What Length Aerial Silks Do I Need for My Ceiling?
Quick answer: fabric length = (floor-to-rigging-point height × 2) + 2 m. A 3 m rigging point needs 8 m of fabric, 4 m needs 10 m, 5 m needs 12 m. Measure to the rigging point, not to the ceiling. The length you select at checkout is the total fabric you receive, not your ceiling height.
The formula, and why it looks like that
Aerial silks are one continuous piece of fabric. You do not tie it to the rigging point — you thread it through a descender at the midpoint and let both halves hang. That is the whole reason for the doubling:
fabric length = (height to rigging point × 2) + 2 m
The × 2 is the two tails. The + 2 m is what pools on the floor: you need slack to tie knots, to wrap footlocks at ground level, and to keep the ends from lifting away from you when you start a climb. Without it the silks end exactly at floor level and become awkward to enter.
Calculator
How high is your rigging point above the floor?
If the calculator does not load, use the table below — it says the same thing.
Height to length table
| Rigging point above floor | Fabric needed | Length to order |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in) | 6 m | 6 m (19 ft 8 in) |
| 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) | 7 m | 7 m (23 ft 0 in) |
| 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in) | 8 m | 8 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) | 9 m | 9 m (29 ft 6 in) |
| 4.0 m (13 ft 1 in) | 10 m | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) | 11 m | 11 m (36 ft 1 in) |
| 5.0 m (16 ft 5 in) | 12 m | 12 m (39 ft 4 in) |
| Above 5.0 m | over 12 m | custom cut, contact us |
Our shorter lengths — 2, 3, 4 and 5 m — are not for rigging a full set of silks. They exist for practice pieces, spares and low static setups. If you are rigging to train on, start at 6 m.
Measure to the rigging point, not to the ceiling
This is where most orders go wrong. Your ceiling and your rigging point are rarely the same height. A beam clamp on an exposed joist, a span set choked around a truss, a hanging plate on a chain — each of these drops the working point below the ceiling, and every centimetre of that drop comes off your usable length.
Measure from the floor to the lowest point of the hardware your silks will actually hang from, usually the bottom of the descender. If you have not rigged yet, measure to where the hardware will sit and add nothing for optimism.
Getting this wrong in the safe direction costs you fabric pooling on the floor, which is untidy but harmless. Getting it wrong the other way leaves the tails hanging above your head, and there is nothing to be done about it afterwards.
Why silks double the height but corde lisse does not
A common source of confusion when people order both. The two formulas differ because the apparatus hangs differently:
| Apparatus | Formula | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Aerial silks | (height × 2) + 2 m | The fabric folds at the midpoint, so both tails run the full height |
| Corde lisse | height + 2 m | A single rope hangs from a spliced eye and is not doubled |
Order a corde lisse using the silks formula and you will receive roughly twice the rope you need.
What if you are between two lengths
Round up. Excess fabric gathers on the floor and stays out of the way, and you can also raise the descender slightly to take up slack. Fabric you do not have cannot be created, and a silk that ends above head height is unusable for climbs and footlocks.
The one case for rounding down is a permanently low-ceilinged room where a large pool of fabric would sit in a walkway. Even then, prefer the longer length and manage the tail.
What else you need besides the fabric
The silks are the fabric only. A complete rig also needs:
- A rated rigging point, assessed for live dynamic loads by a structural engineer or a certified rigger. This is not a DIY step.
- A rescue-8 or figure-8 descender, which is what the fabric actually threads through.
- A locking carabiner, and a swivel if you want the silks to rotate.
Each component must be rated to at least the Safe Working Load of the fabric. Ours is 150 kg (330 lb), from a Minimum Breaking Strength of 1,500 kg divided by a 10:1 safety factor. Our Universal Hanging Kit covers the hardware between your anchor and the apparatus at SWL 360 kg, comfortably above the fabric. If those numbers are unfamiliar, read SWL, MBS and safety factors explained first.
Frequently asked questions
What length aerial silks do I need for my ceiling?
Use fabric length = (floor-to-rigging-point height x 2) + 2 m. A 3 m rigging point needs 8 m of fabric, a 4 m rigging point needs 10 m, and a 5 m rigging point needs 12 m. The length you select at checkout is the total fabric you receive, not your ceiling height.
Do I measure to the ceiling or to the rigging point?
To the rigging point, specifically to the lowest point of the hardware the fabric hangs from, usually the bottom of the descender. A beam clamp, span set or hanging plate drops the working point below the ceiling, and that difference comes straight off your usable length.
Why is the formula doubled for silks but not for corde lisse?
Silks fold at their midpoint over the rigging point, so both tails run the full height and the fabric is doubled. A corde lisse is a single rope hung from a spliced eye and is not folded, so its formula is height + 2 m. Ordering a rope with the silks formula gives you roughly twice the length you need.
What if my height falls between two lengths?
Round up. Extra fabric pools on the floor and can be taken up by raising the descender slightly. Fabric that is too short leaves the tails above head height and cannot be fixed after the fact.
What if my rigging point is higher than 5 m?
Anything above a 5 m rigging point needs more than our standard 12 m, so it is cut to order. Contact us with your measured height and we will confirm price and production time. Custom lengths are excluded from the standard 14-day return policy.
Does the +2 m have to be exactly 2 m?
It is a working minimum rather than a precise figure. Two metres gives enough tail to tie knots, set footlocks at ground level and keep the ends within reach. More is fine; noticeably less makes entries awkward.
Written by the Aerial Obsessed workshop in Alicante, Spain. We publish a Safe Working Load, a Minimum Breaking Strength and a 10:1 safety factor for every apparatus we make. Last reviewed 31 July 2026.