Shower Curtain Sizes: Standard, Stall, and Extra Long
The four sizes that cover almost every bathroom, why the liner is cut narrower than the curtain, how high to hang the rod, and what a clawfoot tub needs instead.
Four numbers cover nearly every bathroom. Standard is 72 by 72 inches and fits the ordinary tub-and-shower combination. Stall is 54 by 78 for a narrow shower enclosure. Extra long is 72 by 84, and 72 by 96 exists for hanging near the ceiling or for a raised rod. Liners are usually cut about two inches narrower than the curtain so they tuck inside the tub instead of hanging level with the fabric. Get the width right first, because width is the measurement that decides whether the curtain closes, and length is the one you can adjust afterwards by moving the rod.
The four standard sizes
Standard, 72 by 72 inches, is what fits an ordinary alcove tub. The square shape is deliberate: 72 inches of width gives enough fabric to gather across a 60-inch tub with folds rather than pulling flat, and 72 inches of drop lands correctly from a rod at the usual height.
Stall, 54 by 78 inches, is for a narrow separate shower rather than a tub. It is narrower and longer at once, because a shower base sits lower than a tub lip and needs the extra drop to reach it.
Extra long, 72 by 84 inches, is the one most people actually want and do not know exists. It is the size for a rod raised above standard height, which is the single easiest way to make a small bathroom read taller. And 72 by 96 goes further still, for a rod mounted at or near the ceiling.
Extra wide, usually 108 inches, covers a double or corner installation where one panel has to span an opening far larger than a tub.
Why the liner is a different size on purpose
A fabric curtain is not waterproof, so it hangs outside the tub and a liner hangs inside it. Liners are commonly 70 by 72 rather than 72 by 72, and that two-inch difference is intentional: the liner needs to sit inside the tub line so water runs down it and back into the tub, while the decorative curtain hangs outside and stays dry.
Match the liner length to the curtain length, not to the tub. If you hang an 84-inch curtain from a raised rod, you need an 84-inch liner with it, or the liner will stop short of the tub lip and water will find the floor. This is the most common failure after raising a rod, and it is the reason the raised-rod trick sometimes gets blamed for leaking.
Weighted hems and magnets are worth having. The clinging that a liner does in a running shower is an air-pressure effect, and weight at the bottom edge is the practical fix.
Rod height, and the trick that makes a small bathroom taller
A rod at standard height sits somewhere around 75 to 77 inches from the floor, which is what a 72-inch curtain is cut for. Hanging the rod higher, up toward the ceiling, does the same thing raising a curtain rod does at a window: it draws the eye up and makes a cramped room feel considerably taller, and it is the cheapest change available in a bathroom.
The rule is that the curtain has to grow with the rod. Raise the rod and keep the 72-inch curtain and you get a gap at the bottom that looks like a mistake, because it is one. Move to 84 or 96 inches so the hem still lands where it should.
Where it should land: the liner hangs inside the tub and stops an inch or two above the tub floor so it drains and dries. The outer curtain hangs outside and can stop just above the floor. A curtain pooling on a bathroom floor stays wet, and a wet hem is how a fabric curtain starts to smell.
Hooks, grommets, and the count nobody checks
Twelve is the standard grommet count and twelve is what a hook set contains. It is worth counting the holes in a curtain before buying hooks, because decorative curtains occasionally use a different count, and a set of twelve on a curtain with sixteen grommets gathers unevenly.
In a bathroom, rustproof matters more than finish. Stainless or coated hooks survive; cheap plated steel develops rust rings that transfer onto the curtain fabric and do not wash out. If you are buying matte black for the look, check the listing says rustproof rather than assuming the coating handles it.
Roller or glide hooks are worth the small extra over plain rings if the curtain gets opened and closed daily, since they stop the snagging that eventually tears a grommet out.
Clawfoot tubs and freestanding showers
A clawfoot tub does not take a standard curtain, because the rod goes all the way around it rather than across an alcove. Those installations use an oval or D-shaped ceiling-mounted rod and need either one very long panel, commonly in the 180-inch range, or several standard panels hung side by side around the loop.
Two panels of standard width hung on a wraparound rod is the more forgiving approach, since it lets you get in and out at one point rather than fighting a single continuous wall of fabric. Length still has to be measured from the actual rod height, which on a ceiling-mounted loop is usually far above the standard 75 inches.
Measuring your own, in two steps
Width: measure the opening the curtain has to cover, then add enough to gather. A curtain that exactly matches the opening hangs flat and closes badly. The standard 72-inch curtain over a 60-inch tub is roughly the ratio to keep.
Length: measure from where the rod will actually sit down to where you want the hem, then choose the next size up and expect the difference to disappear into the hooks. Hooks add roughly an inch or two between the rod and the top of the curtain, which is small but is the difference between a hem that clears the floor and one that rests on it.
Common questions
What is the standard shower curtain size?
72 by 72 inches, which fits an ordinary alcove tub with a rod at the usual 75 to 77 inches from the floor. The square shape gives enough width to gather properly across a 60-inch tub rather than hanging flat.
Why is my liner narrower than my curtain?
By design. The liner is usually about two inches narrower, commonly 70 by 72 against a 72 by 72 curtain, so it tucks inside the tub while the decorative curtain hangs outside. Water then runs down the liner and back into the tub instead of onto the floor.
What size curtain do I need if I raise the rod?
84 inches for a noticeably raised rod, or 96 for one at or near the ceiling. Raising the rod without changing the curtain leaves a gap at the bottom. Buy a matching longer liner at the same time, or the liner will stop short of the tub lip and water will get out.
How many shower curtain hooks do I need?
Twelve, which is the standard grommet count and the standard set size. Count the grommets on your curtain first, since some decorative curtains use a different number.
What size shower curtain does a clawfoot tub take?
Not a standard one. Clawfoot tubs use a wraparound oval or D-shaped rod, which needs either a single very long panel, often around 180 inches, or several standard panels hung side by side around the loop. Measure the drop from the actual rod height, which is usually well above 75 inches on a ceiling mount.
Should the curtain touch the floor?
No. The liner should stop an inch or two above the tub floor so it drains and dries, and the outer curtain should stop just above the bathroom floor. A hem that pools on the floor stays damp, and a damp hem is where the smell starts.