Curtains are a classic and aesthetically pleasing form of window treatment, but they are still subject to letting unwanted light stream in from time to time. If you were curious about practical solutions to stop light from disrupting your day or evening at home, keep reading. We researched various trusted experts and sources to figure out what causes light to bypass curtains and what you can do about it.
You can stop light from leaking through gaps between the side and top of curtains and the window using the following methods.
- Install a wrap-around curtain rod
- Apply tape to the window where there are gaps
- Cover gaps on a window with foil
- Install blinds that block out light
- Add a top valence
- Install curtains broader and longer than the window
You can actively take steps to block light from coming past your curtains and disrupting your life. Keep reading to learn more and make your curtains work for you!
Successfully Block Out Light From Curtains
Whether you sleep during the day because you work the graveyard shift, live with obtrusive street lights in a major city, or want better control of your home's lighting, you want to be able to block out light from peeking past your curtains. Provided that your curtains are wide enough and long enough to cover your windows adequately and properly installed, you should be able to stop light from disrupting your day.
There are more than a few ways to block sunlight from streaming through your window that are effective and easy to execute. Think beyond applying a tinted window film to dim the light coming through your window or installing thicker curtains and a heavy-duty curtain liner. Check out the following methods.
Wrap Around Curtain Rod
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A quick fix to stop light from streaming past your curtains at the edges of your window involve changing the curtain rod. Choose a curtain rod that wraps around the window and allows your curtains to fully cover up the window so light cannot shine through. Using this solution reduces the need to use tape, Velcro, or pin curtains to the edges of a window. Also, make sure that you install the U-shaped curtain rod high enough to prevent light from coming through the top of the window.
Magnetic Tape
You can apply magnetic tape to the sides of a window and the back of your curtains. Placing the magnetic strips in strategic places, the tape helps your curtains adhere to the wall, increasing privacy and blocking unwanted light from coming past the sides of the window.
Apply Foil
Hiding out in your kitchen is a helpful solution to block light from coming through the top and sides of your window. Take a sizeable piece of aluminum foil and adhere it to your window where needed using painter's tape. It may seem like a strange method, but applying aluminum foil to the window reflects light, keeps your home cooler, and blocks light.
Install Blinds
Take the plunge and combine both curtains and blinds for a unique aesthetic and a method that will keep light from streaming through the top and sides of a window. Specifically, you want to install blinds that lockout light, offering privacy, and maintaining a darker and cooler home. Make sure your curtains are wide-set and are mounted high enough at the top to be effective.
Add a Valence
Placing a decorative valence above your window and a dominant set of curtains can help stop light from streaming past the top part of your window. Depending on the design of the valence, if there is extra fabric overhanging on the sides, it can help reduce light from coming through the sides of a window too.
Choose Wider Longer Curtains
It is possible to underestimate the dimensions of your curtain, especially when you fall in love with the material and design and figure you'll make it work in your home. If you choose a set of curtains that is longer than your window and elegantly falls to the floor and is also wider than your window, you can better stop light from coming through your window at the sides and top. Consider choosing heavier set curtains to better block light and keep your room darker and more comfortable.
How Do You Close a Gap Between Curtains and Walls?
You can close a troublesome gap between curtains and walls by installing a wrap-around curtain rod and hanging curtains that are longer and wider than the window they cover. You can attach the sides of your curtains to the walls adjacent to a window using tape, pins, or Velcro strips. If your curtains are hanging too low, adjust them so that the topmost part of the window is covered, successfully preventing unwanted light from coming through.
Check out this rust-resistant wrap-around curtain rod on Amazon.
Check out this handy magnetic tape on Amazon.
How Do You Make Curtains Overlap?
If you want to have your curtains overlap, be mindful of how you install them in your home. First off, you will want to select curtains that are extra wide and dramatic, and hang them via ring clips on a bar that allows one panel to overlap the other. You can pull your curtains together so that they overlap and pin them together with a practical or decorative implement, or use extra-long ties or cords. When using curtain rings, they should clip through both curtains.
Check out this set of curtain ring clips on Amazon.
How Do You Stop Window Curtains From Blowing?
Whether you have your window open or your air conditioner is on full blast, watching curtains billow about a window is less than desirable. You can stop your curtains from blowing about a window with Velcro. Carefully place strips of Velcro at the sides of your window where the edges of your curtains overlap. Attach Velcro strips to the underside of your curtains, so they line up with the pieces placed on the wall, and press the curtains firmly to the wall, so they stop moving. You can also add heavy weights to your curtains, so they are less likely to move.
Check out this Velcro on Amazon.
What to Use to Weigh Down Curtains?
Based on the style of your curtain and the material, you can insert weights or heavy wire at the bottom hem. You can tuck away heavy chains behind your curtains to keep them down, or use drapery weights. Also, depending on how your room is decorated, you can use decorative pillows against a curtain to weigh it down or strategically place furniture, so a curtain stays flat and down.
Check out these clever drapery weights for curtains on Amazon.
How Do I Turn Off the Light in My Air Conditioner?
Ideally, you should be able to turn off the light in your air conditioner, unless the menu bar automatically stays backlit when in operation. Look over the manual for your air conditioner and make sure it is in proper working order. You should be able to turn off the filter light or any unnecessary lights on your device. Otherwise, install a curtain set made with a heavier material and install a curtain liner to block out light.
FAQs
How do I get rid of the gap between my curtains?
If the curtains are hung on a rod, you can use a rod extender to move the curtains closer together and eliminate the gap. Alternatively, you can use a clip-on curtain ring to attach the curtains directly to the rod, which should also help eliminate the gap. If the curtains are hung on hooks, you can use smaller or more hooks to bring the curtains closer together.
How do I stop the light from coming through the top of my blinds?
There are several ways to stop light from coming through the top of your blinds. You can use blackout shades or curtains, attach a light-blocking valance, or install a light-blocking insert into the headrail of your blinds.
How do you block the light from the top of blackout curtains?
The best way to block the light from the top of blackout curtains is to use a blackout curtain liner. This liner is designed to block out all light, not just the light coming from the top of the curtain. It is typically made of thick, heavy fabric and attaches to the top of the curtain, providing extra insulation and blocking any light that might otherwise come through.
What goes over the top of curtains?
A curtain rod, finials, and/or a valance.
Valances are fabrics hung across the top of windows to give them softness, color, and pattern. Valances are the most basic and casual window treatments. They're usually attached to the rod by clip rings or rod pockets.
Check out these excellent articles related to curtains.
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