What header type is right for your nursing home curtains?

Choosing the header type for your nursing home curtains is the first consideration you will need to make before you can begin to take any measurements.

Pencil pleat curtains are hung on either a track or pole with rings and suit both traditional and contemporary environments. This header type also lends itself well to being used with a pelmet for a more luxury feel, which are also effective at reducing light penetration. Eyelet curtains are versatile and practical as they do not require the use of hooks and provide a more contemporary look.

How to calculate the drop on your fire retardant curtains.

The drop of your care home curtains is the most important measurement you will take – if they are too short it is very difficult to make adjustments and the curtains will often have to be entirely remade. Therefore, it is important to fully explore where you want the curtains to finish, and any possible obstructions such as radiators, before taking measurements.

One of the decisions you will need to make is whether you would like the curtains to be floor or sill length. Floor length curtains are great for areas where you want to make a statement, whereas sill length curtains are popular due to their practicality and lowest cost. The decision you make on this will be down to your personal preference, budget and what suits the home.

Measuring the drop.

An easy guide to go by is to take the measurements from the top of the pole or track to the window sill and then add on 100-150mm to the measurement, for a standard drop below the window (unless there is an obstruction below the sill – in which case measure to this point).

For floor length fire retardant curtains take the measurement from the top of the pole or track to the floor, and then subtract 15mm to allow for clearance.

Measuring the curtain track or pole for the width.

Measuring the existing curtain track or pole is the easiest way to take the width measurement. However as a simple rule, if this is not in place, measure the window width and add on 100-150 mm each side to make sure that the curtains will adequately cover the window completely.

If you are installing a track or pole it is standard to position this 100 – 150mm above the window and this would need to be calculated in to the curtain drop.