To measure a doorway for a door curtain, run a tape measure across the inside of the door opening from jamb to jamb for the width, then from the top of the opening down to the floor for the height. Choose a panel that is at least as wide as the opening — slightly wider is even better — so the fabric covers the gap from edge to edge. Our quilted door covers come in four sizes: 30x80, 32x80, 36x80, and 36x96 inches.
That is the short answer, and the whole job takes about five minutes. But a few small details — where to hold the tape, what to do when your doorway lands between sizes, why the panel should overlap the opening — make the difference between a cover that hangs beautifully and one that leaves a sliver of light down each side. Here is the full walkthrough.
Why does an accurate measurement matter?
A door curtain has one job: to cover the opening completely. When the panel is narrower than the gap, you get bare strips along the frame, and the whole effect falls apart — especially with a bold printed design, where any exposed edge pulls the eye straight to it. Measuring first also saves you from the opposite problem: a dramatically oversized panel can bunch at the sides and hide the artwork you picked it for. Two quick measurements skip both headaches.
What do you need before you start?
Just three things: a tape measure (a metal locking one is easiest to use solo), a pencil and paper for jotting numbers, and a step stool if the top of your frame is out of comfortable reach. A helper holding the other end of the tape speeds up a tall door, but this is entirely a one-person task.
How do you measure the width of your doorway?
Open the door fully, then measure the clear opening — the actual gap you walk through — from the inside face of one side jamb to the inside face of the other. Take this measurement in three spots: near the top, at the middle, and near the bottom. Door frames, especially in older homes, are rarely perfectly square, and the numbers can differ by a quarter inch or more. Write down all three and use the largest one. That widest point is what your panel needs to beat.
How do you measure the height?
Measure from the top of the opening straight down to the floor. Do it at both the left and right sides and keep the taller number. Most American interior and entry doors sit right around 80 inches, which is exactly why three of our four panels come in that length. If you have an extra-tall entry — common in newer builds and homes with 9-foot ceilings — you may measure closer to 96 inches, and there is a panel for that too. One note: if you plan to mount your rod or hooks above the frame rather than inside the opening, measure from that mounting point instead, since that is where the fabric actually starts.
Which of the four sizes should you pick?
Here is how the lineup maps to real doorways:
- 30x80 inches — for narrow openings that measure a bit under 30 inches wide, such as closet doorways and small side entries.
- 32x80 inches — for openings up to about 30 inches; the extra width gives you roughly an inch of overlap on each side.
- 36x80 inches — for the common 32-inch opening, or anywhere you want generous coverage past the frame.
- 36x96 inches — for openings up to about 33 inches wide paired with tall frames — the panel still needs to sit wider than the gap, or any doorway where standard 80-inch panels stop short.
The guiding principle in every case: the panel should be wider than the gap it covers. If your opening measures exactly 30 inches, the 32x80 will serve you better than the 30x80, because that overlap is what keeps light, drafts, and sightlines blocked at the edges.
What if your doorway falls between sizes?
Round up on width, always. A panel with a little extra fabric simply overlaps the trim, which looks intentional and finished. A panel that comes up short cannot be stretched. Height is more forgiving: an 80-inch panel on a 78-inch opening will kiss the floor slightly, which most people find cozy rather than sloppy — quilted fabric has enough body to sit neatly instead of puddling like a thin sheer would. If you are truly between the 80- and 96-inch lengths, the 96 works as long as you are comfortable with the fabric resting on the floor or you mount it higher above the frame.
What makes a quilted door cover hang differently?
These panels are not lightweight polyester flags. The artwork is printed on quilted fabric, and the quilting itself — the stitching that runs across the panel — is real. That stitched construction gives the cover noticeable weight and body, so it hangs flat and stays put instead of fluttering every time someone walks past. It is a practical difference, not just a decorative one, and it is worth factoring in when you choose your mounting hardware: a sturdy rod or well-anchored hooks will hold the panel better than a light tension rod at the largest sizes.
It also means the designs read wonderfully from the street. Our Halloween lineup was built exactly for this — the Pumpkin Prison door cover turns a plain front door into the centerpiece of the porch, the Haunted Barricade makes the whole entry look boarded up by something that wants out, and the Forbidden Door is the one trick-or-treaters hesitate in front of before knocking anyway.
What should you know before ordering?
Every panel is made to order, which takes 5-7 business days, with shipping adding another 7-15 days in the US (10-25 days internationally) — plan on 12-22 business days total from checkout to your door for US orders. That matters for seasonal decorating: if you want a cover up for a specific holiday, count backward and order early. Shipping is $7.99, and orders of $139 or more ship free. If you are covering more than one doorway, the bundle discount applies automatically: 10% off when you buy two items, 15% off when you buy three or more. And if the size turns out wrong despite your best measuring, unused and unwashed items can be returned within 30 days.
So grab the tape measure, take your three width readings and two height readings, round up, and pick your panel. The measuring is the easy part — choosing which design gets the front door is where the real deliberation happens.