How to mount curtain rails so block-out curtains are closer to the wall?

Question

I have installed curtains with 2 curtain rails. The second rail (furthest from window) has blockout curtains, but as you can see from the picture, they are quite far from the wall.

This results in light escaping around the side of the curtains - and the room is not dark at all! (as we would wish, total darkness).

How can I remount the curtain rails?

The bracket is a square shaped "arm" and then 2 pieces shaped like a loop and a small arm with a screw. There are 2 separate "loop" arms affixed to the square bracket arm above them.

Here is the manufacturer drawing (with one "loop" attachment, whereas I use two).

My initial thought is to just flip the loop arms so that they are closer to the wall. This would win me about an inch / 2 cm... but I would like to move the second rail closer than this.

Does anyone have any good advice?

Thanks

@kris hmm, I dont know how happy my wife will be about that, do people really do that? — vikingsteve, Sep 08 '20 at 11:53
Leave the curtains on the current rail, and lift them up and over the rails then down to be very close to the window. — Polypipe Wrangler, Sep 08 '20 at 12:03
@vikingsteve best install with blackout curtains is several inches larger than opening all the way around. And as close to the window as possible. — Kris, Sep 08 '20 at 12:16
I would consider making the second loop and attatch it to that adjustable loop. — Solar Mike, Sep 08 '20 at 13:57
use net curtain wire for the sheer curtains ... https://youtu.be/PdfnhYRNxGA — jsotola, Sep 08 '20 at 16:25
@vikingsteve "do people really do that?" Well, probably "yes" if they want the curtains to actually block light. — FreeMan, Sep 08 '20 at 18:29
Have you considered putting the outermost (or two) curtain rings for the blackout curtain on the other side of the bracket? — spuck, Sep 08 '20 at 18:51
it looks like you can simply put the hook piece on backwards, so that you don't have the tongue with the screwhole acting as a standoff from the wall. — dandavis, Sep 08 '20 at 19:53

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 08 '20 at 18:33

Consider adding a small hook to the "outside" of the hanger bracket (the side facing the side wall in the image provided), then pulling the blackout curtain around the corner and hanging the last curtain hook on this new hook. That should pull the whole curtain around the corner and cut out a significant additional light leakage.

If that's still not sufficient, hang small panel straight down from the curtain rod support brackets. Light doesn't travel around corners very well, so these "side blockers" should also cut out a significant amount of light.

You may need to combine both options.

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 08 '20 at 23:07

You do not really have a good option with the curtain rod that you have, especially if aesthetics out-weighs functionality.

I would opt for a curtain rod that lets you get the edge of curtains as close the wall as possible. One that has a curved radius that terminates at the wall, that way the curtain wraps around the corner and is touching the wall.

You could come up with some kind of fastener to hold the curtain to the wall such as hook & loop (Velcro) or magnets sewn into the fabric and one adhered to the wall.

Here is one example.

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 08 '20 at 17:27

2

I bought some ceiling mounted brackets and had more control over the distance to the window. I found lots of varieties on Amazon.

answered Sep 08 '20 at 17:27

roy

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How to mount curtain rails so block-out curtains are closer to the wall?

3 Answers3