How To Close A Gap Between Curtains And Wall?

Gaps between the curtains and the wall can be irritating. They let light pass through and can compromise your privacy. What can you do about this situation? We've researched different ways for you to close the gap between the curtains and wall, and we'll share them with you now.

You can close a gap between the curtains and the wall with the use of these strategies:

ensure that the curtain rod is mounted at the right height and width from the window frame
choose mounting brackets that don't extend too far from the wall
use of wrap-around curtain rods
hang curtains with the correct size
add a cornice or valance on the top of your window.

Keep on reading to learn more tips on hanging your curtains without a gap. We'll also answer how to block light coming from the top of the curtain, how to hang curtains when the window is at the top of the wall, and give recommendations on how you can stop light from coming through the sides of the curtains. Let's get started!

How can I hang curtains without a gap?

Curtains are decorative fabric materials used as window treatments at home. Aside from enhancing the look of the room, curtains also help block the sunlight and shield you from the prying eyes of neighbors and passersby.

However, they won't serve their purpose well when there are gaps along the wall. Light will be able to shine through these spaces, which can bother you, especially when it's hurting your eyes or preventing you from getting enough sleep.

These gaps are also open spaces that leave your room open for other people's viewing. In short, you don't get complete privacy in your own home.

But don't worry because there are ways to remedy this situation. We'll discuss them side by side with the common problems with the curtain setup that cause light to pass through the gaps in the wall so you can see which one will work best in your situation.

Curtain Hardware Is Not Set Up Properly

You need a mounting system before you can hang your lovely curtains. This usually involves the curtain rod and brackets.

Curtain Rod

When the curtain rod or pole is mounted too low or too short, you won't be able to cover as much of the window as you'd want to. This will leave gaps either on the top or sides of the window frame where light can penetrate.

Experts recommend mounting your curtain rod 4" to 6" from the top of your window frame. This takes care of the gap on the top portion of your window.

The poles are also expected to extend at least 3" from each side of the window frame. This will prevent the gaps on the sides of the window. So, add at least 6" to the frame's width and that should be the length of the curtain rod. Don't include the finials in your measurement.

You can also use wrap-around curtain rods. The ends are curved toward the wall which provides all-around coverage from the sun.

Click this link to find these wrap-around curtain rods on Amazon.

Brackets

When your brackets extend too far from the wall, plenty of light will spill over from all directions.

Choose brackets that you can install close to the wall, and position the curtain rod as close to the wall as possible. This will minimize the gap between the wall and your window treatment.

Wrong Curtain Size

Assuming that your curtain fabric has light-blocking properties, it still won't be able to block the sun fully as long as it isn't the right size. Think of a curtain that's too short; it falls above the window sill. Or maybe you don't have enough panels to cover the entire width of your window frame.

Interior home designers recommend that you hang long curtains over your window. Ideally, they should reach the floor or fall not more than an inch above the floor. Some even like to go with the puddled look, which means that the curtains are longer than the distance between the floor and the curtain rod.

When it comes to the proper width, most of the time, it isn't enough to hang curtains with the same length of the curtain rod unless you're using pleated or folded curtains. The combined width of the curtain panels should be two to three times the length of the curtain rod to ensure full coverage and protection from the sun's rays.

When your curtains come at the right size relative to your window, and you set up your curtain rods and brackets properly, you can close the gap between the wall and your window treatment.

How do you block light coming out from the top of the curtain?

Sometimes even if you put the curtain rods up high and use blackout curtains, light can still pass through the top of your window. This can bother some people, especially light sleepers who need to sleep during the day to get themselves ready for their evening work.

The solution to this is to add a window cornice or valance to the top of your window treatment. These are originally intended to hide your mounting hardware to give the room a tidier look, but since they cover the top of your window, they'll help block the light from this portion.

Cornices can be made of wood or metal, while valences are made of fabric. Both come in different styles and colors to match your interior design.

Check out this curtain valance on Amazon.

You may also consider layering your curtains instead of just adding a top treatment. You can add another curtain layer over your existing panel. Two are better than one. The thicker the materials, the more coverage they provide. Or you can use other window treatments together with your curtains. Window blinds and shades can enhance your light-blocking efforts.

But if you're low on budget and just need a temporary solution, you can use a piece of cardboard and put it on top of your curtain rod. It will help prevent light from seeping into your room, and you can easily remove it when the sun's out.

How do you hang curtains when the window is at the top of the wall?

Not all windows are the same. Some windows are tall and almost reach the ceiling. Having a broad glass surface means more area where the light can pass through.

If there's no more space for you to mount your curtain rod between the top of the window and your ceiling, you can install your hardware on the ceiling. There are specially-designed brackets that'll allow you to mount your curtain rod from the ceiling.

Click this link to find these ceiling-mount brackets on Amazon.

If there's about 12" of space between the window frame and ceiling, you can install the curtain rod around 6" to 8" above the window frame. It can be as close to the ceiling as possible, but you also have to be practical about it since it would affect the curtain length and its price since you'll need more fabric to cover the entire length from the pole to the floor.

It would also look awkward when you open your curtains, and your guests will notice the huge gap between the window and ceiling.

If you have a transom window over your main window, you can treat both windows as one unit only. This means that you'll hang your window treatment from the top of the transom window, and it'll drop all the way to the floor, which effectively covers the main window as well.

Always remember that hanging your window treatment at the right height will help you cover any gap between the curtain and the wall. This means you won't be bothered by outside light unless you intentionally open the curtains to let the light in.

How to Close the Curtain Side Gap

It could be that you've already addressed the issue concerning light peeking from the top and edges of your window frame, but the light still bleeds through the room because of gaps in between your curtains!

Here are the materials that you can use to close the gaps where your curtain panels meet.

Magnetic Tape: You can put one side of the magnetic tape on the underside of the curtain and the other side against the wall. This will help the curtains stay in place and close the gap between the two panels.
Velcro Strips: These work like magnetic tape, but this time using a hook-and-loop system. The Velcro strips come with adhesives, so you can stick each side on the wall and the curtain's underside. You can also stick them at the sides of the curtains to attach two panels.
Push Pins and Clothes Pins: These can be used as a temporary solution. You can pin the sides of the curtains together to eliminate the gap between them.