Curtain FAQ: Sizes, Light, Safety, Shipping & Returns | Ona
Updated October 2026 · By the Ona team
Start here. A curtain pair is two panels, and the listed width is the flat width of one panel. Plan on about 2× your rod width in total flat fabric. Ona's lengths run 63″ to 120″ depending on style, shipping is free inside the US and arrives in about 10–14 days, and returns are accepted for damaged, defective or incorrect items only.
Jump to sizes and fit, light and fabric, heat, vents and safety, care and lifespan, or offer, shipping and returns.
Sizes and fit
Is a curtain panel one or two?
One. A panel is a single piece of fabric. A pair is two panels sold together. Every Ona size — for example 52″ W × 96″ L — is the flat width and length of one panel, so a 52″ pair contains 104″ of flat fabric in total.
Curtain pair vs panel: what am I buying?
A pair and a panel are two different units, and most sizing mistakes start here.
| What you buy | Panels in the box | Listed width means | At Ona |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pair | 2 | Flat width of each panel | Linen-texture grommet pair (42″ or 52″), back-tab pair (52″), velvet pair (52″) |
| Wide single | 1 | Flat width of that one panel | Wide grommet panel (70″) |
Two panels of 52″ give you the same flat fabric as one 104″ panel. The difference is how it opens: a pair draws apart from the center, a wide single sweeps to one side.
Does curtain width mean each curtain?
Yes. Industry-wide, the first number is per panel, flat, before it gathers into folds. A gathered panel covers roughly half to two-thirds of its flat width, which is why 2× fullness is the usual target.
How much total width do I need?
Total flat fabric = rod width × 2. Measure the usable rod end to end, without the decorative finials, then divide the doubled figure by the flat width of one panel and round up.
| Rod width | Flat fabric at 2× | Ona combination | Real fullness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36″ | 72″ | one 42″ pair (84″) | 2.33× |
| 48″ | 96″ | one 52″ pair (104″) | 2.17× |
| 72″ | 144″ | two 42″ pairs (168″) | 2.33× |
| 88″ | 176″ | two 52″ pairs (208″) | 2.36× |
| 100″ | 200″ | three 70″ wide panels (210″) | 2.10× |
Rounding up adds fullness. It never takes it away. The curtain calculator does this arithmetic for your numbers, and the measuring guide walks through the two measurements first.
What lengths does Ona sell?
63″, 72″, 84″, 90″, 96″, 108″ and 120″, depending on style and color. The grommet pair and velvet pair start at 63″; the wide grommet panel starts at 90″; the back-tab pair goes to 120″. Available sizes vary by color, so the size list on each product page is the final word. Ona does not make custom sizes. Every length, by style, is in the curtain size chart.
How do I choose the length?
Measure from where the top of the fabric will sit down to the floor, then pick your hem finish: float (−½″), floor kiss (0″), soft break (+2″) or puddle (+4″). Grommets sit below the fabric top, so measure from the very top of the panel, not from the rod. More on hems in should curtains touch the floor and how long should curtains be.
Are rods, rings or hooks included?
No. Ona sells curtains only. The grommet, wide and velvet styles slide straight onto a rod. The back-tab pair hangs on hidden tabs behind the panel, or you can thread the rod through its rod pocket — no rings or hooks needed either way.
Light and fabric
Are Ona's curtains blackout?
Three of the four are lined with a blackout backing: the linen-texture grommet pair, the wide grommet panel and the back-tab pair. The supplier lists that fabric as 100% blackout. Ona has not run its own light-transmission test, and light can still enter at the top, at the sides and down the center where the panels meet. The velvet pair is unlined: room-darkening, not blackout. Browse blackout curtains or read what blackout curtains are.
How do I get a genuinely dark room?
The fabric is only half of it. Hang the rod high and wide so the panels extend above and well beyond both sides of the window, choose enough fullness that the closed panels overlap in the center, and pick a hem that reaches the floor. A blackout panel on a rod the width of the glass will still leak around all four edges.
