Curtain Tracks

Curtain tracks can serve a lot of different purposes, but the most common one is to hang curtains over windows. This isn't going to surprise anyone and I'm not sure why I had to say something like it, but I did and there you have it. Curtains go on curtain tracks.

There are a few different things that you should think about when making the decision on whether or not you should get a curtain track to hang your curtain on. They can range from a personal preference for the way tracks look compared to rods to the demands that such things as space or function may place upon your choice.

When making the decision concerning what to hang your curtain on you should probably end up asking the following few questions:

Will I be trying to use a blackout curtain? As I'm sure that you already know, blackout curtains serve a dual purpose. The first and primary purpose to to block the sun from getting inside of a room. This can provide the double benefit of increasing the "dark hours" that a room experiences while also decreasing the impact of the sun on the energy costs of a home. Using a curtain track can positively impact a blackout curtain's ability to provide this double benefit.

By keeping the curtain close to the window, a track can provide superior sun blocking protection when compare with a loose fitting rod. There is just less space at the top and the side of the curtain for the sun to leak through and ruin a good mornings sleep (or in the case of Alaska residents, middle of the night sleep!).

This ability to block the sun at the top and the side of the curtain also means that the heat generated by the sun shining directly on the window is also going to be blocked from escaping through the same channels that the light would. This will keep your air conditioning bills low and your room comfortable even in the hottest parts of summer.

Is my window located in a corner or similarly tight space? Another reason to use a curtain track instead of a rod is that sometimes the use of a rod is impractical based upon the position of the window. Some windows found in corners or in narrow space can respond poorly to the installation of a curtain rod. The rod can either look a little lopsided, giving the room a strange feel as the rod which would fit a normally placed window well is off to one side since the corner obstructs normal placement.

Also, some windows that are on narrow walls can be hard to fit with a curtain rod because the rod needs to be a little bit bigger than the actual window for a curtain to provide good sun blocking power, to keep things private, and to look good inside the room. If this is not possible because a window is approximately the same size as the wall a curtain track is probably going to be a better bet in this situation.

Do you like the look of a curtain track over that of a curtain rod? Some people are going to prefer the appearance of a track over that of a rod. They do not necessarily want the track because they are using a blackout curtain and they aren't using it because they have a window in a tight space that requires one. Nope, instead they want to use it just because they prefer the way it looks. They find it more aesthetically pleasing than other options available to them.

Curtain tracks are not necessarily for everyone, but for those that choose these curtain hanging alternatives they will find a solid addition to their home.  Do you have any other reasons to go with a track over a rod?  Do you have any stories about how a curtain track has met your needs?  Please feel free to share them below.