Light leakage from the sides or the top of window treatments, especially curtains, is very common and frustrating. Even if your window curtains are thick and good at room darkening, light can enter from any or, at worst, all of their sides and can seriously hinder your unwinding and/or affect your sleep quality. However, this problem can be totally fixed.
Today, Fixit Design will give you valuable tips and tricks on effectively dealing with light leaks from window curtains and enjoying your desired room ambiance without any trouble. Sticking to these ideas will also help improve your room’s comfort levels with better insulation and temperature balancing. Not to mention, this helps with privacy management.
Dealing With Sneaking Light From Window Curtains
To make tackling incoming light easier for you, we have divided the hacks into two main categories: light entering from the top and light entering from the sides of curtains. This way, you can better relate to your particular needs and develop suitable solutions conveniently.
1- Addressing Light Leaks From The Top Of Curtains
Most often, sunlight or artificial lights only tend to enter a room from the top of window curtains (header part), due to gaps in hardware placement (rings, hooks, eyelets) or fabric stitches (pleats, pockets, etc.). Here’s what you can do to fix this situation.
- Using Dedicated Accessories: Valances or pelmets can reduce light leaks from any window covering’s top. Investing in these useful accessories will provide perfect light blockage and make your curtains appear more attractive. Both pelmets and valances are timeless decorations that also prove helpful in concealing curtain rods or poles that seem boring or unpleasant.
- Raising Curtain Rod: This is a really simple, effortless, and cheap way to achieve the very goal of better coverage. All you need to do is install your curtains much higher than the top of your window’s frame. For existing setups, you can remove the curtains, dismantle the rod, and install it at a higher altitude afterward. Doing so will also make your windows appear elongated and your rooms more luxurious.
- Utilizing Blackout Liners: Blackout or thermal curtain liners can improve not only the light blockage ability of curtains but also the overall comfort of the area through better insulation and noise dampening. You can simply sew the liners to the back of your existing curtains or clip them for the quickest coverage enhancement. Such curtains will provide you with complete and flexible light control.
2- Addressing Light Leaks From The Sides Of Curtains
Light leakage from the sides of a window is mostly due to ill-fitting curtains and/or faulty installations. Still, this problem can be handled fairly easily.
- Extending Curtain Panel Width: You will need a curtain rod that is wider than your window frame, giving the curtain panels enough room to move and stay. This way, the sides of your windows will be fully covered, and there will be no spaces for external light to enter.
- Overlapping Curtains In Center: This idea is for when light leaks from the center of the window (between two curtain panels) and not from the sides. All you need to do is overlap the curtain panels in the center to block the entrance of the light. You can also use tiebacks, hooks, decorative clips, or pins for effective securing.
- Using Side Fabric Panels: This idea is similar to adding a blackout liner, except that this time, you have to add fabric panels on the sides of curtains instead of their backside. If your curtains are simple or plain, you can also experiment with decorative or printed fabrics, and adding these panels will effectively stop incoming light.
- Sealing With Magnetic Tape: This is more of a DIY fix when you want to avoid indulging in detailed procedures. Just use magnetic tape to attach the sides of your curtain panels to the window frame. Alternatively, you can also use Velcro, which is cheaper, more durable, and more versatile than magnetic tape.
Important Considerations To Improve Light Blocking Through Window Curtains
Here is some advice regarding installing curtains to achieve maximum light reduction. In addition, some smart hacks increase the light-blocking ability of existing curtain setups.
- Ensure accurate window measurements at the time of curtain installation. For effective room darkening, have your curtains at least 2 to 2.5 times your window’s width. Do not forget to add the width of your curtain rod to the overall window measurements.
- For optimal light blockage, make sure the curtain rod extends the window frame from both sides and is installed higher than the top of the frame. You can also install the rod immediately next to the ceiling for even more effective coverage.
- Pairing your curtains Dubai with window blinds or shutters is also a good idea. These can significantly help with room darkening or blackout. Blackout blinds or solid shutters will act as the best curtain light blockers. Installing window films can also be really favorable.
- After installing your curtains, make sure there are no gaps between them and the top of the window and its sides. If you come across any such spaces, make fabric adjustments right away. Also, avoid DIY installations and consider hiring professionals.
- If you don’t want to spend on additional accessories or drapery liners to block light, you can also make DIY light blockers using foam or cardboard. They are easy to place at the top of curtains, blocking light and reducing insulation loss.
- If light reduction or blockage is your primary concern, invest in heavier curtain fabrics. They offer fuller coverage and do not move to let light in. Besides, getting darker-colored curtains for perfect room darkening is highly recommended.
- When you need the area to be darkened to the maximum, install curtains using heavy and sturdy curtain rings or hooks. These rings or hooks keep the curtains secured on the rod and prevent the accidental entrance of natural or artificial lights.
Also Visit: How To Hang Curtains In A Rental Apartment?
