Corner Curtain Rod Hack

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by Gilda

Ellpea, Your curtain rod "hack" and curtains are beautiful!

There is an article online as to how to make your own bendable curtain rods. I'm not sure what they mean about "clear plastic pipe". Maybe they are referring to surgical tubing. This method might work better for me as my back curtain rod is at a slightly different height than my side curtain rods. The "clear plastic pipe" might "give" a little.
How to Make Your Own Bendable Curtain Rod | Home Guides | SF Gate

Gilda (blush) thank you! I like them too.




About your slightly different levels, you could probably use the plastic OR the copper tube. The tube is "bendable," but sturdy. You could likely flex it around to fit your slightly varied heights.




(My rear upper cabinet is sagging a bit on one side. Checking into it, the screw which should secure it to the cleat is not screwed into anything. So far, I haven't figured out how to get the false bottom out of the cupboard in order to get to the screw. I think I would have to brace up (or jack up, depending on weight) that corner in order to get the screw in where it should go. In the meantime, my curtain rod kind of floats around under this slightly out of level area [yes, it does drive me crazy so will have to do something soon])

[EllPea in CA]

Originally Posted by M Scott

I'm still using the original Scamp curtains...kinda dull. Before I switch out and use some of the above wonderful ideas, I need advice on how to keep the !*!* curtain rods from falling down while traveling. Tried rubber bands, but not always successful. Suggesitons appreciated.
Thanks.

Marilyn, I guess it depends on what kind of hanging device you are using for your rods? When I still had the traditional rod types, the PO had wrapped white duct tape around the curtain bracket, which partially concealed the bracket and also kept the rod in place.


You could possibly tighten the bracket clamp a bit with pliers so the clamp has a better grip on the rod (still, not sure what kind of bracket you have).




You could apply (silly suggestion but would probably work) and little dab of silly putty type material.




For my wrap around curtains, simple cup hooks hold the whole thing in place. But for such a long stretch of rod, the trailer would have to do a lot of bouncing and banging around to knock that long rod loose.


This makes me wonder... How is the suspension on your trailer? Does it have any bounce left besides what you get from the tires? If not, things may be rattling around too much in there, which is not healthy for your little egg.


It's bloody hot outside right now, but someone else also asked questions about the cup hooks, where and how many. I'll go out and take some photos of these when things cool down a bit.

[k corbin]

That kind of soft tubing is also available in aluminum.

[Roy in TO]

I beam type track can be bent with a pipe bender or look for the flexible stuff in boat supply places.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by M Scott

I'm still using the original Scamp curtains...kinda dull. Before I switch out and use some of the above wonderful ideas, I need advice on how to keep the !*!* curtain rods from falling down while traveling. Tried rubber bands, but not always successful. Suggesitons appreciated.

Thanks.

Bend the bracket slightly where the rod attaches. If more than the occasional curtain rod gets tossed around under tow, it might be time to check the axle.

[Gilda]

Originally Posted by M Scott

I'm still using the original Scamp curtains...kinda dull. Before I switch out and use some of the above wonderful ideas, I need advice on how to keep the !*!* curtain rods from falling down while traveling. Tried rubber bands, but not always successful. Suggesitons appreciated.
Thanks.

My Scamp (2011) original curtain rods were too small for the rod holder. I switched the rods for a larger diameter, standard size, sold at most hardware stores or Walmart. In addition, I have attached the rods at both ends to the rod holder with zip ties. Since I've done that the rods do NOT come off in transit! When I change out my outer panels I just leave the rods in place because I keep the original curtains in the center, between the rod holders. I rarely need to take down the rods and when I do, I cut the zip tie and replace with a new one when needed.

Note: I extend the rod ends (with finials) beyond the width of the rod holders, thereby making a space to hang the (removable) decorative side panels.

[tractors1]

If you wish to bend plastic PVC or ABS pipe to a rounded corner, make a template of the curve out of wood that fits the corner profile. Then fill the pipe with dry sand and use a heat gun (not a blow dryer) to heat the pipe and bend it around to fit the radius of your profile. The sand will pack the pipe but give when bending and you wind up with a clean bend without kinks. Warning: buy extra pipe, this takes practice!

[Kai in Seattle]

Originally Posted by M Scott

I'm still using the original Scamp curtains...kinda dull. Before I switch out and use some of the above wonderful ideas, I need advice on how to keep the !*!* curtain rods from falling down while traveling. Tried rubber bands, but not always successful. Suggesitons appreciated.
Thanks.

This is very easy.
You take a drill and make a tiny pilot hole through the front of the curtain rod end bracket and into the rod itself.
Then you screw in a tiny screw through the bracket and into the rod.

VOILA.

No more bouncing out of the brackets...and no more self-extending when you shift the curtains!

[Kai in Seattle]

Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA

Kathleen, this is a great idea for the door, and I like how the magnets work! When we camped this winter (and discovered we couldn't get the furnace turned on), the door reflected freezing air into the trailer. I wonder what it's like on the inside, given how some people have found theirs full of water, etc.! I don't see any signs of leaks or damage though.


I've thought about doing an insulated, reflective panel there, or perhaps some kind of quilted panel, that would just stay in place at night when it's cold. Your magnet idea will really help with that -- thanks!


