Are you suffering from light coming from the side of the curtain…
I was also troubled for a while.
How can I forget the days when I wanted to sleep during the day but the light coming from the edge of the curtain completely disturbed my sleep.
even the gap between the curtain and window stole my privacy too.
Any outsider could clearly see my inner room because of this gap.
I was very frustrated and disturbed. And then I started looking for ways to solve this problem.
I did some research and found some super easy ways that I could block the light from the side of the curtain.
If you are also suffering from the same problem and searching for a solution then I have good news for you.
I assure you, this blog will help you to solve all the problems related to light leakage from the curtains.
Also, I give some pro-tips in this blog by which you can fix the problem of light leaks without spending even 1 dollar, and that too in a few minutes.
Now the light leakage is from the bottom, top, or both sides of the curtain…
This simple method surely helps you block the leakage of light from the curtains…
- By installing a “wrap-around curtain rod”
- By applying Magnetic-tape wherever there is a gap
- By applying foil paper wherever there is a gap
- Place blinds across windows to block outside light
- By installing curtains wider and longer than the window in size
But first, give attention.
What If I say you can block the light coming from the edge of the curtain without using any of the above methods…
Would you believe it??
You wouldn’t believe it…right???
Perhaps the enemy of your problem could be your curtains or curtain rods.
By simply fixing these two things you can block the light from the edge of the curtain.
Surprised..right!!!
That’s why I have divided this blog into 2 parts.
First part:
In the first part, we will inspect your existing curtain and curtain rod.
You won’t believe it but just fixing these 2 things will solve all your light leakage problems.
If your curtain and curtain rod is not suitable for the size of the window, I have given some tips. Buy curtain or curtain rod accordingly. By doing this all your problems will be solved. You don’t need to follow any other steps after that.
Second Part:
But Wait!!!
If your existing curtain and curtain rod are perfect then we will work on the 5 methods shown above.
Let’s discuss the first and second parts in detail…
First Fix “Curtain Set” problem that causes light leak around the edges
Part 1: First check your existing Curtain and Curtain Rod
Curtain Road:
- The curtain rod should be a minimum of 4 inches longer on both the left and right sides than the window
- The curtain rod must be at some height from the window so that you can protect against the light coming from outside.
- The curtain rod should be at least 4-5 inches above the window
Length and Width of the Curtain:
Avoid buying curtains of the same size as your window
A curtain of the same size as the window is unable to block the light coming from outside and threatens your privacy.
Before buying a curtain, make sure that the width of the curtain is 4-4 inches more than the size of the window on both sides.
And determine the length in such a way that it covers the upper part and the lower part of the window so that the light cannot enter inside the window and also does not harm your privacy.
Now…
I believe that you must have got proper information about the size of both curtain rod and curtain.
Now is the time to check “your curtains and curtain rod“. If the light is coming in from the edges of your curtains,
check the following first…
- Are your curtains the proper size?
- So is your curtain rod the proper size?
- Is your curtain rod installed at the proper height?
If you are concerned about the light coming from the edge of the window, 80 percent of the problem will be solved by fixing these three things.
Now It’s your turn…just do this activity…
- Check whether the curtains in your house match the information I gave you regarding curtains and curtain rods or not.
- If your curtain rod and curtain are not as per the size I have mentioned then correct them first.
- Install your curtain rod slightly above the window. (4-5 inches) and buy curtains of the proper size.
( But…but…but… if you don’t want to buy a new curtain or reinstall your existing curtain rod at a new location, follow any of the 6 methods below )
I think that the problem of 80% of you people has been solved in this time.
But if your problem is still not solved then keep reading… I assure you that the following 6 methods will help you solve your problem.
Five methods for blocking out the light around the edges of your curtains
1 By installing a “wrap-around curtain rod”
This is a common and effective way to block light from the edges of the curtain.
The biggest advantage of this method is that it does not require any kind of glue, magnets, and sewing.
This curtain road is also similar to the normal road, the only difference is that this curtain road is bent in a U-shape in the corner.
Due to the curve of the U-shape, your curtains go into more corners than normal curtains and close the sides of the window better.
Step-1
Buy curtain rods that match the size of your window.
Step-2
In step 2 there are 2 very important things to keep in mind
- Distance of curtain rod from the top of the window
- Distance of the bottom of the curtain from the ground
1-Distance of curtain rod from the top of the window
By installing these curtain rods you can definitely block the light coming from both sides of the curtain but what about the light coming from above?
2-Distance of the bottom of the curtain from the ground
You need to install the curtain rod at the right height from the top of the window to block the light coming from the top of the curtain.
If you install the curtain rod at a certain height without inspection, you may have to dig it back.
To avoid all those mistakes, first, install your curtain in your new curtain rod and hold it in the place where you want to install it.
Check whether the light passes through there.
If passing then set it a bit higher. Mark where the light from above appears to stop.