Are the curtains thermal?
The supplier lists the lined styles as thermal insulating. No insulation rating is supplied, and the effect depends on fabric coverage, fit and your own window — so treat it as a comfort claim, not an energy number. Ona makes no energy-saving claim. See thermal curtains and do thermal curtains work.
Does "linen texture" mean linen?
No. It describes the look and feel of the face fabric: a tactile, linen-look surface with visible woven character and no printed pattern. Fiber content is on the sewn-in label.
Will the color match the photos?
Not exactly. Screen settings and room light both shift color, and some of Ona's imagery is styled illustration rather than photography of your size in your room. Use the labeled color reference and the fabric close-ups as the guide. Ordering several pairs for one window? Order them in one go.
Heat, vents and safety
Can curtains catch fire from the sun?
Direct sunlight through a window will fade and weaken curtain fabric, but on its own it does not normally set it alight. The real risk is focused light: mirrors, crystal, glass ornaments, bottles or a glass globe on the sill can concentrate the sun onto fabric. UK fire services record house fires started exactly that way, including one where sunlight through a decorative glass globe ignited the curtains. Keep reflective and curved glass objects off sunny windowsills.
Are curtains a fire hazard?
Any fabric near a heat source is. Ona's curtains carry no flame-retardant claim, so keep them clear of heat.
| Heat source | Clearance commonly given | Source of the number |
|---|---|---|
| Portable space heater | 3 feet on every side | US fire-safety guidance |
| Electric baseboard heater, full-length drapes | ≥ 1″ above the floor covering, ≥ 2″ in front of the heater | One baseboard heater maker's installation instructions |
| Electric baseboard heater, short drapes | ≥ 6″ above the top of the heater | Same instructions |
Your own heater's manual overrides any general rule. A ½″ float or a puddle does not meet those baseboard numbers.
Can curtains hang over radiators?
They can, but it costs you heat and can mark the fabric. A closed floor-length panel traps warm air between itself and the window instead of letting it into the room, and prolonged heat can discolor fabric. Nothing should rest against a radiator.
How do I hang curtains when I have radiators?
Four options, cheapest first:
- Stop above it. A sill- or apron-length panel that ends above the radiator keeps the heat flowing. UK styling guides typically leave a few centimetres of clearance; 4–8″ above the radiator is a comfortable US equivalent and keeps the hem line looking deliberate.
- Go long but stay open. Floor-length panels with tiebacks or hold-backs, drawn clear of the radiator while the heat is on.
- Push the rod forward. Deeper brackets, or a ceiling-mounted track, create space between the fabric and the radiator.
- Hang the rod higher and wider. More height and width moves the stack off the heat and makes the window look taller.
Should curtains be above the baseboard, or over it?
Above it, if the baseboard is a heater. If it is plain trim, the hem can sit right at the floor — a floor kiss or a ½″ float both clear it.
How do I keep curtains from blocking vents?
Find the vent before you buy the length.
- Floor vents under a window: don't let a break or a puddle cover them. Float the hem, or move the vent's airflow with a deflector.
- Wall vents low on the wall: choose sill or apron length, or push the rod forward on deeper brackets so the panel hangs clear.
- Toe-kick or baseboard registers: measure from the fabric top to the top of the register and treat that as your drop.
Care and lifespan
How long do curtains last?
Plan on five to ten years for lined, sun-facing panels, and longer for anything shaded or rarely drawn. Published estimates vary widely because fiber matters less than sun exposure, how often the panels are drawn, and whether a lining is doing the work.
| Fabric | Commonly published lifespan | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester | 5–15 years, depending on the source | The widest spread of any fiber; sun exposure explains most of it |
| Linen | 10–20 years | Strong, but it creases and fades; lining extends it |
| Silk | No consistent published range; reported as the shortest-lived in direct sun | Needs a lining and ideally UV-filtered glass. Ona does not sell silk |
| Blackout-lined panels | 5–12 years | The lining usually fails before the face fabric |
These are ranges reported by fabric suppliers, drapery retailers and cleaning services, not Ona measurements.