Oh, and the poop-brown trailer now looks great! You should post some photos of the inside!

Thanks, Ellpea! I hope today the rest of the curtains get installed...Paul is busy vacuuming the TV (for the last two hours! Good NIGHT, what all was in there? Hope he found some cash!)

I see from my Peanut file of photos that it's time to take some more! We've come a long way since Paul uploaded these!

[EllPea in CA]

I think Gilda asked this a few weeks back, and I finally remembered to address it. I made a video so I could "talk" at the same time, but for some reason it did cut out before I was finished.

The part that was cut off just addressed how the wire shelf was attached to the kitchen cabinet, which required shaving (shudder) a bit of the wood away to let the rack slide in (so yes, I had again drifted off-topic). The cabinet was not quite square in front; the shelf fit in back but was too snug to fit on the front right side.

After I'd made some alterations to the cabinet (and slept on the process), an easier method occurred to me. I should have just created two wooden "channels" on each side for the shelf to slide into, like a drawer. I could have attached those with four screws total, and trimmed the shelf down by one more wire length(width)wise so fitting into that space would not have been a problem.

Darn.

Those are little fabric bins from the Dollar Store.

Also, it may be clear from the video although I didn't actually address it -- there is a rod support on the street-side window because there is wood paneling there to support a hook. On curbside, I have carpeting, and the little shelf I've installed above the window is up too high for a hook (although probably a wire support screwed into an eyehook would work), thus that side has a sag which will be addressed.

All of the mods you see here are done by a determined female without some of the necessary tools. I could drag the hubby out and probably get better results, but have wanted to do this myself, so am suffering the occasional consequences.

Regarding the additional curtain panels I'd made, I'm now very sorry I didn't line them to give the fabric more "heft." I had thought that since they were mainly in corners and at sides and never in front of the windows that that would not be necessary, but in retrospect think the look would have been much better.

Also, excuse the disarray in the trailer, I'd taken everything apart to do a cleaning!

https://youtu.be/lgXkAQLCRDA

[Gilda]

Ellpea,
Thank you for providing the detailed video. Now I can clearly see what you did to hang your curtains. I'm sorry to see that your copper tubing sags in the heat. You might want to try to use tent poles, available as replacements at outdoor supply stores, for the "straight edge portions of your curtains and use the copper for the corners. Perhaps the poles and copper can be connected with surgical tubing. Just a thought.

If all of us put our "noodles" together, I think we can come up with a spiffy solution to making curved curtain rods!

[Gilda]

By George, I've found it...an "easy-peasy" solution for corner wrap-around curtains in my 13' Scamp. Many thanks to Ellpea and all the other inventive curtain crafters on this and other threads who got my creative juices flowing.

Like many others, I like the look of wrap-around curtains and had hoped that I could find a way to create them in my trailer without having to drill or do major renovation. The following is what I came up with. I simply connected the side and back edges of my curtain rods with tubing used for garden sprinkler systems! It doesn't get any easier than that.

Following are the steps with photos.
Photo 1 - This shows the finished corner with 3 curtain panels. Remember that I preferred to have curtain end panels on all four windows. To fill in the corner spaces I added one curtain panel to the other two already on the ends (3 curtain panels, total). I have many other curtain panel sets, depending on my interior theme so this is an OK solution for now. If I LOVE the corner curtain rod I may sew wide corner panels for future decor choices, we'll see.

[Gilda]

Photo 2 - Shows the tubing in place. The tubing is about 18" long. (Note: the curtain rod heights are different. I just ignored this detail and proceeded.) I removed the finials from one end of the side window rods and both ends of the back window rod so there would be a hollow rod in which to place the tubing. I simply placed the tubing in the side window rod, placed the panels on the tubing and inserted the other end of the tubing into the back window rod. The white clip on the rat fur is a "cubicle clip" (from STAPLES) which serves to support the tubing and is covered by the panels.

Note: My back window curtain rod was sagging so I replaced it with a cafe curtain rod that expands from 48" - 84". Since the back rod width is 48" I essentially have a "double strength" rod. This is a 7/16" Mainstays cafe rod from Walmart. They come in gold, black and nickel colors.

Photos 3-5 These photos show how I added all three panels to the curved tube.

Because the tube is covered by the panels there is no need for a "fancy" colored rod in the corner.

This technique has resulted in the "look" of a continuous wrap-around curtain rod without actually having a functional wrap-around rod. This is fine with me as I can still separate the eggshell-colored panels on the side and back windows, revealing most of the windows to allow in more light and view. I do have "tie-backs" which I use to pull back the panels and keep them in place.

In addition, I have "pockets" (behind the curtain panels) which I attach to the rat fur with Velcro and cubicle clips. These "pockets" are helpful to hold things while in bed such as reading glasses, Kleenex, headlamp, etc.

[Gilda]

Frankly, when all is said and done, I'd much rather that Scamp provide customers with the option to have a quality wrap-around curtain rod that allows the smooth sliding of curtain panels all around the side and back walls without curtain rod supports that prevent the smooth sliding.

[Kai in Seattle]

Innovative and enterprising! I think they look great.
Was looking up above the latest posts and thought, "Gosh, that trailer looks a LOT like ours!" Then I realized it IS ours. Duh!


Thanks for sharing your curtain ideas! (Always!)


BEST
Kai