There are many options for decorating a plastic window, from minimalist design with horizontal or vertical blinds to luxurious curtains with lambrequins, tassels and other decoration elements. But sometimes it is necessary to quickly and cost-effectively close the window from the bright Sun or prying eyes from the street. The simplest option is to apply Velcro curtains to a plastic window.
The well-known textile Velcro fastener, widely used on both clothing and shoes, is used for attaching curtains to curtain rods or directly to a plastic structure.
The convenience of this method of fastening is undeniable. There is no need to fuss for a long time with putting loops on the hooks of the curtain rod if you need to hang or remove curtains in order to wash, or replace the old curtain fabric with a new one.
To do this, it is enough to either attach the hard part of the Velcro tape with hooks to the existing cornice using glue and sew its soft part along the upper edge of the curtain. The only drawback of this method of fastening is that the curtains cannot be moved to the side.
But practice has found a way out that allows you to combine a reliable, quick and convenient method of attaching curtains with Velcro with the ability to open and close the window when necessary. To do this, use either “Roman” curtains, which are raised upward by means of a cord in folds, freeing up the window opening, or “Japanese” curtains, designed on the principle of sliding doors in wardrobes. Such curtains consist of two or more strips secured with Velcro tape to a fixed frame. If necessary, the window frames are shifted to the required width.
Making a homemade curtain rod with Velcro
If you don't want to spend money on buying a curtain rod equipped with Velcro tape, you can make one yourself. To do this, you will need a wooden block 15-20 cm longer than the width of the window, Velcro tape of the same length (its hard part with hooks), “liquid nails” mounting adhesive or acrylic sealant, 3-4 plastic dowels and the same amount self-tapping screws of suitable length.
First, determine the height at which the homemade cornice will be fixed. It can be fixed either directly on the wall - if the curtains are planned to be short - to the level of the upper edge of the window sill, or on brackets with a distance of 15-20 cm, if the curtains are long, so that hanging freely, they do not touch the window sill.
Velcro tape is glued onto a wooden block, pre-treated with fine sanding paper and coated with varnish or stain, and secured with staples from a construction stapler for secure fastening. You can screw the block with self-tapping screws directly through the Velcro tape. You can first strengthen the block, and only then stick tape on it or secure it with staples. But this option is less convenient.
The soft part of the Velcro tape is sewn to the upper edge of the prepared curtain fabric using a sewing machine. All that remains is to attach the top edge of the curtain to the cornice, and the curtain will instantly be securely fixed.
This method of fastening with Velcro is static and using curtains that are not equipped with an opening mechanism is inconvenient. Therefore, simultaneously with fixing the curtains with Velcro, they are equipped with a lifting and lowering mechanism.
Roman curtains
Roman blinds have a long history and fit well into interiors of a wide variety of styles and trends. They are easy to manage - just pull the cord and they will gather upward in wide folds.
To make Roman blinds, in addition to the actual fabric from which they will be sewn, you will need a soft part of Velcro tape, plastic or metal strips that will be inserted into pockets, curtains sewn across the fabric, tailoring tape, preferably close in color to the curtain fabric, weighting a strip that will be inserted into the bottom pocket of the curtains, several plastic or metal rings of small diameter (the number is calculated at the rate of 3-4 rings for each pocket sewn on the wrong side of the curtain), into which the strips will be inserted and a piece of cord, 2.5 times the length of the curtains.
After the pockets are sewn from tailor's tape on the wrong side, strips or metal rods are inserted into them, a weight strip is inserted into the bottom pocket, and a cord is passed through the rings sewn at the level of the pockets. The mechanism for raising and lowering curtains is ready. All that remains is to “glue” the curtains to the cornice.
Japanese curtains with Velcro
Making Japanese curtains is somewhat more complicated than Roman ones, since, in addition to sewing the curtains themselves and sewing Velcro tape to them at the top and bottom of the fabric, it is necessary to make frames that would move freely along the guides fixed to the ceiling and floor.
It is better not to do this work yourself, but to order such a design from a company that produces plastic windows. In it, frames of the size you need will be made from the profile used to make mosquito nets for plastic windows.
You will need to apply Velcro tape to the top and bottom edges of the frame. In principle, you can cover the entire frame around the perimeter with it, but this will require quite a large amount of Velcro tape. If the fabric is not heavy, two Velcro strips will be enough to hold it in place.
Typically, to make “Japanese” curtains with Velcro, light, translucent fabrics with a characteristic “oriental” pattern or patterns from ancient Japanese or ancient Chinese life are used. Hand-painted batik is also perfect for such curtains.
