Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Bedroom Curtains



This thing was one of the first projects I started when I moved into this place, and 4 or 5 trips to Ikea later I still do not have everything. Some parts I messed up, some parts I discarded because I realized I needed something else, some remain out of stock, and some do not exist in the configuration I need.

The instruction manual will not help you. And I am far too long-winded and you are far too easily bored for me to make this a step-by-step how-to. But feel free to learn from my mistakes— believe me, it’s an plentiful resource.



It’s a good idea to place the mounts away from the frame— it can be difficult to slide the brackets on and off the mounts if you put them tight against the frame.

The hardware pack doesn’t include screws, so you have to buy your own. It is kind of a long story what I ended up using but it looked like this:



(1/4" drill bit,

Crown Bolt brand Ribbed Plastic Anchors #10-12x1.25" (#8-10 would be more secure, I simply had these on hand. Compensate with the bit if you use smaller anchors),

I don’t know what kind of screws these are but you should probably use drywall screws, I guess these are #8 size, 2" long, must be flat-head.

Home Depot.)

Most of the time brackets won’t go on is because the screw head is sticking just proud of the mounting plate surface. Though the mounting plate holes can probably clear to a #12 screw, using slightly smaller screws like #8s will clear the mounting plate surface more easily.



The Kvartal triple track rail with a single track. With this configuration you can have 3 blinds and a set of curtains. For this single window I’ll only need 2 blinds to cover the width, so one rail will be vacant. You are giddy with excitement.



Lightly attach the rail mount plates on the mounting brackets.




Make sure the screws are clearing the bottom of the plates, otherwise they’ll jam in the rails.



The post that secures the bracket to the rail usually is screwed into the middle hole, but can be replaced into any of the four others (Note triple rail is secured far out on rail mounting plate to clear end plug; single rail is secured far in on plate to extend out for the curved end).

Slide the brackets/plates onto the rails. Make them loose enough to move along the rails. Hold the entire rail/brackets up to the wall plates and slide them into position. Tiring isn’t it? Go get a helper. Then make them stand up there with it while you stand back to judge “centeringness”.

Take the rail off the wall and move the brackets into the to appropriate positions if you hadn’t done so when against the wall. Tighten one of the rail/bracket sets. Move the other bracket set about 2.5 inches in towards the center. Insert an allen wrench into one of the screws on this bracket.

Bring the rail back up to the wall and slide the tightened rail/bracket set onto its wall plate. Then slide the other loose mount across the rail onto its wall plate. With the allen wrench already in one of the screws, it is one less to try to find when tightening the other bracket.

I know this sounds complex but trust me, this is WAY easier than putting the brackets on the wall and then hunting around trying to tighten the allen screws when they’re above your head and out of sight.



I wanted a closeup of the rails but the happenstance appearance of the Dignitet makes me feel like an Ikea shill.



AUGUST 20, 2010
Ikea has been out of the blue blind panels now for a couple of weeks. I checked the website— none listed. Appears Ikea has discontinued them...notice the irony?

AUGUST 30, 2010
Okay, the blue blind panels have returned to stock. I’ll make a post, maybe tonight, about finally finishing this part. Proper drapes with proper curtain hook mounts are still AWOL and it looks like they’ll have to be custom-made. So of course they will be expensive!

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