Home Sweet Solutions: Build It

How to Hang Window Curtains

By Jean Nayar for Home Sweet Solutions

There’s an art to hanging curtains that goes well beyond the basic technical skills that are required to mount them on a rod and attach the rod to a wall. That’s the easy part! But nailing down the basic rules of scale and proportion are the key to ensuring your window treatment’s aesthetic appeal. So before you get your tools out, consider these factors:

Rod height and curtain length: Begin by envisioning where the curtain rod will be positioned. To keep the windows from feeling cramped and the treatment from looking skimpy, plan to mount the rod as close to the ceiling or crown molding as possible -- well above the top of the window frame.

Rod width: To determine the proper width of the rod, designers often rely on the “rule of fifths” -- that is, the window itself should account for about three-fifths of the overall width of the treatment-covered area. When pushed back to expose the window, the gathered curtain panels should account for another one-fifth of the width on each side of the window.

Style: Once you’ve decided on the proper width and placement of your rod, purchase the curtain hardware and curtains that suit your decor. Then you’ll be ready to mount your curtains, so here’s how to do it properly:

SUPPLIES:

• Stepladder

• Tape measure

• Pencil

• Curtain rod, rings and mounting hardware

• Wall anchors that are appropriate for drywall or plaster (depending on your wall type) and sized to fit the bracket screws

• Drill and drill bits

• Hammer

• Screwdriver

• Drapery pins (optional)

• Curtain panels

• Handheld steamer

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. DETERMINE CURTAIN MEASUREMENTS

To determine the proper width of each curtain panel, measure the width of the window outside the frame from side to side:

Double or triple this measurement, depending on the fullness you desire, and purchase two panels to approximately this width dimension. Depending on your preference, choose panels at a length that will allow the curtains to just touch the floor, break at the floor about 1 inch at the bottom, or hover about 1/4 inch above the floor once the curtains are mounted on the rod.

 

2. INSTALL THE BRACKETS

With the help of an assistant, hold the rod and brackets in place and mark the positions of the screw holes.

Drill pilot holes for the wall anchors.

Then insert and tap in the appropriate wall anchors for your walls, depending on whether they’re made of drywall or plaster. Place the brackets over the screw holes and screw in place: