Blockout curtains are heavier than sheer or light filtering curtains and need careful bracket choice plus a centre support on wider spans. Plan on 45–75 minutes.
Difficulty: Moderate. Time required: 45–75 minutes.
Prepare your tools: Drill, spirit level, pencil, screwdriver, measuring tape, wall plugs, a heavy-duty curtain rod or ceiling track and brackets rated for heavier fabric weight.
Choose rod or track: Blockout curtains are heavier than sheers. Use a heavy-duty rod with a centre support bracket for spans over 150 cm, or a ceiling-mounted track with multiple mounting points for maximum support.
Mark bracket positions: Position the rod or track as close to the ceiling as possible — ideally 5–10 cm below the cornice. Extend 20 cm beyond the window frame on each side so fabric overlaps the wall when closed and eliminates side light gaps.
Add centre support bracket (if required): For rods spanning more than 150 cm, install a centre support bracket midway to prevent sagging under the weight of blockout fabric.
Pre-drill and secure all brackets: Pre-drill all bracket positions and fasten securely with appropriate wall plugs. Check level across every mounting point.
Mount the rod or track: Secure the rod into all brackets including the centre support. For ceiling tracks, ensure all mounting clips are firmly secured and evenly spaced.
Hang the curtains: Attach to the rod or track. Eyelet curtains thread onto the rod; pinch pleat attaches to gliders; wave attaches to wave gliders at the specified spacing.
Overlap at centre: For two-panel blockout curtains meeting at the centre, ensure a 5–10 cm overlap between the panels when closed. This overlap is critical to eliminate the centre light gap.
Check side coverage: With curtains fully closed, the fabric should extend onto the wall on each side — not just to the frame edge. Any gap between curtain edge and wall will allow light bleed.
Dress and settle: Form pleats or waves by hand and allow 48 hours for the heavy fabric to settle into its natural drape.
Yes for any rod span over 150 cm. Without it the rod sags within months and the curtain stops drawing smoothly.
5–10 cm. Less than that and a thin vertical light strip appears down the middle when the curtains are closed.
Ceiling-mounted tracks give the cleanest blackout because there's no gap above the rod for light to escape.