How wide should my drapery rod or track be?
Ideally, your rod or track should extend far enough beyond the casing for the drapery panels to stack outside it when open. This keeps the opening clear and maximizes light. Available wall space and obstructions may limit this, so some fabric may remain over the opening.
Measure the inside opening’s width and height, the outside dimensions of the casing, and the available space on each side. Use our calculator’s stacking recommendation to determine the required rod or track width.
Why do pleated draperies need extra rod or track length?
A single-width panel starts with 54″-wide fabric. After sewing the 1½″ double-fold side hems, the flat panel measures 48″ wide. Pleating reduces this to approximately 24″ of coverage when closed. When drawn open, that same panel occupies approximately 6″ of stacking space.
Wider panels use more fabric widths and therefore need more stacking space. We use these allowances in the calculator to recommend a rod or track length that lets the open draperies sit outside the casing wherever space permits. If side space is limited, some fabric may remain over the opening.