An 8-foot opening will require a 9- or 10-food rod. You'll have trouble
with the rod sagging under its own weight unless you support it in the
middle. Using a heavy pipe will lessen the problem, but not eliminate
it. You'll also have an ugly pipe. Heavy curtains will make the problem
worse.
The only solution I know is to get a real curtain rod with hidden
supports and sliding loops for hooks on the curtain.
You might make do for awhile with a 2" rod and very light curtains.
Screw the rod to the supports so it doesn't rotate. Every few months,
turn the rod over so the sag points up, and screw it down again.
--
Steve B.
New Life Home Improvement
Use regular metal curtain rods with the internal rope and curtain hook
holder system I have them going out maybe 12ft on picture windows and
doors the middle braces you wont see.
You can buy traverse rods which draw open to one side or the other, but
still have a center support. Kirsch
and Graber are the most familiar hardware cos. Do a Google search on '
"traverse rods" open left right '
and you will get plenty of hits. Here is one:
http://www.continentalwindowfashions.com/category_k003_Kirsch-Superfine-Traverse-Rods_3.html
You might also be able to rig the hardware from the vertical blinds.
Maybe a 1 1/2" or 2" 'L' shaped piece of steel. Fabricate brackets to
mount it to wall at each end.
Some fancy sewing at the top ff the curtains for a "pocket" to us as a sllde
for the curtains.
Witout the 'L' shaped steel piec, I can't see you panning that distance
without
significant sag in the rod / bar if there are no middle supports.
Una
--
jo...@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Braze your own bicycle frames. See
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/build.html>
===========================
This is the best idea of all. The OP needs a trip to JC Penney's curtain
department. I've found that their people in this department really know what
they're talking about.
You're as likely to find curtain parts to fit your iron pipe as you are to
be crowned the king of Denmark. I think you'll find you're totally wingin'
it with this project. You might get lucky, but don't count on it. I'd bring
a small piece of pipe to the curtain store to see what parts fit.
Several respondents have mentioned pipe, and one mentioned angle iron.
Absent from all of those comments, IIRC, was any mention of wall
thickness. Please take it into consideration.
You're not limited, either, to the three materials you mention. Tubing
is available in hundreds of materials.
As for your questions this time, perhaps you can select a pipe OD that
closely matches standard curtain rods; then the hangars and finials
should fit fine.
I bought bamboo for curtain rods because I have two triple sliders,
which require 13' rods. The
bamboo is a tad under 2" diam., I believe. I bought wood drawer pulls
(round), stained them, and
stuck them into the ends of the bamboo poles. You can stick a cork into
the end of whatever and
screw in any kind of finial you want to use.
You're going to have some pretty heavy rods if you use steel.
Did you need supports? And where can I find bamboo rods?
Be smart: be sure to install the brackets holding your curtain rod
on studs inside the wall, or on framing or joists in the ceiling.
You may need to do a little planning re rod length to get it right.
Una
Let us know what you decide. I need to paint my great room but will
have to decide what to do about the windows....I have two sets of
sliding glass doors side by side. Right now I have a 15" topper going
all the way across with lots of supports ... and then vertical blinds
beneath. I want something easier to take down and wash (the rods are
those continental type that are a pain to take down and it is one
long piece).
Had thought about PVC pipe - painted - with those curtain rings that
slide across the poles.