Bay Window Guides

• How to work out the amount of sides in your bay window

• How to measure the total length inside your bay window

• Handy Hints for Measuring/Fitting Bay Tracks & Poles

• Bay Pole & Track Type's Explained

How many sides does your bay window have?

As we know there are many different types of bay window, with different sizes and layouts, for example a 3 sided bay could be square, rectangular or splayed (Victorian style) and possibly have little extra sections of wall about 25cm (10” inches in length) on the ends of the bay window, so potentially things can get a little confusing when trying to work out the size and style of your bay let alone what product will be suitable.

So in this section we will make things clear for you and help you workout the how many sides your bay has, what style your bay is and the total length around your bay window then you will have all the information you require to buy a bay pole.

How to work out the amount of sides in your bay window (angled bay windows).

Firstly what is a side? These are the long flat sections of wall within the bay window area, each section which will angle in to another flat section of wall and so on producing the shape of the bay window. Simply count each flat section of wall in the bay window; to determine which sections of wall count as bay sides, just think which sections of the wall/ windows do you want your curtains to cover? In the diagram below you can clearly see the three wall sections which are counted as bay sides.

In my bay window there are small sections of wall each side of the bay? Do I count these as sides?

So you’ve counted the amount of sides/ flat sections around your bay window and you’re wondering if the small sections of wall often about 25cm or 10” inches in length count as bay sides? The diagram below shows the exact location of these pieces of wall which are highlighted in red.

There are a few factors to determine if you should include these sections of wall:

• Is the section in question longer than 25cm (10”)? If yes then we would say include these wall sections when counting the number of bay sides. If they are 25cm (10”) or shorter the curtain pole will often bridge across in to this short section of wall, the reason for this is due to the way the pole projects off the bay walls. This means there is no need to count this section of wall as a bay side. The diagram below shows how a 3 sided bay curtain pole would work in conjunction with the extra pieces of wall. Note please read the all other points below in case they affect you decision.
• Is there sufficient space on the previous wall section to contain the curtain without obstructing the light or view from the side window?
• Do you require you curtains to finish right at the end of the bay?
• If you have a deep window cill e.g. 20cm (8”) deep and full length curtains then yes include these wall sections when counting the amount of bay sides.
• If you have curtains that are going to finish above the window cill then you don’t have to include these sections of wall.

Taking all these points in to consideration you should be able to determine how many sides your bay window has and be one of the following bay window styles; 2 sided, 3 sided, 4 sided, 5 sided, 6 sided.

How to measure the total length inside your bay window? Back to top

Once you have established the amount of sides your bay has you can now measure around the inside of your bay where you wish your curtains to cover, this will then allow you to choose the correct length product.

Just before you get the tape measure out please note, curtain poles and curtain track measurements should be noted down in two slightly different ways, when measuring for a curtain track simply write down the total length around the bay, for a curtain pole still measure the total length you require but write down the length of each individual section that makes up the total length. The reason for this is bay curtain pole sets contain set lengths for each bay section so knowing your individual bay measurement will come in very handy when looking at these types of products. Also you may want to use our “Create your own curtain pole” section which will allow you to make your bay window curtain pole from a range of high quality component parts, again this requires you to know individual lengths around your bay.

How to & tips when measuring around your bay window.

You may find easier if another person assists you when measuring your bay window as this will enable you to take much more accurate measurements.

Measuring for bay curtain poles

Start at one end of the bay and measure the wall in the location where the pole is to be fitted and where you want your curtain pole to start (excluding finials) and then measure across this section of wall to where it meets at the angle of the next section of bay wall. Write down the measurement and again measure across to the next section of wall, once again note this measurement down, repeat this until you get to the location you wish to pole to finish. You should now have the total length of your bay and the individual lengths of each section of wall, this will enable you to start shopping for pre packed bay poles, create your own bay poles or a made to measure bay poles.

Measuring for bay curtain tracks

Start at one end of the bay window and place the end of the tape measure in the location where the curtain track is to start and in the location where it’s to be fitted. Run the tape measure across the first section of bay wall up to the first bay angle, then continuing the tape measure along the next section of wall to the next bay angle and once again along the next section of wall. Repeat this procedure until you reach the point where you require the track to finish.

You’ve got the amount sides in your bay/ style and bay measurements

Now you have established the amount of bay sides you have and the bay measurements you can decide whether you want a curtain pole or curtain track, once you’ve decided you can go to the correct section of our website and start shopping.

Select the product type and “click” on the corresponding number of bay sides to view the available products:

Bay curtain tracks

Bay curtain poles

Handy Hints for Measuring/Fitting Bay Window Tracks & Poles Back to top

Can I measure in Centimetres or inches?

You can measure in either type as all of our products are shown in centimetres and inches.

Can I measure my bay at window cill level?

We wouldn’t advise measuring down by the window cill as the actual area above where the curtain pole or curtain track is to be fitted can vary quite a lot in some instance causing measurement to be inaccurate. So best practice is to always measure your bay window in the location where the product is to be fitted, this is crucial when measuring for made to measure bay poles and tracks.

Get some to assist when taking measurements

It’s a good idea to get someone to help in the measuring process as often bay windows are way too large and tricky to mange on your own and could lead in inaccurate measurements.

Will eyelet curtains work on a bay window pole?

Eyelet curtains cannot pass by the bay window support brackets which are normally located around the angled areas of the bay window, so in short your curtains will never pull all the way from the sides of your bay window all the way round to the centre. The only way you can have eyelet curtains in a bay window is to have separate curtains on each section of curtain pole, so please consider carefully the curtain configuration around the bay and the overall appearance this will give.

Bay Poles & bay tracks Explained Back to top

Bay window curtain poles explained

Bay windows can have different amount of sides and also come in all manor of different styles and sizes, often leading to the question can I get a bay pole to fit my my window? The simple answer is yes as there are many different bay window curtain poles available and due to our huge range we can virtually cater any bay window configuration and size.

The main object of a bay window curtain pole is to allow your curtains to pull from the sides of your bay all the way around to the centre, there are currently two different types of bay curtain pole which will allow your curtains to function in this way.

Pre-packed bay curtain poles

Create your own bay pole

Pre-packed bay curtain poles

These types of curtain pole as the name suggests are supplied as a set in one box with all “C” rings, brackets, pole pieces, flexible elbow joiners, fixing and finials included. The lengths of the curtain pole included within these packs are supplied in set sizes; please ensure you know individual lengths around you bay window to ascertain if the pre-pack bay pole kit will be of suitable size for your bay window.

Create your own bay pole

If a pre-packed pole won’t fit your bay window then our “create your own curtain pole” range is for you. These ranges of curtain poles have been specifically designed for bay windows and straight run windows, within each range you will find individual component parts which are pieced together making up you required bay pole configuration. To help you make your bay pole we have detailed information within every “create your own pole “ range telling you which parts you need and how many of them and where to locate them on the pole allowing you to create your very own bay window pole. Straight poles can also be created from these ranges so other window within the same room can be perfectly coordinated.