Curtain Sizes Explained: Every UK Size in cm and Inches

If you have ever searched for "228x137 curtains" and wondered why some shops call the same curtains 229x137, or 90x54, you are not alone. UK curtain sizing is a muddle of centimetres and inches, and it catches almost everyone out. This guide clears it up, then helps you find the right ready-made pair.

The quick answer

UK ready-made curtains were originally sized in inches. When retailers converted to centimetres, some rounded 90 inches to 228cm and others to 229cm. They are the same curtain. So 228x137, 229x137 and 90" x 54" all describe one standard size: 90 inches wide by 54 inches drop, per curtain.

The same thing happens at every size. 72 inches becomes 182cm or 183cm. 66 inches becomes 167cm or 168cm. If two listings are one centimetre apart, they are the same curtain.

Two rules make every curtain label make sense:

• Width comes first, drop second. 228x137 means 228cm wide and 137cm long.
• The width is per curtain, and ready-made curtains are sold in pairs. A pair of 228x137 curtains gives you around 456cm of fabric across the window, which is what creates those full, gathered folds.

UK curtain size conversion chart

Single measurements in inches

If you only need one number converted:

So a 228cm drop is a 90 inch drop, and a 229cm drop is also a 90 inch drop. The exact conversion is 228.6cm, which is why the industry never settled on one number.

How to measure for ready-made curtains

Measure the pole, not the window

Fit your pole or track first, then measure its full width, excluding the finials on the ends. That number is your starting point. Measuring the window itself gives you a curtain that is too narrow, because a pole should extend 15 to 20cm past the frame on each side so the curtains can stack clear of the glass when open.

Choose your width

For proper fullness, the combined width of your pair should be roughly 1.5 to 2 times the pole width. Because the stated size is per curtain, you double it to get the pair.

If you fall between two, size up. Curtains that are slightly too full look intentional. Curtains that are too narrow look like a mistake every time you close them.

Choose your drop

For eyelet curtains, measure from the top of the pole down to where you want the curtain to finish. For pencil pleat, measure from where the top of the curtain will sit, usually just below the pole.

Three standard drops:

• 137cm (54"). Sill length or just below. Sensible where a radiator or a piece of furniture sits under the window.
• 183cm (72"). Below sill. The compromise drop.
• 229cm (90"). Floor length. It makes the room read taller and it is the drop used in almost every show home scheme.

Floor-length curtains should finish within about 1cm of the floor. Any shorter and they look like they shrank.

Eyelet or pencil pleat?

This is the other choice you have to make, and it depends on what you are hanging them from.

Eyelet, also called ring top, has metal rings punched through the header. They thread straight onto a pole and hang in deep, even waves. No hooks, no tape, no gathering. They only work on a pole, not a track.

Pencil pleat has a gathering tape sewn across the top. You pull the cords to gather the fabric into tight vertical folds, then hang with hooks. It works on both a pole and a track, gives you some adjustment in the final width, and reads as the more traditional of the two.

One practical difference that matters when you are measuring: eyelet curtains hang from the top of the pole, so your drop measurement starts there. Pencil pleat curtains hang below the pole on hooks, so the same stated drop will finish a few centimetres higher.

Blackout curtains and sizing

Blackout curtains are sized to exactly the same standard. A 228x137 blackout curtain has the same dimensions as a 228x137 unlined one.

Two things change. Blackout fabric is heavier, so it hangs with slightly less movement and holds its folds more firmly. And because the point is to stop light, the fit around the window matters more than it does with an unlined pair. Go wider than you think, and choose a drop that finishes below the sill rather than exactly on it, so light cannot spill underneath.

If you are buying for a nursery or a bedroom on a bright side of the house, a wider pair on a pole that extends well past the frame will do more for you than the fabric grade will.

Shop curtains by size at Xshowhome

Our curtain range is from Riva Home, one of the UK's leading soft furnishing houses. Everything below is in stock now.

229x137cm (90" x 54") curtains, also listed as 228x137

Eyelet: the Atlantic in Natural (£45) is the goes-with-everything choice, also in Green, Blush and Ochre. For something deeper, the Bali in Midnight (£84).

Pencil pleat: the Grantley in Emerald (£62) or the Pomegranate in Green (£65).

229x229cm (90" x 90") curtains, also listed as 228x228

Full length and full width, for patio doors and generous windows.

Eyelet: the Atlantic in Duck Egg (£66), Grey or Green. The Wellesley in Mocha (£106) adds weight, and the Bali in Midnight (£115) is the statement option.

Pencil pleat: the Grantley in Emerald (£89), Natural (£110), or the Belmont in Claret (£97).

229x183cm (90" x 72") curtains, also listed as 228x182

Eyelet: the Atlantic in Natural (£57), Grey or Green.

Pencil pleat: the Grantley in Emerald (£75) or Pomegranate in Green (£78).

168x137cm (66" x 54") curtains

The standard window size. Eyelet: Atlantic in Natural (£36), Green, Grey or Blush. Richer: the Bali in Midnight (£66).

168x183cm (66" x 72") curtains

Eyelet: Atlantic in Natural (£45), Duck Egg or Blush.

Pencil pleat: Winchester in Silver (£53) or Grantley in Natural (£76).

168x229cm (66" x 90") curtains

Floor length on a standard window. Eyelet: Atlantic in Natural (£55), Grey or Green.

Pencil pleat: Grantley in Natural (£90) or Pomegranate in Natural (£97).

117x137cm (46" x 54") curtains

For smaller windows. Eyelet: Atlantic in Blush (£25) or Green. Pencil pleat: Grantley in Brick (£45).

117x183cm (46" x 72") curtains

Eyelet: Bali in Natural (£57) or Olive. Pencil pleat: Grantley in Emerald (£42).

Browse the full curtain collection at Xshowhome

FAQ: UK curtain sizes

What size is 228x137 in inches?

228x137cm is 90 x 54 inches: 90 inches wide per curtain, with a 54 inch drop. It suits wide windows where you want the curtain to finish at or just below the sill.

Is 228x137 the same as 229x137?

Yes. Both are metric conversions of the same 90 x 54 inch curtain. 90 inches is 228.6cm, so some brands round down and others round up.

What is 229x229 in inches?

229x229cm is 90 x 90 inches. It is the largest standard ready-made size, meant for wide windows and patio doors with a floor-length drop.

What is 168x229 in inches?

168x229cm is 66 x 90 inches: a standard-width window with a floor-length drop. You will also see it written as 167x228.

Do curtain sizes show width or drop first?

Width first, drop second. A 228x137 curtain is 228cm wide and 137cm long.

Is the stated width for one curtain or the pair?

The width is per curtain, and ready-made curtains are sold in pairs. A pair of 228cm curtains gives around 456cm of fabric in total, which is what creates full, generous folds on the pole.

What size curtains do I need for a 228cm pole?

Aim for a combined pair width of roughly 1.5 to 2 times the pole. For a pole around 228cm, a pair of 228 or 229cm-wide curtains is the right choice. Then pick the drop, 137, 183 or 229cm, based on where you want them to finish.

What is the difference between eyelet and pencil pleat?

Eyelet curtains have metal rings that thread onto a pole and hang in deep waves. Pencil pleat curtains have a gathering tape and hang on hooks, which works on both a pole and a track. Eyelet drops are measured from the top of the pole, pencil pleat from just below it.

Are blackout curtains sized differently?

No. Blackout curtains use the same standard sizes. The fabric is heavier, and it is worth going wider and longer than you would with an unlined pair so light cannot spill around the edges.