Similar to every other industry or field of expertise, the realm of drapery hardware has its own distinctive set of terms and definitions. It'll be a lot simpler for you to find the drapery hardware pieces that you need to have to complete your window treatment when you learn the lingo of the industry. It seems that determining a number of measurements continually happens to trip consumers up. That's probably because of the fact that the some measurements mean various things depending on which type of drapery expert you're talking to. When it pertains to picking the components for your drapery pole, the three terms that you need to know are projection, clearance and return.

In the drapery hardware world, projection describes how far a component sticks out away from the wall.

It seems straightforward enough, doesn't it. You'll need to measure the projection if you must find out how far a component like a bracket or holdback protrudes from the wall or mounting surface. This measurement is important if there are obstacles near or around your window that you don't want your treatment to interfere with. And, you want to be sure that the projection of the rod will not keep the door from opening up if you're putting in a drapery rod on a door.

You'll need to combine sizes to identify the projection for many curtain rod items.

The exact measurement from the front or face of the component to the surface it's mounted on is the projection. The projection may perhaps be a partial measurement for some drapery hardware parts. For instance, the post will identify a projection that does not include the size of the actual decorative piece if you have a tie back or rosette that features a mounting post. To ascertain the projection in this case, you'll have to add the posts size to the depth of the medallion or holdback. These two measurements combined will give you the total projection.

Should you be planning a swag style treatment with medallions projection is of great relevance.

Don't just consider appearance when you choose on a projection. Take into account the operation of your treatment. You could need to consider adding a few inches to accommodate the thickness of your curtain despite the fact that you want a minimal projection. It's become common to drape fabric over a number of medallions or holdbacks to create a swag treatment with out using a drapery rod or pole. When your curtain is bunched together to create the swag or drape be sure that the projection posts you get with your medallions are long enough to allow for it.

Don't mix up the projection measurement with the return.

Return and projection are sometimes mixed-up by shoppers. Both measurements include the length from the mounting surface or wall to a position on the drapery treatment. Return only identifies the point on the hardware where the material or drapery will hang but, projection involves the length to the very tip of the drapery hardware. If the distance from the material to the mounting surface is crucial for your treatment, confusing these measurements may leave you with too little or too much fabric.

You'll make a better final decision regarding your drapery hardware if you understand exactly what each type of measurement means. When you're choosing the perfect pieces for your interior design your familiarity with these industry specific terms will help you avoid expensive mistakes.