Curtain heading types, explained plainly.

Most people choose curtains by fabric and colour, then discover that the heading has decided half of the result for them. Two curtains in the same fabric, one pencil pleated and one on a wave track, look like different products. One reads as a comfortable traditional room, the other as a clean modern one. They also stack back to different widths, need different hardware and clean differently.

The heading is the top band of the curtain, usually 80mm to 150mm deep, and the way the fabric is gathered or folded there sets the pattern that runs all the way to the floor. There are really only four families: gathered headings pulled up with cords, sewn pleats that are stitched in permanently, wave headings formed by the track, and rod-only headings where the rod passes through the fabric. Once you know which family a heading belongs to, you know most of what it will do.

Why the heading matters more than it looks

Three practical things follow from the heading choice, and they matter more than style. First, hardware. Some headings only work on a track, some only on a rod, and wave headings need a specific carrier system. If you already have hardware you want to keep, that narrows the choice before anything else. Second, stack-back. When the curtain is open it gathers at the side of the window, and the depth and width of that stack depends on how the heading folds the fabric. On a sliding door, a wide stack can cover part of the opening. Third, fullness. Each heading needs a different amount of fabric width relative to the track to look right, and fabric is most of what a curtain costs. A heading that needs more fullness costs more in the same fabric.

There is also daily use. A heading that relies on sewn pleats keeps its shape when it is pulled open and closed ten times a day. A gathered heading can drift, with folds bunching toward one end unless it is dressed now and then. If a curtain will be drawn often, that is worth weighing.

What each heading looks like from above

The easiest way to see the difference is to look down on each heading from the ceiling. The diagram shows the fold pattern each one makes along the track or rod when the curtain is closed.

Gathered headings: pencil pleat

Pencil pleat is the heading most Australian homes grew up with. A tape is sewn across the top of the curtain with two or three cords running through it. Pulling the cords gathers the fabric into many small, tight folds that look like a row of pencils. Hooks slot into pockets in the tape and hang from gliders on a track, or from rings on a rod.

Its strengths are practical. It works on almost any track or rod, it is quick to make, and because the gathering is adjustable, one curtain can be let out or pulled in slightly to suit a track that is a little wider or narrower than expected. That makes it forgiving for curtains that move between houses. It also stacks back fairly neatly because the folds are small.

The weaknesses are about finish. The folds are set by gathering, not stitching, so after cleaning or heavy use they can bunch toward one end and need dressing again. The heading looks busier than a sewn pleat, and in a formal room or with a heavy lined fabric it can look dated. On a very light sheer it can look fussy. Pencil pleat suits bedrooms, rentals, second-hand curtains and anywhere adjustability is worth more than a tailored line.

Sewn pleats: pinch, goblet and box

Pinch pleat groups the fabric into clusters of two or three folds, sewn together at the base of the heading with flat fabric between each group. Because the pleats are stitched, they are permanent. The curtain falls in deep, evenly spaced columns that stay where they were made to be. That regularity is why pinch pleat is the default for formal living rooms, older homes with high ceilings and heavier lined or interlined fabrics that need a structured top to hang well. It works on tracks and on rods with rings. Our S-fold versus pinch pleat comparison covers the most common decision between it and a wave heading.

Goblet pleat is a pinch pleat whose top is opened into a rounded cup, sometimes stuffed with a little wadding to hold the shape. It reads as grand and decorative and suits a traditional room, a heritage house or a curtain that mostly stays open as a frame. Because the cups sit proud of the track, goblet is best on a curtain that is not drawn many times a day. It is less common and takes more making time than a standard pinch pleat.

Inverted or box pleat folds the fabric back behind the face so the front looks almost flat, with crisp vertical lines at each fold. It gives a tailored, understated look that suits contemporary rooms where a wave feels too soft, and it works well for fixed dress curtains either side of a window. It needs a firm fabric to keep its lines and does not stack as compactly as pencil pleat.

All three sewn pleats share one trait: the spacing of the pleats has to be set for the track or rod width when the curtain is made. They cannot be adjusted much afterwards. That is the reason we measure hardware before making, and it is why a sewn-pleat curtain from a previous house rarely fits a new window without an alteration.

S-fold and wave: the heading the track makes

S-fold, S-wave and wave describe similar regularly spaced headings, but brands and carrier systems are not automatically interchangeable. Many systems use flat tape with snaps or hooks at set intervals. The snaps clip onto carriers that run inside a track, and the carriers are linked by a cord or chain that sets the distance between them. Because the spacing is fixed by the track, every fold is the same depth and the curtain forms continuous, soft waves front and back. There is no stitched pleat at all.

Wave headings look calm and modern and work especially well with sheers across wide glass, which is why they suit the large windows and stacker doors in newer estates around Officer and Pakenham. They draw smoothly and the folds return to the same shape every time, so they need less dressing than pencil pleat. The trade-offs are that they need a compatible track and carriers, they need a compatible wave track or purpose-designed tracked pole, and the wave projects a set distance off the wall, so the track position needs thought near window handles, sills and bulkheads. The S-fold curtains page covers the service, and S-fold versus eyelet compares it with the most common rod heading.

Rod-only headings: eyelet, tab top and rod pocket

Eyelet curtains have rings set into a stiffened top band and the rod passes through the rings. The fabric folds forward and back between rings, making large relaxed waves. They are simple to hang and slide well on a smooth rod. Because the rings and rod show, the hardware is part of the look, so rod finish and finials matter. Eyelets cannot go on a track, and the fabric sits around the rod with part of the heading above it. Clearance behind and above the heading can still admit light on a bedroom blockout.

Tab top curtains hang from fabric loops sewn to the top edge. They look casual and suit a cottage room, a lightweight linen or a curtain that is rarely drawn, because tabs drag on the rod and are awkward to open and close daily. Loops also leave a gap of light above the curtain.

Rod pocket, sometimes called a slot heading, is a sleeve sewn across the top that the rod slides through. It gathers the fabric softly and is common on café curtains and fixed sheers. It is the hardest heading to draw, since the fabric has to drag along the rod, so it is really for curtains that stay put.

Heading comparison at a glance

Stack is shown relative to the other headings in the same fabric. Lining and interlining change the stack more than the heading does, so treat the column as a comparison, not a measurement.

Start with the hardware you already have

If you are replacing curtains and the track is sound, straight and fixed well, keeping it is sensible. A standard track takes pencil, pinch, goblet and box pleats. It will not take a wave heading unless the carriers are replaced with a matched wave system, which usually means a new track. An existing rod takes eyelet, tab top and rod pocket directly, and pleated headings if rings with hooks are added. An ordinary rod does not take a wave heading; some purpose-designed tracked poles do.

If the hardware is poor, loose or the wrong length, it is usually better to choose the heading first and fit the right hardware for it. A new track is also the moment to decide on ceiling fixing, which lets the curtain run from the ceiling and makes a room look taller. Our tracks versus rods guide covers that choice, and track repairs covers the cost of keeping an older track going.

Think about what sits near the top of the window as well. Pleated and wave headings project from the wall, and a heading that clashes with a window winder, a lock, a cornice or an air conditioning outlet will not draw cleanly. Measure that projection before choosing, not after.

Heading mistakes and how to fix them

Heading questions