Measuring Guides
Fantastic, you are here. You are well on your way
to refining your home with The Refinery Shutters.
The following guides assist you with measuring your “standard size and shape” window. E.g. Up to 2600mm in height and 3600mm wide and in a square or rectangular shape with full-size opening functionality.
Different Size or shape?
No problem.
If you have super-sized windows, a unique shape or require an alternate opening functionality, The Refinery offers a range of solutions for you, but as every window is different, we will provide measuring instructions for these windows directly to you, specific to your window. Our straight to customer experience and DIY-install remains, it’s just how you measure your window that will vary.
Please contact us HERE, upload a photo of your window and details of your requirements, and we will help you measure your special space.
In the meantime, you can still get a “ballpark” of what your shutter may cost based on W x H dimensions, but please note final cost may vary due to your exact needs.
Measuring Tools
Measuring Tape
For taking the measurements metal or electric measuring tapes are best.
Pencil or pen
You’re also going to want a pencil or a pen to record your measurements.
Paper or computer
For recording your measurements you’re going to need paper or you can input directly into our design generator. If you are a more visual person, you can download our measuring grid here.
Lets get into it
By now, you may have decided if you will be using an inside mount, or an outside mount, an L frame, or a Z-frame, and you will know by looking at your current window, if you have things like architraves or windowsills we need to consider. If you haven’t crossed this bridge yet, don’t worry, our design generator walks you through, step-by-step, as you go. We have made it simple and easy to follow.
We also have our Shutter School, where you can find more information and commonly asked questions.
a few things Before we start:
We will start with the basics (W x H measurements). We will then advise the next steps to customise your measurements based on your selected frame and mounting options.
We ask you to provide your exact measurements to us. Please do not round up or down. We will make all necessary deductions or additions for your chosen frame type. (This includes a small deduction for an inside mount to help your install).
If you are planning to use an inside mount (recommended), take this opportunity to re-check the depth of your window recess and ensure you have enough clearance for your chosen frame and louvres.
If you are installing an outside mount and have an architrave, please note that the way you need to measure for your shutters could vary slightly. Please read the full Measuring Guide to understand exactly how you need to measure for your outside mounted shutters with an architrave before you begin, to save you time.
Please provide your measurements in mm.
How to measure
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The BASICS
HEIGHT: measure within the opening of your window in three separate spots – left, middle, right-hand side.
WIDTH: measure within the opening of your window in three separate spots – top, middle, and bottom. We recommend measuring each spot a couple of times for accuracy (the old measure twice cut once philosophy).
You should now have three width measurements and three height measurements. If you are lucky, these will be all the same, but for most windows, each of your three measurements will have a slight variation. This is totally normal. If your variation is over 5mm, please contact us so we can discuss the best approach.
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Mounting Options
Now it is time to customise your basic measurements above, to your required mounting option. Please select below for the type that matches your needs:
Using your three width and three hight measurements, circle the SMALLEST measurement for width and height. This is the measurement you will use when entering into our design and order generator.
Using your three width and three height measurements, circle the LARGEST measurement for width and height. This is the measurement you will use when entering into our design and order generator.
If you are using an outside mount AND you have an architrave, the next step is deciding how much of your architrave you would like to cover. Ideally you will have 42mm of flat surface for install (minimum 20mm required), you can design your outside mounted shutter to sit where suits you best, perhaps you want to completely cover it? Or otherwise cover as little as possible?
We have developed cut-out templates for each of our frame types that you can hold up to your window to ensure what works best for you. You can download and print these HERE, it may be helpful for the following steps. Remember you will need an L-frame if using an outside mount.
If you would like your shutter frame to sit right up to the window opening, covering as little of your architrave as possible, then use your LARGEST measurement for width and height in our design generator. This will work really well for square, or bullnose architraves provided you have 20mm flat surface for install (from the inner edge of where you want your shutter frame to sit). Your L-frame will cover the first 42mm on each side of your architrave
for the outside mount.
This method is our recommendation when using an outside mount with an architrave.
Re-measure your x3 width and x3 height measurements, but this time measure from the outer edge of your architrave to the other outer edge. Using your LARGEST measurements, make the relevant below deductions based on your shutter material. This will then be the measurements you provide to us.
Basswood: Please deduct 84mm from your width, and 84mm from your height measurements.
PVC: Please deduct 67mm from your width and 67mm from your height measurements.
These will then be the measurements you provide to us in our design and order generator.
It is important for you to note that with this option, you could still see a small part of your architrave through your shutter louvres (generally this will be minimal) It won’t only be your window you see like more traditional mounted frames. Please refer to the above diagram and use our handy cut-out frame templates (download here) to place on your window so you can see how they will sit – and what your view through them will be.
