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Quick answer
Measure in feet with a steel tape and write sizes as width × length. To cover a load or truck, add twice the height plus a tie allowance to both the width and the length. For a rooftop shade, measure between the fixing points and order a little smaller so the ropes can pull it taut. For a sliding curtain, measure the opening and add an overlap on each side. Send the sizes with a photo and we'll check them before cutting.
Key takeaways
- Write sizes as width × length, in feet — or metres, as long as you say which.
- Covering a load: add 2 × height + a tie allowance to the width and to the length.
- Shades: measure fixing point to fixing point, then subtract a tensioning gap.
- Curtains: measure the opening and add an overlap on each side.
- Check a space is square by comparing its two diagonals.
Before you start
- A steel measuring tape (cloth tapes stretch) and someone to hold the other end.
- One unit for everything — feet is standard in the bazaar.
- Write every size as width × length, with its unit: 12 × 18 ft.
- Photos of the space or the load, ideally with the tape visible.
- A note of how and where the sheet will be tied or fixed.
How a custom sheet is specified
Every custom tarpaulin or shade comes down to a few details. Get these right and you'll get the sheet you pictured.
- Width × length
- The finished size of the sheet, edge to edge, after hemming.
- Hem
- The folded, stitched border. Rope or niwar inside the hem makes the edge much stronger.
- Eyelets (rings)
- Metal rings for tying, commonly every 3 ft along each edge with extras at the corners. Ask for closer spacing on windy sites.
Covering a load or a truck
A cover has to go over the top and down the sides, with enough left over to tie. Measure the load — or the truck body — and use these formulas:
Sheet width
load width + (2 × height) + (2 × tie allowance)
Sheet length
load length + (2 × height) + (2 × tie allowance)
A tie allowance of 1 to 1½ ft on each side is typical. If the front of the load won't be covered, add the height only once to the length.
Rooftop, courtyard and car-porch shades
Mark the fixing points
Poles, wall hooks or existing steel. The shade is tied to these, so measure between them — not across the floor.
Measure every side
Measure all four sides between the fixing points. Real spaces are rarely perfect rectangles.
Check the diagonals
Measure corner to corner both ways. If the two diagonals differ by more than a few inches, the space isn't square — send us all four sides and both diagonals.
Leave a tensioning gap
Order the shade smaller than the gap so rope or turnbuckles can pull it taut — about 6 to 12 inches on each side for most rooftop spans.
Note the heights
Tell us the height of each fixing point. A slight slope helps rain run off a waterproof cover.
Choosing the net itself? See the shade net shading guide.
Sliding curtains
- Measure the width of the opening at the top, where the track will run, and the height from the track to the floor.
- Add an overlap of about 6 inches on each side so light and dust don't get round the edges.
- For wide openings, decide how many panels you want and whether they slide to one side or part in the middle.
- Sliding curtains are usually priced per square foot. A 10 × 8 ft opening with 6 inches of overlap each side needs an 11 × 8 ft curtain — 88 sq ft.
Big outdoor umbrellas
Measure the area you want shaded and allow some extra: the shadow moves with the sun, so a canopy a little larger than the table or seating works best. Check the clearance under trees, balconies and ceilings, and whether the base will stand on soil, tiles or a rooftop — that decides how heavy the base needs to be.
Common measuring mistakes
- Measuring the floor instead of the fixing points.
- Mixing feet and metres, or feet and inches, in one order.
- Forgetting the height of the load, so the cover doesn't reach the tie points.
- Ordering a shade the exact size of the gap, which leaves no room to tension it.
- Rounding down. A slightly larger sheet can be folded under; a short one can't be stretched.
What to send us
- Width × length, with the unit
- Material and GSM if you know them — otherwise, what the sheet is for
- Colour
- Eyelet spacing and edge finish, if you have a preference
- Quantity
- Photos of the site or the load
- Your city, for delivery
Send these on WhatsApp or through our bulk & custom quote form. We'll check your numbers before anything is cut.
Written by the team at Marfani Enterprises, Jodia Bazaar, Karachi. Figures are typical ranges for guidance — ask us about your exact job. Updated 27 September 2026.