Why do some blackout curtains fail so fast?
Construction, not fiber. Blackout made by coating a fabric is reported to last roughly 2–4 years before the coating cracks or peels, while multi-layer woven blackout is put at 10–15 years. Ona's lined styles are multi-layer: a textured face fabric with a separate blackout backing, not a painted-on coating.
What makes curtains wear out fastest?
In order: direct sun on an unlined panel, hot dryers and irons, drawing the same panel several times a day, and pets or children pulling on the hem. Rotating a pair end for end once a year evens out the sun exposure.
How should I wash them?
Follow the sewn-in care label on your panels — it is the only care instruction that applies to the fabric you received. Ona does not publish a separate care routine that could contradict it.
How long do disposable or fire curtains last?
Different products entirely, and not what Ona sells. Disposable cubicle curtains in healthcare settings are replaced on the facility's own schedule rather than at a fixed age. Fire and smoke curtains are life-safety equipment: they are inspected and serviced on the installer's and the fire code's schedule. Ona sells decorative household curtains only.
Offer, shipping and returns
How does the Ona offer work?
Two automatic discounts, and they stack.
- Buy 2, get 1 free. Every three eligible items earns one free item; the lowest-priced item is the free one. A pair counts as one item. A wide single panel counts as one item. Mix styles, colors and sizes.
- Bonus 20% off 4+ items. At four or more eligible items you also get 20% off the order, applied after the free item.
Both apply automatically in your bag and at checkout. No code is needed.
| Eligible items | At $189 a pair | What you pay | Effective price per pair |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $189 | $189.00 | $189.00 |
| 3 | $567 | $378.00 (one free) | $126.00 |
| 4 | $756 | $453.60 (one free, then 20% off) | $113.40 |
| 6 | $1,134 | $604.80 (two free, then 20% off) | $100.80 |
Mixing works the same way: three $189 pairs plus one $139 velvet pair is $706, the $139 pair is free, and 20% comes off the $567 remainder — $453.60. Prices on this page are examples; your bag shows the live total. Every variant also shows its own compare-at price struck through. Full details on the offers page.
What does shipping cost, and how long does it take?
Standard shipping is free on every US order. Orders typically arrive in about 10–14 days from the order date. Those are estimates, not guarantees — carrier delays and weather can move them. You get a tracking email as soon as the order ships, and tracking can take a day or two to start updating. Full terms are in the shipping policy.
Where does Ona ship?
The United States only, for now.
Can I change or cancel my order?
You can request a cancellation or remove items for 15 minutes after ordering. After that, contact the team straight away: changes are sometimes possible before the order ships, never once it is in transit.
What is the return policy?
Returns are accepted for damaged, defective or incorrect items only. Contact us before returning anything. For an approved claim, we will arrange a replacement or refund and provide a prepaid label if a return is required. See our return policy.
Who is Ona?
A US curtain store selling four styles in considered colors and textures. Ona does not weave its own fabric: panels come from manufacturing partners, and claims a partner makes — blackout, thermal — are labeled as theirs on every product page. More on about Ona, and plain-English definitions in the curtain glossary.
Still stuck?
Contact the team with your rod width, your drop and a photo of the window, and you'll get a size recommendation back.
Ready to choose? Browse all curtains → · Blackout · Thermal · Velvet · Back tab
How we answered these questions
Sizes, lengths, hem finishes, the offer, shipping and returns come from Ona's live product pages and policies, checked in October 2026. Blackout and thermal wording is the manufacturing partner's, labeled as theirs, with no Ona test behind it. Fiber lifespans are ranges published by fabric suppliers, drapery retailers and cleaning services; they disagree with each other, so they are given as ranges rather than a single number. Heater clearances come from US fire-safety guidance and a baseboard heater maker's installation instructions. The reflected-sunlight fire risk is documented by UK fire and rescue services. No Ona-run test, rating or customer statistic appears anywhere on this page.