Curtain Rods Selecting the Right Type for Your Window Eat Your Wheaties before Making a Decision

Curtain rods and breakfast cereals have something in common: there are way too many kinds to choose from. How do you narrow down today’s nearly infinite selection of curtain rods – and pick something that looks great?

So today we’ve got . . . choices. Lots of choices: the white metal rods are still available and popular, and have been joined by all sorts of other curtain rods: decorative rods, pressure rods, café rods, traverse rods, sash rods, continental rods, cable rods . . . . Then there are the variations on those: flat rods, round rods, double rods, triple rods, continental corner connectors, combination traverse rods, curved rods . . . .

Get the picture? Sort of makes you feel like you’re walking down the breakfast cereal isle. And just like cereals, the key to finding the right curtain rod knows a little about each one, so let’s make this all a little more handle-able. There are many kinds of rods, but a few basic types.

Basic White Metal Rod. This is the Corn Flakes of curtain rods. They’re sometimes called valance rods and come in flat and round styles. Most of these are somewhat lightweight and made for lighter weight window coverings. Today you can get them as single, double and even triple rods. The double and triple rods are used for a layered look, like a semi-sheer curtain behind a room darkening drape. With a triple rod you can add a valance to your layered coverings.

Traverse rods – the corded variation of the white metal rod, something like Life cereal: still a basic cereal, but pretty tasty. These are usually a little heavier construction and come in sizes that can handle some pretty heavy window coverings. These also come in the single, double and triple variations. And here’s something really cool: you can actually add a motor to these rods to open and close them at the touch of a button!

Pressure rods – can you handle another bowl of Grape Nuts? These are another type of mostly invisible curtain rod. The “pressure” is usually some kind of spring that holds the rod in place with . . . you guessed it: pressure! Not sure what this is? It’s just like some shower curtain rods, the kind you put in place and then twist till they’re tight against the walls. One reason for picking a pressure rod is because you can’t actually permanently attach a rod to the window or wall. Another reason is you want the window treatment to hang inside the frame, and this is the easiest option for that.

Decorative rods will remind you of Kashi granola cereal: they’re great to look at and do a terrific job! They’re also pretty popular, and sometimes called café rods. (Café rods are usually a short decorative curtain rod.) They’re mostly visible and sometimes look like poles that stick out past the curtain. There are several ways to hang drapery from these curtain rods. Sometimes they’re slipped into a pocket on the curtain or drape. Sometimes a ring attached to the curtain hangs from the rod. Some curtains have tabbed tops that slip over the rod, and some regular curtains are clipped onto clip rings that hang from the rod.

Cable rods are a newer type curtain rod. The ends that attach to your wall are visible all the time, but the metal cable that attaches them and holds your curtains is pretty much invisible! This type has as many appropriate uses as any other type curtain rod – the possibilities are nearly endless.

There, that’s better. Now you have knowledge of the basic types of curtain rods, so picking out your next one will be much easier. And if you start panicking, just remember: when in doubt always buy Captain Crunch!