Curtain heading types explained: eyelet, pencil pleat, pinch pleat and wave

A curtain heading is the constructed top edge where fabric meets the supporting hardware. It determines more than appearance. The heading changes the hanging point, the amount of fabric required, the projection into the room, the width occupied when open and whether the curtain can travel around a bay or beneath a pelmet. Choosing the wrong one can leave a perfectly good pair unusable.

Curtain headings compared at a glance

Eyelet curtains: simple hardware, visible pole

Eyelet curtains have metal or reinforced rings set directly into the heading. The pole passes through alternate eyelets, producing broad waves. John Lewis states that its eyelets have a standard 40mm diameter; IKEA lists a 3.9cm inner diameter for the current MERETE pair. Those figures show why “standard pole” should still be measured: the ring must pass over the pole and any removable end fitting, while leaving enough clearance to slide without scraping.

The pole remains part of the visual design. Its finish can show through the rings, and the fabric sits above and below the pole. Measure the drop from the product’s specified point rather than copying a pencil-pleat measurement. A bracket placed close to the wall can make deep folds rub the sill, radiator cover or window handle.

Eyelets suit a straight pole and curtains that are opened often. They do not attach directly to a standard track. They are also a poor shortcut for tight bays because rigid rings need to travel over the pole and cannot usually pass support brackets. For a bay, a purpose-designed system matters more than the heading’s appearance.

Pencil pleats: adjustable gather for poles or tracks

Pencil-pleat heading tape contains several draw cords and rows of hook pockets. Pulling the cords gathers the flat fabric into narrow vertical pleats. Hooks then connect it to track gliders or rings on a pole. This dual compatibility makes pencil pleat useful when the hardware already exists.

Adjustment is an advantage only when done deliberately. John Lewis advises gathering each curtain to the required width, knotting and retaining the cords rather than cutting them, then spacing hooks at roughly 8cm intervals. The pocket row changes how high the fabric sits relative to the track. A lower pocket can help cover the track; a higher one hangs the curtain lower. Check the product instructions because tape designs differ.

Dunelm warns shoppers to be satisfied with style and size before pulling the cords because a gathered ready-made pair may not be accepted as an ordinary change-of-mind return. That is a good general sequence: inspect colour, defects, width and drop first; gather only after the decision to keep the curtains.

Pinch pleats: a fixed tailored heading

Pinch pleats are groups of two or three permanently sewn folds. Unlike pencil pleats, they are not pulled to width at home. The maker calculates the fabric allowance and constructs the heading to the ordered finished width. Hooks attach the curtain to a track or to rings on a pole.

The finish is controlled and formal, but the fixed width leaves less room to correct a measuring mistake. John Lewis describes double and triple pinch pleats as made-to-measure options, while Dunelm currently lists pinch pleat within its made-to-measure service rather than its ordinary ready-made range. Custom orders can have stricter cancellation and return conditions, so confirmation should include finished width, fullness, hook position, split, lining and stated manufacturing tolerance.

A heavy triple pleat uses more fabric and concentrates load at the hooks. The track or pole, brackets, wall fixing and gliders all need an adequate weight rating. Do not infer that an existing lightweight track can carry a lined, floor-length made-to-measure pair.

Wave curtains: the track creates the rhythm

A wave heading forms smooth alternating folds through a coordinated system: heading tape is hooked to gliders held at fixed distances along a compatible track. The consistent spacing, not merely the fabric, produces the wave. A normal track with freely moving gliders will not automatically create the same result.

Wave can look quiet and contemporary because the track is visually recessive and there is no bulky gathered heading. It can also stack in a predictable sequence. However, the folds project in front of and behind the track. Measure clearance from handles, sills, radiators, blinds and walls, and include the return at each end where privacy matters.

Ask the supplier for the required track type, glider spacing, hook, tape, fullness and stack estimate as one specification. Replacing only the curtain or only the track can break the system. For ceiling tracks, confirm the substrate and fixing method; plasterboard alone is not a universal load-bearing answer.

Current UK price snapshot: heading changes the total

These official listings were checked on 27 August 2026. They are not a like-for-like quality ranking: fabric, lining, light control, size and included hardware differ. They demonstrate why the curtain price alone does not reveal the installed cost.

Price note: size selections, colours, promotions, stock and delivery can change. Compare the same finished coverage and include pole or track, brackets, rings, gliders, hooks, alteration, fitting and delivery. A lower curtain price can produce a higher installed total.

How fullness changes the finished result

Fullness is the ratio between flat fabric width and the span it covers when dressed. Two times fullness means roughly twice as much flat fabric as the track or pole width. It creates folds rather than a stretched sheet. IKEA’s current guidance suggests multiplying the rod or track width by 1.5 for a full look or 2 for extra fullness, then dividing by one curtain’s width and rounding up.

That calculation is a useful screen, not a universal specification. Pencil pleat can be gathered within a range; pinch pleat has fullness built into the made width; wave systems use a supplier-defined ratio and glider spacing. Eyelet folds also consume width. Use the maker’s method for the exact heading and read whether the advertised width describes one curtain or the whole pair.

More fullness is not always better. It increases stack-back, weight and cost and can crowd a shallow recess. Too little fullness looks flat and may expose gaps when closed. For light control, adequate side return and central overlap can matter more than adding another half-width that cannot stack clear of the glass.

Measure the hardware, drop and stack—not only the window

1. Identify the support. Record pole diameter and usable length, or track type, glider count and weight rating.
2. Measure the covering span. Use the installed pole or track length, excluding decorative finials, unless the manufacturer instructs otherwise.
3. Choose the hanging point. Eyelet, pocketed tape and fixed hooks start the drop at different positions.
4. Measure the drop in several places. Floors, ceilings and sills may not be level. Decide on sill, below-sill or floor finish.
5. Estimate stack-back. Ensure open curtains can clear enough glass without blocking furniture, sockets or door travel.
6. Check projection. Include deep folds, handles, blinds, radiator clearances and any pelmet.
7. Confirm the pack. Establish whether width is per curtain, whether the product is a pair and which hooks or gliders are included.

Our measuring-before-buying guide provides a room-recording method, while the furniture-quality guide explains how to examine materials and construction remotely. If the window is part of a wider home order, compare retailer services in the Dunelm review and IKEA UK review.

Which heading works best in common situations?

An existing straight curtain pole

Eyelet is simplest when the pole diameter fits and no support bracket blocks travel. Pencil pleat or pinch pleat can also work with enough rings. Count rings and include one at each anchored end where required.

An existing track

Pencil pleat is the most flexible ready-made route. Pinch pleat can work when measured to the finished span. Wave needs a purpose-designed compatible system; do not assume an ordinary track can be converted with tape alone.

A wide window or frequently used patio door

Prioritise smooth travel, manageable panel weight and stack position. Wave can be effective with the correct system, while eyelets can move easily on an uninterrupted pole. A centre support that rings cannot pass may limit where the curtains can stack.

A formal room or prominent patterned fabric

Pinch pleat provides controlled repetition, but pattern placement and seams should be agreed for made-to-measure work. Pencil pleat is less fixed and can look appropriate when carefully dressed. Heading choice cannot compensate for poor pattern matching.

Balanced verdict: choose the system, then the style

Eyelet is the easiest pole-only option; pencil pleat is the most adaptable ready-made option; pinch pleat is the tailored fixed-width option; wave is the cleanest system-dependent option. The best heading is not the most expensive or fashionable. It is the one that can be correctly supported, measured, opened and maintained in the actual room.

Before paying, calculate the installed total using our total-cost framework, check construction with the online quality guide and retain the measurement sheet. Browse related interiors advice in Style & Gifts.