Hold the curtain rod in place, do not pull it down. The bottom part is still to be inspected.
Now we will inspect the bottom part of the curtain. Check that the lower part of the curtain is not too high from the ground.
The shorter the distance between the ground and the bottom of the curtain, the better the curtain will block light from the bottom.
Pro tip-always prefer to buy long curtains for this.
Now inspect both the top and bottom and see if the light leaks or not.
I am sure that the light will have stopped leaking.
Now there is only one thing left to do…
Carefully install the curtain rod where you ticked to install the curtain rod to avoid injury.
And look, your problem of light coming from the sides of the curtain is gone in a flash.
2- By applying Magnetic-tape
Now we are going to learn how to apply magnetic tape.
Now you may be wondering that…
Should I hire an expert for this job?
Can we do this work alone?
How much time will it take to complete this work?
The simple answer is yes you can complete this entire task alone.
but…but…but…
if you don’t have time and also,
If you have to apply magnetic tape on many curtains in the house, you can definitely take the help of an expert to save time.
But if you have enough time and want to save money, you can easily complete this task yourself.
Just follow the simple steps below and you’ll be able to install magnetic tape yourself.
Materials needed
1 curtain (to be taped)
2 Good quality magnetic tape (to be applied to screen)
3 Measuring tape (measuring the length of the curtain)
4 pencil/chalk (to mark where the tape is to be applied)
Superglue
Needle and thread or sewing machine
(Either of these two)
1- Select the curtain on which you want to apply the magnetic tape.
2- Lay it flat on the floor or a large table
3- Decide which side you want to put the magnetic tape on. (most people prefer the side near the window to apply the magnetic tape)
4-Now, take a pencil and tick the area of the curtain where you want to apply the magnetic tape.
5- Measure the markings you made on each side of the curtain and cut the magnetic tape accordingly.
Now there are 2 ways to apply magnetic tape.
1-Using super glue
2- Use of sewing
Magnetic tape already has glue on it but it is not able to stick to the curtain properly.
That’s why we use super glue to firmly attach the magnetic tape to the curtain.
Now if you are using super glue,
Spread super glue on the tick-marked sides of the curtain and carefully place the magnetic tape on it.
Press the magnetic tape gently so that there is no gap between the curtain and the magnetic tape.
Now give the super glue some time to bond strongly with the magnetic tape.
It may take 4-5 hours.
Once it’s attached, your curtain is now able to block outside light. Insert the curtain into the curtain rod and stick the side of the curtain (where you applied the magnetic tape) to the metallic frame of your window.
And if you don’t have a metallic frame, close the curtain by sticking the leftover magnetic tape with super glue on your existing frame.
3 By applying foil paper
Yes…
we can use foil paper to block the light entering the room from the edges of the curtain.
There are 2 advantages of using foil paper…
- The light leaked from the edge of the curtain will stop
- Prevents outside heat from entering the room (helps keep the room cool)
How to block the light coming from the edge of the curtain through the foil paper?
You can cover the entire window with foil paper.
In this process, you will need basic items like…
- Tape (for gluing)
- scissors (to cut foil paper)
- measuring tape (to measure how much foil paper to cut)
If you don’t want to cover the entire window, you can apply the foil paper only to the part near the window where the light is coming from.
This will block the light coming from the edge. (However, this is a temporary solution)
4 Place blinds across windows
If you don’t want to waste time and energy trying to find different ways to block the light coming from the window ledge…
Just install the blinds.
This is a practical and time-saving solution. Blinds will give your window a new look and enhance the beauty of your window.
Yes, this method is expensive but I would call it a one-time investment.
Because with blinds you can block the light coming from outside as you wish.
5 By installing curtains wider and longer than the window in size
As I said in the beginning…
A long and wide curtain can block the light coming from the edge of the window.
So my advice to you is that, give priority to buying a curtain that is wider and longer than the size of the window.
This will eliminate 80% of the problem of light coming from the edge of your curtain.
How to block light from curtains
You can block the light coming from the side of the curtain using any of the above methods.
This method may be best for you…
- Place blinds across windows
- By applying Magnetic-tape
- By installing curtains wider and longer than the window in size
you can use any of these methods.
How to block light from the s005489ide of curtains
There are 3 most effective ways to block light from the side of the curtain…
- By installing a “wrap-around curtain rod”
- By applying Magnetic-tape
- By installing curtains wider and longer than the window in size
How to block light from the bottom of curtains
There are 3 most effective ways to block light from the Bottom of the curtain…
- Place blinds across windows
- By installing curtains wider and longer than the window in size
- By applying Magnetic-tape
How to block light from the top curtains
There are 3 most effective ways to block light from the TOP of the curtain…
- By installing curtains wider and longer than the window in size
- By applying Magnetic-tape
- Place blinds across windows
You will love to read this article:
1 Blackout thermal curtains for summer
2 Best Blackout Curtains For Apartment Windows