showing exactly where to measure and how to record your sizes.
Square Bay Windows & Track Position
Square bays often cause confusion about where the track should sit and how the returns are handled. This guide shows the right way to position the track so the curtains hang neatly.
FAQs
Yes — curtain length can affect where the track needs to sit and which measuring points matter most. Sill-length curtains and floor-length curtains don’t always use the same “best” track position in a bay.
Either can work — it depends on the look you want and how much light you’d like to keep on the side windows. Curtains that extend onto the returns usually need a slightly different track position (so measuring is handled a bit differently too).
Yes. Five-sided bays, square bays and curved bays all have slightly different measuring approaches. The key is measuring to the correct “points” so the track fits and the curtains hang where you expect.
That’s very common. If you send a quick photo of your bay window, I can tell you which guide to use and what to measure — before you get the tape measure out.
Yes — if you’d like reassurance, send your photo and measurements and I’ll happily sanity-check them. It’s a quick way to avoid ordering the wrong thing for your bay.
If you’re still unsure which measuring method is right for your bay, you don’t have to guess. You can get an instant price below, or send me a quick photo and I’ll point you to the right guide (and help you get it right first time).