There are four factors in selecting curtain hardware. Ensure the curtain rod is strong enough to hold the weight of the curtains. Ensure the anchors are strong enough to hold the weight of the curtains. If the curtain rod is longer than 5 feet, add additional support brackets. Finally, buy everything to the correct specs. If all of these are correct, the curtains will stay up. If they are incorrect, you will be re-doing the project in a couple of months.

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Match Your Hardware To Your Curtain Weight

You should always consider weight. Most people underestimate how heavy curtains actually are.

If we are being honest, curtains are heavy. A single panel of sheer fabric weighs about half a pound to one pound. Then there are lightweight cotton or linen panels that run one to two pounds each. Once you add lining, you’ll look at two to four pounds per panel. Then, there are also heavy fabrics that are like velvet, thick blackout material, or thermal backed curtains that hit five to eight pounds per panel. Now, all of that gets multiplied by the number of panels you should hang. A standard window with two lined panels might put ten pounds on your rod. A large window with floor length velvet, is that twenty pounds or more you are looking at?

To calculate curtain weight, simply weigh yourself, then weigh yourself holding the curtains, and calculate the difference. This process will only take thirty seconds and is completely simple.

Why Decorative Rods Fail

People have to deal with the consequences with this one. Decorative rods with elaborately designed ends and metallic finishes are, unfortunately, often thin-walled and hollow. This is because there is no real quantity and quality being put into the product. They are just simply designed to look fully stocked while saving on costs and shipping weight. Lightweight aluminum made to look like wrought iron is the worst. It will easily dent or bend.

Looking at the rod diameter is very important:

• For rods under one inch, this is only for sheers or very thin curtains.
• Standard curtains are one inch, very preferably up to 1.25 inches.
• Heavy curtains are a minimum of 1.5 inch diameter.
• No hollow core construction is also really important.

Rods that are adjustable lengths have flexible cuts made in a rod designed to be fixed. This is an issue when it comes to setting it up. This type of construction is nice, but it often works for only a few lightweight curtains and then just sags. If a specific length is required, it is best to have a custom piece made to length or to just buy a plain fixed rod.

Alternative Rod Types

• Tension Rods: Some tension rods use spring pressure to stay in place without drilling. This makes them great for temporary setups, however, they are only really good for lightweight sheer curtains on thin windows, otherwise they tend to slide down.
• Traversing Rods: These come with a pull-cord for automatically opening and closing curtains. This is helpful for windows that are high up or if they are frequently opened and closed. However, these rods tend to look out-of-date, meaning a lot of people cover them with a decorative piece.
• Ceiling Tracks: Ceiling tracks for curtains look especially modern and minimalist since they are mounted to the ceiling instead of the wall. This is a good option for floor-to-ceiling curtains, especially if they are used to divide a room.

The Importance of the Material

You should choose a material that corresponds to the conditions present in your room and the weight support that you need.

Types of Walls Impact What Anchors You Can/Should Use

Just because your rod and brackets are strong enough to hold the weight doesn’t mean your anchors will be able to hold the weight if they can’t grip the wall.

How to Handle Drywall Deficiencies

The anchors in the plastic package are geared for light loads like 5 to 10 lbs. Hanging curtains that weigh 15 lbs will cause the anchors to slowly pull out over weeks/months.

Toggle bolts or molly bolts are more suitable because they are more durable than plastic anchors and are geared for 50 lbs or more of weight. You also won’t need to worry about having to rehang curtains and patch up your wall.

Even better, if you are able to, mount your curtains to the studs. These wooden pieces are 16 inches apart. If your bracket placements work for your window, and you have a stud finder, you can skip the anchors.

Coverings for Plaster, Concrete, and Other Walls

• Plastered Walls: Use expansion anchors and toggle bolts, and take your time while drilling. Use a sharp masonry drill bit and take your time with the pilot holes to ensure that no cracking will occur.
• Brick or Concrete: You will need a hammer drill and masonry anchors. Standard drill sets will merely spin uselessly against concrete. Masonry anchors hold a lot of weight in concrete once installed correctly, so you’ll be able to mount heavy items.

Never mount anything on thin window trim, hollow-core doors, or tile. Those surfaces will either crack or not be able to hold any weight. Just search for sturdy wall material nearby.

Mounting Methods, Brackets, and Rod Length

Rod Length and Support

Long rods sag in the center, and that’s a problem. Short rods do not sag. This is a balance engineering problem that changes at around 4 to 5 feet.

For example, on an 8 foot rod you need end brackets as well as 2 center supports. If you do not follow these guidelines, your rod will gradually curve over time.

Expected Types of Mounting Hardware

• Wall Mount: The most common type; places the rod parallel to the wall above the window opening.
• Ceiling Mount: Used when there is little space above the window frame; drops the curtain rod below the ceiling for a more pleasing look.
• Inside Mount: Fitted sliding into the window frame; provides a clean and simple look, best for lightweight curtains.
• Outside Mount: Attaches to the wall above the window; offers more flexibility with positioning and placement.

Bracket projection is how far from the wall the rod will sit. This is important for deep window sills, thick blinds, or simply needing more room for a sheer curtain to slide open. The most common projection ordered to a store for rods is 5 to 6 inches but should still be confirmed to the specific store for a more efficient shopping experience.

Double Setups

Suspending a curtain rod of a double setup (e.g., sheers and curtains) will double the bracket needs and require heavier-duty brackets. Also, more supports will be needed for double rods, and better anchors should be used to maintain the higher-up position of the rod.

Custom Windows

• Bay and Bow Windows: Require flexible rods that bend with the angles and/or separate rods with corner connectors. Measure each section carefully. Corner windows have the same issues.
• French Doors: Can be outfitted with curtain hardware that allows the curtain to swing in unison with the door. Consider curtain brackets that are specifically designed for door mounting, which are affixed to the door rather than the surrounding wall. Magnetic tiebacks are a great solution to keep the curtain out of the way when the doors are swung open.

What to Check Before You Buy

These are the things to keep in mind before purchasing items while in a hardware shop or browsing online.

• Weight rating: This should be printed on the packaging. If not, assume the weight rating is low.
• Rod diameter and material: Solid steel is preferable, as it can hold up significantly more than hollow aluminum.
• Bracket load capacity: This is sometimes rated separately in the instructions or packaging from the rod.
• Included anchors: Check to see what is included, and plan to separately buy better anchors for anything more than sheer curtains.

If the style of curtains you are hanging require curtain rings, ensure that the inner diameter of the rings is larger than the diameter of the rod, otherwise the rings will be stuck. For weight distribution, space the rings out four to six inches apart. If the amount of noise from the curtain rings rubbing on the rod is a concern, look for curtain rings that have a plastic liner or are fully plastic.

There’s a general relationship between what something costs and the quality. If a piece of hardware costs something very low, you can expect it to be of low value. But price by itself will not determine whether a piece of hardware is a good value for the money. It’s better to check the specifications themselves rather than going by price.

The addition of better quality toggle bolts and/or molly bolts is well worth the extra couple of dollars you will spend. This one piece of hardware will solve most of the common problems people have with curtain hardware.

The Problem with Curtain Hardware

And the reason the problems during hardware selection happen is people skip the planning and math, oversimplify choosing hardware based only on appearance, or underestimate the weight of their curtains. Know how much your curtains weigh, what kind of wall you have to install on, make sure to add center support on longer spans, and use quality anchors designed for the load. A little time spent planning will provide a lot of value by preventing curtain rods from sagging or brackets from being pulled out of the wall. If you take the time to plan, a piece of hardware will be able to do its intended function and your curtains will remain in their intended, sorted position.