Key Takeaways
- Before getting started to learn how to measure for cellular shades, you must gather the drill, screw, and the other 9 important components listed below.
- The cellular shade measuring process is divided into 2 parts: Inside Mount vs. Outside Mount. Read the article now!
How to measure for cellular shades
Tools and Materials Needed
Before learning how to measure for cellular shades, you must prepare some tools and materials below:
Tools Needed:
- Drill
- 1/16″ drill bit
- Screws
- Anchors (depending on material)
Components Included:
- Shade
- Brackets
- Cord guide mounting screw
- Wall anchor
- Optional hold-down brackets
- Top-down bottom brackets.
- Optional extension brackets
Preparation
Learning how to measure for cellular shades will not be successful if you ignore some important preparations below:
- Choose Mount Type: Decide whether you want an outside mount (on the wall above or on the window frame itself) or an inside mount (inside the window frame).
- Clear the Area: Remove any objects or obstructions from the window area to ensure accurate measurements and easy installation. To make the process more effective, you should clean cellular shades regularly.
- Check for Levelness: Use a level to check that your window frame is even. If not, account for this in your measurements to ensure the shades hang properly.
Step-by-Step Cellular Shade Measuring Process
After gathering all the necessary tools and checking all the preparations, let’s measure what size cellular shades.
1. For Inside Mount:
Step 1: Measure the Width:
-
- Measure the exact window width in 3 places: the top, middle, and bottom.
- Record the narrowest width to ensure the shade fits within the frame without gaps.
Measure the width
Step 2: Measure the Height:
-
- Measure the window’s height on the left, center, and right.
- Record the most extended height to ensure the shade covers the entire window.
Measure the height
Step 3: Depth Measurement:
-
- Measure the window frame’s depth to ensure enough space to mount the shade inside the frame. Cellular shades typically require a minimum depth for a flush mount.
See more: Features And Benefits Of Cellular Shades
2. For Outside Mount:
Step 1: Measure the Width
-
- Measure the exact width of the area you want to cover. This is typically wider than the window to ensure full coverage and light control.
- Add 2-3 inches on each side (4-6 inches total) to minimize light gaps.
Measure the width
Step 2: Measure the Height
-
- Measure the precise height from the top of the mounting area to the bottom.
- Add 2-3 inches to the height measurement to ensure proper coverage and overlap at the top and bottom.
Measure the height
Step 3: Mark the Mounting Area
-
- Mark lightly with a pencil where you plan to mount the brackets. This will help guide your installation process.
Tips for Accurate Measurements
As you can see, understanding how to measure cellular shades is not hard. However, to make your process easier, we introduce 4 tips below:
- Use a metal tape measure for the most precise measurements.
- Measure twice, cut once: Double-check all measurements before ordering your shades.
- Record measurements to the closest 1/8 inch for precision.
- For multiple windows, measure each window individually, as there can be slight variations in size. But which one is a perfect fit for your home? See the guide here.
That’s all how to measure cellular shade cell size. Let’s get started now.