Other options
Using Velcro tape you can visually isolate or partition a room. To do this, a block with Velcro attached to it is screwed to the ceiling. By “gluing” a curtain fabric that goes down to the floor to it with Velcro, you will get a visually isolated room. This way you can fence off a bed located in a common room, or create an impromptu screen for changing clothes.
On plastic windows, you can not even mount a wooden block, but hang the curtains directly, either on the window sash, or in the opening by gluing Velcro tape, or along the upper edge of the corner framing the window opening, or to its side parts.
Of course, you shouldn’t use “liquid nails” glue for this. It is much better to use white acrylic sealant for fastening, which, if necessary, can be easily removed from the plastic profile when the need for such improvised curtains is no longer necessary. This must be done with a plastic spatula so as not to scratch the window.
You can use Velcro tape to secure it to the ends of the strips sewn to the top edge of the curtain; these strips, wrapped around the curtain rod, form loops. In this case, the curtain can be moved freely, opening the window, as with the usual method of hanging on hooks or grommets.
Eventually
There are many options for using Velcro tape, and in some cases it is an excellent alternative to traditional hooks for attaching curtains.
Roller blinds, which are a roll of fabric, are also often used. This is a very simple mechanism, and the roll of fabric is not covered with a casing from the outside, so roller blinds are one of the cheapest types.
A more expensive option is cassette roller blinds, which have a protective cassette casing: the fabric is rolled into it, and it reliably protects it from dirt and dust.
Corrugated curtains
Cascade
This type of curtains is also known as “pleated curtains”. The fabric used for them is very different, and the mechanism of operation of such curtains is the same as that of conventional aluminum blinds: the folds of the fabric also gather under the ceiling, and in this form they are almost invisible.
Like blinds, the flow of light through these strips can be adjusted using a chain, but unlike segments of blinds, which change the angle of inclination, the fabric in the curtain compresses and stretches.
Curtains for balcony windows
Lovolight
Such curtains have a large area, but unlike curtains for ordinary windows, these products are always made in such a length that they reach the floor. Otherwise, a balcony door half uncovered with fabric will not look aesthetically pleasing.
You can choose any model as curtains for the balcony, but you should not use curtains that are attached without drilling.
The fact is that such models in most cases are mounted directly on the window frame and are lowered only to the window sill, and since the balcony door is often located close to the window, you will have to mount either two separate rolls on the window and on the balcony door, or lower the curtain to the floor to pull it away from the window sill.
Classic
Sea wave
The usual classic curtains are drapes and curtains.
In most cases, they are also suitable for plastic windows, but before purchasing them, you need to pay special attention to design issues, choosing the model you like to match the overall tone of the interior.
Provence
Bay window with lambrequin Provence
Provence curtains appeared in France at the beginning of the 19th century. Unlike most other types of curtains, in the Provence direction there are no strict canons and design requirements.
For this reason, curtains in the Provence style are so loved by designers, who always have the opportunity to choose the most suitable option from the many existing ones.
It is not typical for curtains of this type to have an abundance of decorations and unnecessary elements that complicate the composition.
Curtains with lambrequin
Curtains with lambrequin
Such curtains come with a hard or soft lambrequin, which is structurally a strip of fabric.
Lambrequins in different models may have different shapes and vary in size, but if hard lambrequins are more suitable for strict interiors, then soft ones look more elegant.
Curtains for bay window
Curtains for bay window
A bay window is three windows connected in a semicircle in a room, resulting in a protrusion in the form of a square or polygon appearing in the room.
For bay windows, the most successful solutions are French and Austrian curtains.
French curtains are cascading rising curtains that, when raised, form lush folds.
Austrian curtains are a cross between Roman and French curtains: from the former, these models “inherited” a lush design and light fabrics, and from the latter, the principle of vertical rise.
Roller blinds
Chocolate
Roller blinds rise vertically, wound on a shaft, and the fabric of this curtain can be raised or lowered to the required height, fixing the fabric according to the principle of fixing blinds.
Regardless of how much such curtains cost, the fabric of all models is impregnated with a special compound that protects them from fading.
Roman curtains
In the kitchen
Roman blinds also rise vertically, but in this case the fabric is not wound on a shaft, but is gathered into folds.
The colors and textures of the fabrics that are used for such curtains are presented in a wide range, since visually Roman curtains fit perfectly into any interior and are used in a wide variety of design solutions.
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The article will talk about two types of tapes that have proven themselves well in cases where you need to reduce the length of a textile product, but you absolutely don’t want to pick up scissors and a needle. “Velcro” (Velcro-type connection) allows for multiple connections, but “gossamer”, a tape that ensures gluing of fabric during heat treatment, is a one-time operation. But we will consider both methods, since our windows rarely grow in height.
