Ordering a made to measure bag or cover ensures that you have a bespoke item specifically designed for your needs. This will optimise the protection you will get from your bag or cover and will make sure you get value for money both from your bag or cover, and the item it is protected. In a time of economic challenges, this makes perfect sense. But how do you go about measuring a custom bag or cover, and what mistakes should you be looking to avoid? Here we have put together the ultimate guide to measuring for a custom bag and cover.
The golden rules of measuring for a custom bag or cover
At Bags & Covers Direct we have an extensive range of custom bags and covers to suit the majority of your storage needs. However, we know that people have unusual-shaped items or may wish to store two or three items together. Where it is safe and recommended to do so, and you can’t find a suitable bag or cover in our standard range, then you can submit accurate measurements and order a made to measure bag or cover. And here are the important rules to follow:
- Agree on a consistent unit of measure and stick to it - This would normally be millimetres, but on our site we can also accept centimetres and inches.
- Separate the item – Where possible separate your item into sections to make it easier to measure. So a round table for example has the table top itself, so you would need to measure the area of a circle, and then a separate measurement for the legs or base. Similarly, an L-shaped sofa would be split into two rectangle shapes, rather than attempting to make a cover for the L-shape itself.
- Accuracy – Don’t rush it. We need accurate measurements, so do it twice and check the measurement is accurate before submitting it on the site.
- External dimensions – Make sure you measure to the extremities of the item in all cases, ie. the external points which need to be covered by a bag or cover.
- Add a bit – Don’t be afraid to add a few millimetres on top of your measurement, within reason of course. While you don’t want the bag or cover to be loose or baggy, you want to make sure it will fit over your item, and also has space for air to circulate, otherwise the item may not be properly covered and could become damp or mouldy.
- Opening – For a bag, don’t forget you will need an opening to access the item, so you will need to indicate where you want the opening to be.
Mistakes to avoid when measuring a custom bag or cover
We have mentioned some important tips already for when measuring your bag or cover, but in addition, here is what you need to avoid:
- Ignore measurements provided – Some items may already have measurements provided, such as on a box or in the spec or instructions. Try to avoid using these as they may be internal dimensions and might not directly relate to what you need for an external cover. It is always advisable to measure the item yourself.
- Fitting allowance – We usually add a fitting allowance of approx. 10mm to ensure the bag or cover fits over your item, so you don’t need to add another one, unless you specifically want it to be a loose fit.
- Avoid excess material – You should avoid erring on the side of caution and making the bag or cover dimensions too big. Excess material will catch the wind if stored outside as a garden furniture cover, which can dislodge a cover over winter and become a nuisance. A cover may also trail on the ground if too big and could become damaged. If a cover is too big it also provides areas where rainwater may pool on top of the stored item. This could also lead to damage.
- Avoid going too small – On the flipside, you should avoid making your bag or cover too small, because overstretching the material can damage the seams and can rip it, which obviously damages the cover and could also damage the item in storage.
Measuring for a custom bag or cover requires you to find the sweet spot where your item can be adequately protected, has room for air to circulate and you don’t have excess material which would lead to storage issues over winter, if you are protecting garden furniture, for example. So make sure your measurements are accurate and submit them on our website, and we will take it from there. You can also contact us for advice on made to measure bags and covers.