Help. Frustrated re curtain tracks. Could some kind person help please?? 21 February at 10:39AM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 18 replies 706 views

Bolt1234

Hi All,

I wonder if someone can assist please. A relative has moved into a very nice rental and the curtain tracks are causing us great issues. We dont know what sort of curtains/blinds were there before btw. We had John Lewis to give us a hand with some colour schemes and I did give them pictures of the tracks and they said 'all you need to do is put curtain hooks on the pencil pleats and then just hook into the track' but they look complete rubbish when I do this.

I am wondering whether the tracks are not suitable for anything other than the lightest of curtains? We have blackout type curtains.

We are very limited with what we can do because its a rental but I am desperate for some assistance please. Maybe its me that is doing it wrong....please say if it is!

All help is very very much appreciated.

badger09

Bolt1234 said:

Hi All,

I wonder if someone can assist please. A relative has moved into a very nice rental and the curtain tracks are causing us great issues. We dont know what sort of curtains/blinds were there before btw. We had John Lewis to give us a hand with some colour schemes and I did give them pictures of the tracks and they said 'all you need to do is put curtain hooks on the pencil pleats and then just hook into the track' but they look complete rubbish when I do this.

I am wondering whether the tracks are not suitable for anything other than the lightest of curtains? We have blackout type curtains.

We are very limited with what we can do because its a rental but I am desperate for some assistance please. Maybe its me that is doing it wrong....please say if it is!

All help is very very much appreciated.

Maybe it’s my old eyes, but those photos are blurry. However, I think they are the sort where the track fitting slides inside the track, with a small loop hanging below it. 

Because track is ceiling mounted, there isn’t much space between track & ceiling, so you will have to put the hooks into the top level slots on the header tape. 

You could try the middle slots to hide the track, but the top of the curtain might fold over or drag on the ceiling. 

ThisIsWeird

I suspect, but could be wrong, that it's a matter of getting suitable curtains and hooks.

The curtains should have enough stiff material above the hooking strip to keep it standing upwards and hide the track, almost brushing the ceiling. If you take a photo of the back of the curtain showing this 'taped' strip, that should help. Also a pic of the hooks you are currently using - are they the bent-wire metal ones, or the wee plastic jobbies?

I fitted rails similar to these very recently for mil, but she then had the (lightweight muslin privacy) curtains made to measure, so they fitted perfectly, but since these rails are a standard type, there must surely also be hooks available to take off-the-shelf curtains, and position them correctly - with the rail being effectively hidden.

Perhaps look for an upholstery type person who can advise, and even move the tape position if needed? 

greensalad

I have ceiling-mounted curtain tracks and had no issues with them. You put the hooks through the top loop available on the loop tape on the back of the curtain. Mine do sort of brush the ceiling as previously mentioned, the weight of the curtains makes it sag down a little bit so that they just graze the ceiling. 

Bolt1234

I am going round there and will take some further photos with the curtains in situ too.  Please dont laugh when you see them!

They are the white plastic jobbies curtain hooks btw but they keep popping out.  Its as though they are too short to stay in the tape.

GDB2222

I wonder how you have fitted the hooks? Picture please!

jennifernil

badger09 said:

Bolt1234 said:

Hi All,

I wonder if someone can assist please. A relative has moved into a very nice rental and the curtain tracks are causing us great issues. We dont know what sort of curtains/blinds were there before btw. We had John Lewis to give us a hand with some colour schemes and I did give them pictures of the tracks and they said 'all you need to do is put curtain hooks on the pencil pleats and then just hook into the track' but they look complete rubbish when I do this.

I am wondering whether the tracks are not suitable for anything other than the lightest of curtains? We have blackout type curtains.

We are very limited with what we can do because its a rental but I am desperate for some assistance please. Maybe its me that is doing it wrong....please say if it is!

All help is very very much appreciated.

Maybe it’s my old eyes, but those photos are blurry. However, I think they are the sort where the track fitting slides inside the track, with a small loop hanging below it. 

Because track is ceiling mounted, there isn’t much space between track & ceiling, so you will have to put the hooks into the top level slots on the header tape. 

You could try the middle slots to hide the track, but the top of the curtain might fold over or drag on the ceiling. 

I would agree, looks like sliders with "loops" running in the bottom of the track, into which you can hook regular plastic curtain hooks.     Because the track is ceiling mounted, you need curtains where the tape has 2 or 3 different hook level positions.

Insert the hooks correctly at the appropriate level in the tape and then hook into the sliders on the track.   If done correctly there is no way the hooks can pop out of the tape.

Slinky

Those look like the sort of fittings we used to have when we bought our house, and they were hidden by wooden pelments. I'm wondering if there were pelmets there originally which have been removed but the old curtain rails remain.

twopenny

Too blury to see really need to see the fittings/running bits
Look like mine. I put the hooks in bottom run of loops on the wide header to cover the rail wnen closed.

badger09

twopenny said:

Too blury to see really need to see the fittings/running bits
Look like mine. I put the hooks in bottom run of loops on the wide header to cover the rail wnen closed.

If OP’s curtains have the standard depth of tape fitted to most ready made curtains. I think using the bottom level will mean the curtains will ‘fold over’ at the top as they’ll be too close to the ceiling. 

I’ve recently had issues with Dunelm own brand curtain hooks in Dunelm ready mades on a Dunelm metal pole, which slip out of the rings very easily. Solved with some older ones which seem to ‘grip’ better. 

@Bolt1234 please come back. We won’t laugh. Promise😊. 

In the last few weeks I’ve hung 8 sets of new curtains with additional thermal linings to 6 of them😳 for family member & myself so had plenty of practice not to mention frustrations. 

Bolt1234

  Told you…. Good news is that a handyman sorted it out for us.  They look so much better.  I don’t like pencil pleats but had to use them!