New curtains can transform a room, but a crooked or sagging rod will undo the effect quickly. The good news is that curtain rods follow a few simple rules, and getting them right the first time saves you from patching holes later.
Start with where the rod goes
Height. Mount the rod above the window frame rather than right on top of it. A common rule of thumb is a few inches above the trim, and higher still if your ceiling allows. Hanging the rod high draws the eye up and makes the window, and the room, feel larger.
Width. Let the rod extend past the window on both sides. When the curtains are open they stack beside the window instead of covering the glass, so you keep all of your natural light.
Length of the curtains. Decide whether you want panels that just clear the floor or ones that lightly touch it, and measure from the rod position, not from the top of the window.
Mount it so it stays up
Curtains are heavier than they look, especially lined blackout panels, and they get pulled across the rod every day. That is why where the brackets go matters as much as how the curtains look.
- Find the studs first. Brackets screwed into a stud hold far better than anything fastened into bare drywall.
- Use heavy-duty anchors where there is no stud. Pick anchors rated for the weight, not the small plastic ones that come in the hardware bag.
- Support long rods in the middle. A wide window or a long double rod needs a centre bracket, or it will bow over time.
- Check level before drilling. Mark both bracket positions with a level, then measure from the ceiling on each side to make sure they match.
Double rods: blackout plus sheers
A double rod lets you hang a lined blackout panel on the front rod and a light sheer behind it. You get privacy and light control during the day and full darkness at night. It also puts more weight and more leverage on the brackets, so solid mounting matters even more.
On a recent job I removed the old blinds in a bedroom, a bathroom and a second bedroom and installed new rods with grommet blackout curtains over lace sheers. You can see the finished work on the Curtain Rods, Curtains & Blinds page and in the gallery.
What to do with the old blinds
Old blinds leave screw holes and sometimes brackets or paint marks behind. Small holes can be filled and touched up before the new rod goes up. If the holes are larger, or the window trim is damaged, it is better to repair them first. I can handle small drywall repairs at the same visit.
DIY or call a handyman?
A single light curtain on a narrow window is a reasonable DIY job if you have a stud finder, a level and a drill. It gets harder with heavy curtains, long or double rods, high ceilings, or several windows at once. That is where an experienced installer saves time, avoids wall damage and gets everything level.
How much does installation cost?
Installing blinds typically runs about $30–$60 per window, and installing a curtain rod about $60–$120 per rod. A single small job has a $75 minimum, and you supply the curtains, rods or blinds. For several windows I quote the whole job after a free estimate.
Need curtains, rods or blinds installed?
I install curtain rods, curtains and blinds across Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina and Raleigh. You pick the curtains or blinds; I take care of the rest. Prices are in my handyman cost guide, and small jobs have a $75 minimum. Get a free estimate or call (919) 704-0373.