Recommendation: New curtain rails - bay windows

[John Smith]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a godo make of curtain rail for a bay window? Anything I need to consider before buying?

I am thinking of popping over to B&Q for one. I've had nightmares in the past trying to get them to work properly but, admittedly, I have not bought a new one for about 15 years so I am out of date re things.

Thanks,

John.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The best way is to go to a contract furnisher - like a large department store - and get them to make one for you. They have a device like a pipe bender to form the metal runners.

Anything you can DIY is likely to be poor and jam.

I got mine made at John Lewis - it's Kirsh heavy duty corded track - and it's worked well for many a year driven from a curtain motor. It wasn't very much more than the straight track of the same length.

[Christian McArdle]

The best way is to buy some finials and brackets. Then buy a 3m length of

15mm copper pipe and bend it to shape with a proper former based pipe bender. Then paint with hammerite. One bracket in the middle and one at each end. Cost: about fifteen quid. Appearance: surprisingly good.

Alternative. Find proprietary bay window rail with all the right bits. Cost: about two hundred pounds. Appearance: awful, with obvious joins at the bends that the rings snag on.

Christian.

[Kalico]

How do you get the brackets to hold the pipe securely?

More importantly, what brackets and where from?

Rob

[Christian McArdle]

Just use ones designed for curtain rails. Or any others you find in the hardware section at B&Q.

Christian.

[Chris Bacon]

Have four curtains, one on each outside window, one either side of the centre window. Use ordinary timber curtain poles and rings, as below:

o___________________o / \ / \ o = brackets / \ o/ \o

Looks nice, works well.

[Neil]

I got a pole recently from John Lewis dept store. The off the shelf pole used simply wasnt suitable for the weight of curtains. cost me =A3570 but is excellent (they fit it aswell) and should last for a long time to come. They come out f.o.c to measure angles and the pole is customer built they even hang the curtains for you.

Hope this helps

[Chris Bacon]

£570???? Buy the poles and brackets, you can do a solid job that looks good for £50.

[Mathew Newton]

Indeed, we did exactly that:

given the use of blinds we don't actually draw the curtains so cannot confidently comment on how well it would run or last under constant use.

Mathew

[John Smith]

Thanks all. I am shocked by the prices mentioned and that there appears to be no off the shelf product available. I thought I was going to get recommendations for makes.

Thanks anyhow,

John.

[Ian_m]

Yip John Lewis custom made fitted and installed for £620 in a large bay. Works fine via pull cord and hopefully should last many years.

I think its a 30mm SilentGliss pole, 5.2m long with 4 bends.

This is the 3rd type of rail fitted in 5years, the first 2 types coming from B&Q (1= Bendy plastic, 2=corded +bends), a complete waste of time, ages to fit + kept on jamming, meaning you end up putting extra force on the fixings which then work loose eventually.