We have a curtain that needs hemming, and two ways to do it without a sewing machine
The first method is suitable for heavy, opaque material, and today designers, using Velcro, offer not only to decorate attic curtains and gather the bottom of heavy curtains, but also to radically change the height of the curtain.
Many people know that in harsh climates it is good when the curtain is higher than the level of the radiator; this helps save energy and seriously increases the air temperature in the room. And almost everyone knows that when it’s hot and sunny, a thick curtain helps keep the room cool.
It is Velcro that helps adjust the height of the curtain from the floor level to the window sill level, and you shouldn’t think that this is a crazy idea. The Velcro fastener is not visible from the outside, and with the help of this tape you can assemble the curtains into a very beautiful window frame.
However, there are several problems with this tape:
- Self-adhesive bases constantly experience “tension stress”, and after a dozen washes the tape may fail.
- The open part of the belt will quickly become dusty, which will significantly reduce the adhesion properties of the belt.
- Cleaning this fastener is quite a labor-intensive operation.
Solving this problem is quite simple:
- Apply excess tape (it is sold in a roll and always with a reserve) to the free area. When you need it, “re-stick” (excuse the word) the excess onto the vacant section of the tape;
- To clean the dirty part of the tape, use ordinary office tape with a small width. It is enough to glue it, press it lightly with your finger, heat it a little (for example, with a hairdryer) and peel it off. After such an operation, Velcro will work like new;
- For heavy fabrics, a radical solution is needed - stitching. Here you need to understand that the total thickness of the Velcro fastener should be greater than the thickness of the curtain. Otherwise, the adhesive layer simply will not withstand the loads.
In other words, “Velcro” is a great way to decorate a window exactly the way you want, but it is worth considering that such Velcro is designed for a small pull-off force that is accessible to a child. And children are precisely the factor that can ruin any interior. But there is a second method, more labor-intensive, but more reliable.
Web tape, iron, curtain and 5 minutes per linear meter
This is roughly what an advertisement for the second way to shorten a curtain without a sewing machine sounds like using self-adhesive “gossamer” tape. Today, many manufacturers include in curtain sets not only useless “hooks” for “string curtain rods”, which have not been produced for 6 years, but also rolls of this “cobweb” itself.
Let's see how to use the “cobweb” correctly if we don’t want to cut the curtain, brush off the dust from the sewing machine, and in general we have a day off, and only three hours for my husband to finally help decorate the window. So:
- Rule one: in addition to the “cobweb”, curtains, iron and five minutes you will need an assistant, two pins, an ironing board (ideally a thin blanket on a flat board), several sheets of A4 paper, a damp sponge, good lighting and patience;
- Rule two: you need to remember that the iron heats up unevenly across the soleplate, fabric without a basting cannot be laid out evenly, and it is almost impossible to iron a fold evenly on fabric without a pattern.
- Rule three: the folded curtain must hang on the curtain rod for several days to take shape. To smooth it out, straighten it and spray the bottom with clean water. The wet bottom of the curtain will become a “weight”, which will flatten the curtain. As it dries, use regular clothespins to determine the floor level. In two days you will know exactly the length of the curtain you need. All that remains is to prepare everything so that the curtains you found in the store become the curtains of your dreams.
Take a fabric that matches the density of the curtains, check at what temperature the “cobweb” will stick. A piece of 20x20 cm is enough, making sure that the “web” is stuck, sharply pull the edges. If at least part comes off, use two layers of “cobweb”.
Prepare a dry towel, sheets of paper, a damp cloth and empty the water from the steam iron. If you have a regular ironing board, put something flat on it (a board), cover it with a blanket and don’t throw away the hooks that are now included in curtain sets. Now let's shorten our curtain.
Bend the curtain hanging on the ledge from below to ensure the required distance from the floor level. It is worth securing with pins every 30-40 linear centimeters to ensure an even line without wrinkles. Iron the fold line to make the job easier.
Make sure the fabric is dry before gluing:
- Straighten the fabric and place the adhesive tape under the edges to be glued so that it is completely covered by the fabric;
- For tulle, use a sheet of A4 paper, which you place over the seam, and press on top with an iron for 25-40 seconds. Raise the iron, move the sheet of paper and repeat until you have glued the entire joint;
- Remove the pins that secured the gluing line as you go so as not to get lost, while at the same time adjusting the “web” so that it does not extend beyond the edge of the fabric. If it comes out, it will stick to the paper. Carefully tear off the paper in the direction “from the floor”, straighten the “web” and take another sheet of paper;
- Warm up the edges of the seams a little longer; there you can even fold the “web” in half.
