How do you know which curtain rods are right for your particular case? Not all curtain rods are the same. Which may come as something of a surprise. After all, what’s to a curtain rod, right? You’d be surprised and it does actually make a difference if you choose the wrong rod over the right rod.
Spring Pressure/Tension Rod
The spring pressure curtain is also known as a pressure rod and it’s rather obvious why. This is the curtain rod that you squeeze together against the tension spring inside to make fit into the space between the two sides of the window. Spring pressure rods are common enough that you can find them in lengths to squeeze into just about any size window and in a wide variety of finishes to provide a wealth of aesthetic appeal. Tension rods do tend to be lightweight affairs and so may not be suitable for extra heavy curtain material. In fact, you will likely want to stock with lightweight draperies or sheers. Also keep in mind that if your window span is particularly wide, you need to add some addition support in the center of the rod to keep it from bending or breaking.
Traverse Rod
The traverse rod is ideal for hanging drapes or curtains that you plan on drawing open and closing shut. Traverse rods are generally designed for utilitarian windows where you naturally plan to open and close the curtains. Traverse rods for more offbeat window designs are also available as custom made curtain rods. Some traverse rods come with a cord for drawing drapes while others utilized a rod or just allow for direct opening of the curtains.
Flat Metal Rod
The flat metal curtain rod is all right there in its name. This simple rod is designed for simple curtains. In other words, go with a traverse rod when you need to open and close drapes and keep the flat metal rod for curtains or drapes that will remain mostly in one position. You can invest in a double flat rod if you want a simple method for holding a valance and drapes separately. A curved version of the metal rod that belies the “flat” in its name is available for bay windows. If plan on hanging sheers or see-through material like lace curtains, go for a translucent rod to keep the harshness of the metal showing through.
Cornice Rod
Cornice rods are the go-to curtain rods for fancier window treatments like balloons and festoons. For the most part, a cornice rod is constructed for curtains that are going to remain stationary on traditional window designs. If you like the look of a cornice rod for use on a less traditional design or more unusual like a corner window, you need only invest in a corner connector. This accessory allows the cornice rod to be used for creating an unbroken treatment of drapes or curtains without the unappealing addition of a break in the line in the corner.
Decorative Rods
Decorative curtain rods cover the rest of the bunch and it is becoming an ever growing bunch. Rods can be made of a wide variety of more decorative materials, are made to be used with everything from standard to shirred drapes and are designed less for utility than the wow factor. No matter what the theme of your room’s décor, you can probably find a mass-manufactured curtain rod with a design that fits.
