Yahoo Finance How to Hang Drapes Like a Professional
Drapes are a simple way to add character and warmth to any room. Even ready-made drapes can elevate a room’s style, block drafts, and control glaring sun from coming in and fading carpet and upholstery. Plus, it’s just enjoyable to add your own decorative touches to a room to make the space more special.
First, choose your curtains and pole. Decorative poles with finials are like jewelry, upping the style quotient. There are many different types: Drapes may slide directly on the pole through a rod pocket, through large decorative metal grommets, or be attached by ornamental rings or metal drapery hooks or pins, which stick into the back of the curtain. If you want a simpler presentation, an inexpensive rod pocket type, which is hidden when the curtains slide onto it, is another possibility.
No matter what look you prefer, follow these tips on how to hang drapes from lifestyle blogger Julie Blanner.
Determine your height.
“Decide how high on the wall to mount the drapery pole,” says Blanner. You can mount the pole just above the frame. Or for a more dramatic look, which makes a room appear larger, place the rod about four to six inches above the window. Also, make sure the brackets for mounting the rod are deep enough so they clear the window frame and allow your drapes to hang properly.
Curtains come in standard lengths such as 63, 84 and 96, so if you’re not going with custom-made panels, take that into account when determining rod height. Also, consider how you want curtains to hit the floor. For a more casual look, they should be right at or skimming the floor, but if you plan to “puddle” them for a formal room, add another eight inches to the length, suggests Blanner.
Decide how wide to go.
Make sure a decorative rod extends 8 to 12 inches past the window so the drapes could be pulled all the way to the side of the window, if you like. If you’re using a rod pocket style pole, follow the same rules for coming up with the proper width. Adding width also makes the window look larger, says Blanner. Typically, curtain panels should be about twice the width of the window, which means you may need more than one panel per side depending on how big your windows are.
For widths greater than 60 inches, install an extra bracket for support in the middle, says Blanner. This is especially important if your drapes are a heavy material, such as velvet. Pencil in your marks on the wall so you can re-check your work. It’s also helpful to have an assistant to hold up the pole so you can make sure it’s even by using a laser or traditional level.
Use a stud finder and wall anchors.
No matter what style of rod you use, the curtain rod needs need solid support or it will get droopy and pull out of the wall, says Blanner. If possible, drill and mount brackets into a stud, though studs may not always be where you need them! In that case, use heavy-duty wall anchors, which will expand in the wall to provide a better “grip.” Some types require pre-drilling, while others are can be installed with only a screwdriver.
Measure. Then measure again.
There’s an old saying from carpentry: Measure twice, cut once. The same goes for drilling holes! Sometime all these calculations can become a bit confusing, so make sure you check your work after you determine rod height and width. Trust us: It’s way easier to fix a mistake before you start drilling!
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