Re-measure your x3 width and x3 height measurements, but this time measure to where you would like the outer edge of your shutter frame to sit to the opposite outer edge This will form the “new outer edge” of your shutter frame for your window space and we will use these measurements to build your shutters.
Any part of your architrave outside of your measurements will be visible from the room, anything inside of these measurements will be covered by your shutters. Using your LARGEST measurements, please then deduct the size of your L-frame from your measurements:
Basswood: Please deduct 84mm from your width, and 84mm from your height measurements.
PVC: Please deduct 67mm from your width and 67mm from your height measurements.
These will then be the measurements you provide to us in our design and order generator.
- You need at least 20mm of flat surface available, from the inner edge of your where you want your shutter frame to sit.
- Ensure that the design of the architrave will not impact your install onto this flat surface, e.g. any raised decoration higher than your flat surface that could become an obstruction.
- Once you have identified where you would like the outside edge of your shutter frame to sit, re-measure your x3 width and x3 height measurements from this outside edge to the opposite outside edge.
Any part of your architrave outside of your measurements will be visible from the room, anything inside of these measurements will be covered by your shutters. Using your LARGEST measurements, please then deduct the size of your L-frame from your measurements:
Basswood: Please deduct 84mm from your width, and 84mm from your height measurements.
PVC: Please deduct 67mm from your width and 67mm from your height measurements.
These will then be the measurements you provide to us in our design and order generator.
Don’t forget, you can print out templates of the L-frames to hold to your window to help you find the best flat spot for install on your decorative architrave.
Please contact us HERE and we will help you work out the best place for your outside mount shutter to be installed. We have options!
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Customisations
You can design your shutters with custom-sized shutter panels or midrail heights. Please use the below guide to create these measurements.
If you do not specify specific measurements in your order, we will create your panels or midrails evenly spaced in your window.
A midrail (or divider rail) is a solid piece of wood that provides stability as well as a “split tilt” feature, where your shutter is divided and the louvre blades can be operated in isolation from each other (top vs bottom sections).
For shutters higher than 1600mm, we recommend a midrail for stability*. If your shutter is higher than 2100mm you will require two midrails.
Your midrail can be spaced evenly in your panel, or you can specify where you would like them placed to line up with your joinery if you have vertical mullions in your window layout.
If you do not specify custom measurements for your midrail, we will build them evenly spaced within your shutter panel.
* Your choice to not use a midrail for sizes outside of our recommendation could impact your warranty.
Awesome. You don’t need to do a thing – we will handle this for you in the production process. Please just select “evenly spaced” when prompted during the design process in our design generator.
If you require custom midrail height(s), start measuring for your midrails all from the same point, starting at the bottom, and up to the middle point where you would like your midrail to sit.
- If you are using an inside mount, your measurement will start at the bottom of your window (from your bottom recess)
- If you are using an outside mount, your measurement will start at the far edge of where you want your outside mount frame to begin, for example at the very bottom of your architrave if you are covering the whole thing. Please contact us if you need help measuring for your outside mount shutter midrail.
If you are also using a second midrail, repeat the process from your bottom start point, up to the middle point where you would like your second midrail to sit.
Please note that in production we sometimes need to alter the midrail position slightly to allow for even placement of your louvres on each side of the midrail. This movement will be minimal, if any.
We recommend one shutter panel per 700mm* width. This is for both stability and your convenience when fully opened against your wall. If you have more than one panel of shutters in your window, you have the choice to have these panels evenly spaced, or at custom sizes. Evenly spaced panels look awesome, however if you have uneven window panels in your window layout, we recommend custom panel sizes to match your joinery or mullions in your window, which will provide an unobstructed view out from your shutters.
If you do not specify a custom panel width in your order, your panels will be made equal widths.
* If your panel selections are outside of our recommendation, this could impact your warranty.
Awesome. You don’t need to do a thing – we will handle this for you in the production process. Please just select “evenly spaced” when prompted during the design process in our design generator.
If you require custom panel widths, start measuring for your multiple panels all from the same point, starting from the left-hand side.
- For an inside mount; measure from the inside of your left recess.
- For an outside mount; measure from where you have chosen your outside mounted frame to begin (e.g. the edge of your architrave)
Measure from your lefthand start position to the point where your shutter panel will end, and the new panel will start (e.g. this could be the middle of a vertical mullion in your window you are trying to cover).
If you have a third, fourth, fifth, sixth panel, repeat this process from the original measuring spot on the left-hand side, but to the next end point of where the second panel ends, and the third begins, and so on, until you have measurements for each of your panels.
If you do not specify a custom panel width in your order, your panels will be made equal widths.
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Now that you have your measurements,
lets design your shutters!
With our design and order generator, its easy! Give it a go here.
