Net Curtain & Voile CalculatorWhat Size Net Curtains Do I Need?

What size net curtains do I need?

You need two measurements: the width of the pole, rod or wire, and the drop. Net curtains and voiles are always wider than the space they cover, so they gather into soft folds instead of hanging flat like a sheet.

Multiply the width by how full you want them to look, usually 2. That's the total width of fabric you need. Then add up voile panels until you reach it. A 120cm wire at standard fullness needs about 240cm of voile, which is two panels around 140cm wide.

What width net curtains do I need?

At least one and a half times the width of the pole or wire, and ideally twice. At 1.5 times, voiles look light and let plenty of daylight through. At 2 times, they gather evenly and give good daytime privacy. Go to 2.5 times for a rich, full look or a street-facing window.

Less than 1.5 times and they'll look stretched, with gaps showing when you look at them from outside. If the calculator says you're between panel counts, round up. Extra fullness never looks wrong on a voile.

How to measure for voiles and net curtains

1. Decide how they'll hang. Slot top voiles slide onto a net wire, a tension rod or a slim pole. Eyelet voiles need a pole.
2. For a net wire or rod inside the window recess, measure the recess from side to side at the top.
3. For a pole above the window, measure the pole from end to end, leaving out the finials. No pole yet? Measure the window and add 10 to 15cm each side.
4. Measure the drop. For a slot top, start from the wire or rod. For eyelets, start about 4cm above the pole, where the fabric sits.
5. Measure down to where you want the voile to finish, usually 1cm above the sill, and use the shortest of two or three measurements.

Our voile sizes

Homefords sells ready-made voile panels in four ranges. Some come in packs of two and some as single panels, so check the pack size before you order.

The Fractal range is also available as single eyelet panels. See the product page for its sizes.

Net curtains or voiles?

They do the same job. Net curtain is the older name, often for a patterned net sold by the metre and threaded onto a wire. Voile is a lighter, plainer sheer fabric that's usually sold as ready-made panels. Both let daylight in while stopping people seeing in during the day.

A slot top voile hangs exactly like a traditional net. Thread the wire or rod through the sleeve at the top and fix it inside the window recess. It's the easy way to update old nets without changing the fittings.

Hanging voiles with curtains

To layer voiles behind curtains, use a double pole, or fit a net wire inside the recess and a curtain pole above it. The voile stays closed all day for privacy and the curtains close at night.

Size the voile to its own pole or wire, not to the curtain pole. For the main curtains, use our curtain size calculator. You can also browse curtain poles if you need a new one.

Net curtain and voile questions