Curtains for patio doors, French doors and bay windows

Wide doors and bays use the same rules as any window, with more width and a few extras.

Checked against UK retailer and maker guides on 21 October 2026.

Patio and French doors

Measure the door frame width and add 40 cm for the pole (Dunelm), so the curtains can stack clear of the doors when open. The drop is usually floor length, 1 cm above the floor.

Patio doors are often wide enough to need 90 inch (229 cm) ready-made curtains, or two pairs. A 180 cm wide patio door needs a pole of about 220 cm, so each curtain should be about 220 cm for a full look: that is a 90 inch width.

Check the drop: ready-made 90 inch (229 cm) drops suit many patio doors, and Ideal Textiles sells 108 inch (274 cm) for taller openings. Measure from the pole to 1 cm above the floor before choosing.

Door curtains (front and back doors)

Single door curtains are sold one at a time in 46 in or 66 in widths with an 84 in drop: 213 cm at Dunelm, 210 cm at Ideal Textiles. Dunelm says these suit most standard door frames. A standard UK internal door is 1981 mm tall (door sizes).

Bay windows

• Bay pole: measure each section of the bay separately, add them together, then add 40 cm (Dunelm).
• Bay track: start from the centre and let the metal tape bend round each corner. If the curtains sit outside the recess, add 15 cm to each end (Dunelm).
• Dunelm sells bay poles for three- and five-sided bays.

Then use the curtain width picker with your total pole length.