Selecting the Right Curtain Poles for Your Home

How To Erect Curtain Poles

Curtains constitute an integral position in any living area – not only are they ornamental but they have the practical purpose of maintaining a rooms environment by filtering light and also can be used for temperature control. To install curtains properly it is essential that the pole which they will be hung from is placed correctly; this will help avoid any functional problems whilst also ensuring the aesthetic qualities of a window place.

Choosing The Correct Pole

Deciding upon the length of the pole to be used is the first step that should be undertaken. To determine these measurements it should be noted that the curtain pole should always be a small amount longer than the window itself. Once the length of the window has been gaged with a tape measure an extra five inches should be added on to this figure to calculate the optimum length of a curtain pole. The extra length is needed to allow for the curtains to be fastened either side of the window completely out of the way if need be so as to allow in the most possible light.

Other considerations for buying a curtain pole include the material of the pole itself. Two factors can help shape this decision; practicality and budget. When deciding what material the pole should be made from, apart from aesthetic values, it should be noted that various poles are not strong enough to hang heavier material from them. So, for example, if an individual was looking at hanging a pair of velvet curtains, a particularly heavy material, a sturdy and durable curtain pole would be needed; metal and wood would be ideal in this situation. The fact that stronger materials are also the most expensive can certainly play a part in decision making if budgetary constraints are a concern; if the curtain is not made from a heavy material then a cheap pole, such as a plastic one, can certainly be considered as an option.

Marking Positions

Once measurements have been made and the curtain has been purchased there are a few pre-emptive tasks that need to be completed before a curtain pole can be erected. Instead of erecting a curtain pole blind it is a good idea to make some measurements, using a pencil, to highlight where the brackets from which the pole will be suspended from should go. The first step to make is ensuring that these brackets are placed high enough off the ground so as to allow for the curtains to not trail. This means measuring the height of the curtains and then marking for the brackets to be at least a few inches further off the ground than this. Once these marks have been made it is a good idea to then, if possible, mark the locations of every hole that will be made for the screws which will be placed in the wall for the brackets.

Erecting The Curtain Pole

The hands on bit of erecting a curtain pole comes with a few considerations that need to be made for which equipment to use particularly with regards to which drill to use. So, for example, if the window is in the middle of a wall made from either brick or plaster than a different drill bit would be needed than for it was placed in a wooden wall. For brick and blaster a masonry drill bit would be ideal and for a wooden wall a wood drill bit should be utilised. Regardless of these factors protective goggles should be worn at all times. Drill into the walls where the markings have previously been made and then place the brackets over these. The next step is to secure the brackets in place with either a screwdriver or a drill depending, once more, on the type of wall. Drills are particularly useful for drywalls. Once the brackets have been attached to the wall make an extra check to make sure the screws are firm and, once this is the case, it is possible to erect the curtain pole on these. This should provide a firm platform to dangle the curtains from.

Author Bio
Kieron Casey is a BA (Hons) Journalism graduate who blogs regularly on a number of topics including home improvement, curtains and DIY.