Adding an Inground Swimming Pool to Your Home

Posted on: 18 December 2014

Having curtains or drapes gives rooms a whole new look, and the large swathes of cloth also block out a lot more light than blinds can. However, if you're in a housing situation where you can't put holes in the wall, adding curtains can be difficult -- or so it seems. The most obvious method would be to use a tension rod placed in the window, but the curtain on the rod won't be able to cover the sides of the window in that case. If you want to block out light that's leaking around the sides of the blinds in the window, you need curtains that extend over and past the edges of the window itself. The solution lies in temporary, high-strength adhesive picture hooks.

Temporary Adhesive Picture Hooks

Get a curtain rod that is longer than the window by a few inches on each side. Weigh the rod and your chosen curtains -- include all curtain ties and any other accessories, such as curtain hooks or rings. You want to know this weight because the hooks you'll use on the wall are rated by weight.

Look for plastic or metal wall hooks that use a temporary adhesive and that are rated at least a few pounds over the weight of the curtain and rod bundle. For example, if your curtain and rod items all weigh 4 pounds, look for hooks that hold at least 6 or 7 pounds. Get four of these hooks. Even though that's going to give you more strength than you think you need, you want that extra strength to prevent the rod and curtain from crashing down if the hooks turn out to be loose.

Again, make sure the hooks use temporary adhesive. You'll find lots of permanent hooks when looking. Don't get the wrong ones because permanent adhesive can be just as damaging to walls as drilling holes would be.

Make sure the actual hook part of the plastic or metal hook is wide enough to accommodate your curtain rod. It's better if the rod rests all the way at the bottom of the U created by the hook, but if the space is V-shaped, a little gap underneath the rod should be OK. Just not too much. But that's also another reason why you want two hooks on either side of the window -- more support.

Most of these adhesive hooks have two parts -- the adhesive bracket and the hook portion that slides over it. Have a friend help you here; locate the spot above the left edge of the window where you want the curtain to start and note where you'd need to have the rod. For example, a curtain held up by rings will have a rod a few inches above it. A curtain that has a pocket for the rod, though, will start pretty much where the rod is on the wall.

Measure Twice, Outline in Pencil

Mark the spot where you want the first hook to be, lightly, in pencil or chalk -- make an outline of the outer hook attachment so you get the hook placed exactly as you want it. Add the adhesive bracket and place the hook on top of it.

With your friend holding the other end of the rod, place your end of the rod in the hook, and have your friend try to locate the matching, level spot on the other side of the window. Hold the hook in that spot with the rod in the hook, and check the rod with a construction level. Move the other hook until you see the fluid in the level is in the right spot, indicating the rod is level. Outline the other hook on the wall, and attach it with the adhesive bracket.

Add the other two hooks to the wall, one on each side. So now, you should have two hooks right next to each other on the left side of the window, and another two hooks right next to each other on the right side of the window.  Let the adhesive cure for a bit before placing the rod back in the hooks.

A few hours after that, place the curtain from a place like House Of Drapery on the rod and hang the whole thing up. The curtain should cover all of the window. Remove the hooks when you need to, following manufacturer directions.