Curtain Rods That Survive Salt Air

A rod bends when its span is too long for its stiffness or its load. Thicker rods are stiffer, and aluminium and steel profiles of the same diameter differ a great deal. A slim rod is fine for a light sheer over a narrow window; a lined, full-length curtain over a wide window needs a heavier rod and a centre bracket.

We size the rod by the curtain it carries, not just the window. A curtain made with generous fullness and a blackout lining can weigh several times more than a ready-made unlined pair. As a rule we add a support wherever the unsupported span would otherwise let the rod bow under the stacked curtain.

A rod should run past the window on each side far enough for the open curtains to stack against the wall rather than over the glass. How far depends on the fabric, its fullness and the heading: eyelets and heavy lined curtains need more room than light sheers. The curtain rod and track planner on this page gives a sensible starting length.

Height changes how a room feels. Mounting the rod well above the frame, closer to the ceiling, makes the window look taller and hides the head of the frame. In houses with high ceilings, a rod set at mid-height can look lost; we usually take it up towards the cornice and let the curtains fall the full height.

The fixing is as important as the rod. Laterite is soft and porous and crumbles around an ordinary plug; old lime plaster can hide voids and loose stone. In those walls we use resin anchors that bond into the masonry. In concrete-framed buildings we fix into the lintel or beam above the window rather than the thin plaster skin or a block infill that might be hollow.

Bracket projection must clear the window frame, handles and any sill, and allow for a second rod if a sheer is planned. Near the sea, bracket screws matter too: stainless fixings stop rust bleeding out from behind a perfectly good bracket.

Metal rings on a metal rod can scrape, stick and, near the sea, corrode. Rings with a plastic or nylon lining run quietly and smoothly, and they protect the rod's finish. For pleated curtains, each ring has a small eye for the hook; for eyelets, the curtain's own rings ride on the rod.

Finials stop the curtain sliding off and finish the look. Choose them in proportion: large, ornate finials suit wide rods in tall rooms; small end caps suit slim rods in modern spaces. Where a rod runs wall to wall, recess brackets replace finials and fix the rod ends to the side walls.

Telescopic, extendable rods are convenient and quick to fit, but the overlap creates a step that rings catch on, and the thinner inner section is the weak point. For a short span and a light curtain they serve; for anything long or heavy, a rod cut to size is stronger and draws more smoothly.

In rental flats and homestays, simple, robust rods do best: aluminium, firmly fixed, with no delicate finials for guests to knock. They are easy to clean, easy to lift off for washing curtains between stays and do not rust if a window is left open in the rain.