How do I hang curtains?

Where to position a curtain pole, how wide and long curtains should be, and how to fix a pole that will actually hold the weight.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 1 hr 30 min
Read: 3 min
Safety: caution

Short answer

Fit the pole 15–20cm above the window and extend it 15–20cm beyond each side, so the curtains stack off the glass and the window looks larger. Curtains should be about twice the track width for proper fullness, and fixings must go into something solid — lined curtains are heavy.

Two decisions determine how curtains look, and both are made before you drill: how far above the window the pole sits, and how far it extends past it. Fitting tight to the window frame is the most common mistake and makes both the window and the room look smaller.

Safety

Check for cables and pipes before drilling above a window — cables often run horizontally above and vertically beside openings. Lined curtains are surprisingly heavy, so fixings must reach solid timber or use anchors rated for the load.

What you'll need

Curtain pole or track with brackets
Drill and appropriate fixings
Cable and pipe detector
Spirit level and tape measure
Pencil
Stepladder (optional)

Step by step

Decide the height: 15–20cm above the window, or higher to make the room feel taller.Some people take it to just below the ceiling for effect. Fitting tight to the frame is the one thing to avoid.
Decide the width: extend 15–20cm past each side of the window.This lets the curtains stack off the glass when open, so you get full daylight and the window appears wider.
Scan for cables and pipes across the whole area you'll drill.Above and beside windows is a common cable route. This is not optional.
Mark the bracket positions, measuring from the ceiling rather than the window.Windows aren't always level or evenly positioned. The ceiling line is what the eye reads.
Check the marks with a spirit level before drilling.A pole that's out by a few millimetres over two metres is visible.
Drill and fix, using anchors appropriate to the wall and rated for the load.Lined curtains can weigh several kilos. In plasterboard, find the lintel or use heavy-duty anchors.
Add a central support bracket for poles over about 1.5m.Long poles sag under weight. Most pole sets include one and most people leave it in the box.
Hang the curtains and check the length before finalising any hem.Either just clearing the floor (about 1cm) or deliberately pooling. Halfway between looks accidental.

Tips

Curtain width should be roughly twice the pole length for proper fullness. Curtains that just meet in the middle look thin and hang badly.
Steam or hang curtains for a few days before hemming — they drop as the fabric relaxes.
For blackout, the gap at the sides and top matters more than the fabric. A pole set well proud of the window, or a track with a pelmet, blocks far more light.
Measure twice, and measure both ends of the window — few openings are perfectly square.

Common mistakes

Fitting the pole tight to the window frame — The curtains cover the glass when open, cutting daylight and making the window look smaller.
Curtains too narrow — They look thin and don't hang in proper folds. Twice the pole width is the rule of thumb.
Underrating the fixings — Lined curtains are heavy, and a pole pulling out of plasterboard takes a chunk of wall with it.
Skipping the central support on a long pole — It sags visibly, and the sag gets worse over time.

Questions people ask

How high should I hang curtains?

15–20cm above the window as a default, or higher — even close to the ceiling — to make the room feel taller. Rarely does hanging them lower look better.

How wide should curtains be?

About twice the width of the pole or track in total, so they hang in proper folds. Curtains that only just meet look sparse and don't drape.