I am looking for some new way of attaching curtains to my booth. I have a Show-Off canopy. The horizontal bars up at the roof line are very thick in diameter: probably 1 ¾ or 2”. I can’t just sew a big rod pocket and slip them on the bars, because I hang my grid racks from them using bungee cords. I usually hang the curtains between 2 ft wide grid panels; but some times I hang them behind, etc. I have been threading the curtains onto a curtain spring rod, then using ball bungees to attach the ends of the spring rods to the canopy bars. This ends up resulting in a lot of fumbling around, trying to hold the rod with the curtain in the right place, then wrap the ball bungee around with one hand (on top of a ladder, no less. The grids can’t be hung til the canopy is raised, thus I won’t know where the curtains are going til after the grids are hung). The rod will slip; the ball bungee will snap away from me…you get the picture.
(The spring rods have the advantage that they can expand from 2 feet to almost 4 feet, so they have versatility: I can load 1 or 3 curtains onto them. I’d like to keep those if I can, it’s hanging or attaching them that is the problem. )
I never have enough time for my set up as it is, and I’m by myself. Half the time I just let them go, as I’m in too much of a time crunch to make my booth look really attractive.
What would make this much easier would be a very short hook with a large enough loop to go over the 2” canopy bar. (Shower curtain hooks have too small a diameter to go over) It can’t be a long hook; I don’t want the curtain rods to hang much below the canopy bars. Or, a ring of about 3” in diameter, that I could slip over the canopy bars before I assemble it.
There has to be an easier way, that I’m not thinking of. Ideas? Thanks!
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VELCRO Brand - ONE-WRAP Roll, Double-Sided, Self Gripping Multi-Purpose Hook and Loop Tape, Reusable, 12' x 3/4" Roll - White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C3CAIKU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_R4J6ybX2PD94F
Jean, if I understand you, you leave the zip ties attached, then slip the ends of the curtain rods into them? I would find the zip ties falling off when I take the canopy down, as the horizontal bars slide apart to disassemble. But I could always replace the zip-ties. Zip ties just on each end of the curtain rod?
I did eventually find some large diameter hooks, but even though only about 5” from top to bottom, found they made the curtains hang too low. Ideally, I’d like the curtains to be covering or right below the horizontal canopy bar.
I wonder if you can adapt the system used by "Undercover".
The R-2 professional uses a wire / cable stretched from corner post to corner post. The sidewalls have clips that hook / snap on the wire. Allowing very easy attach / detach as well as easy slide, side to side. You can purchase the sidewalls separately. The sidewalls also have velcro tie backs and velcro top liners for accessory attachment. You can possibly buy the cable from undercover or just string a wire of your own.
I've found the system very easy to use.
It's funny, it's over 4 years later, and I still don't have a good and fast way to attach the curtains! I'm still standing on a step stool, juggling a rod laoded with curtains, while trying to ball bungee the ends of the rods to the frame.
My canopy IS aluminum, so magnets won't work. I bought velcro, but have not experimented with it, as I think getting the the curtains to hang right will be a problem.
There are many very large "S" hooks available that can easily slip over a 2' roumd bar. We used these with curtains in the past and used 1/2" PVC pipe to go through the curtains.. I tis easier to have 2 pieces of 5 foot pvc and a rremovable coupling to connect them together for easy transport. I tis even easier if you get curtains with the top grommets. This way you can even eliminate the rods
I know this is a really old post, but has anyone tried using magnets? Obviously if you have an aluminum frame canopy they won't work unless you attach some steel washers or something to it, but for a steel one, they should attach quite easily. You could sew them into the curtain or if you're using a rod, attach them to the rod (those are usually something magnet-friendly). The benefit of using a magnet is that (assuming you use one of the appropriate strength) it'll hold up something light, like a curtain, but if something tugs at it, it'll come off easily without risking tipping your canopy.
I haven't tried it yet for this, but I've used magnets for lots of other projects (and the principle is the same as Apple's MagSafe power cable -- if someone walks into it, it just unplugs from the laptop instead of pulling the laptop to the floor). I get most of my magnets from K&J Magnetics -- I think the ring style would be best for an application like this, if you want to sew them in place: http://www.kjmagnetics.com/products.asp?cat=16 (obviously if you're gluing, anything would work). Even something with 1 or 2 pounds of pull would suffice if you're using several across a 10 foot long curtain (pull is rated as the force between two solid metal plates connected by a magnet, so it's considerably less strong in a situation like this.)
You could try Zip ties. Install a pair of grommets every foot and a half or so so you can hide the tie on one side. That will give you enough grip to snug the drapes taut. Another idea is to sew Vecro straps on one side an a matching tab on the other side of the top of the curtain.
We sewed velcro onto the top of the curtains. that way we can put them up anytime. On a 3' panel we put 4 strips of velcro. Works great. Have used them for over 8 years with no problems.
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