Ikea Curtains PanelsSliding Panel CurtainsSliding Curtain PanelsIkea Track CurtainsIkea Window PanelsHow To Hang CurtainsCurtain IkeaOne Panel Curtain IdeasPanel Track BlindsForwardHow to actually hang those curtain panels from IKEA on the track system. Since their instructions make no sense and their universal language "pictures" are maddening!Read more on PRF CA, East Palo Alto Go to Panel curtains There are FOUR things you must know before installing the IKEA Kvartal on any window, including a bay window — miss any one of these and you'll be running out to a hardware store or back to IKEA for spare parts. The problem with IKEA curtain systems is that you're buying components in pieces, so you don't get complete instructions. When you buy the rails, you get instructions on how to measure, cut and connect the rails. If you buy the wall brackets you get instructions on how to install the wall brackets, which differ from the ceiling brackets. If you buy the curtain panels, you get instructions on how to install the curtain hooks into the fabric.

If you buy the hooks, you get instructions on how to hang the curtains. However, all the components are interdependent. The rails attach to the brackets in a way that is only shown on the bracket instructions. The curtains hang from the rails in a way that is only shown on the curtain hooks instructions. This is a "choose your own adventure" assembly, and there is danger up ahead. Only those who've purchased and installed all the components and variations will know what to look out for. That would be me. I've suffered, so you won't have to. 1. You must use flat-head screws when installing the brackets. The brackets don't come with hardware. Purchase enough 1" anchors and screws so that you have two for each bracket — and make sure the screws are flat-head screws. This warning is buried in the instructions for the brackets. I'll go into this in more depth when we get to bracket installation. 2. Your brackets must be placed at your rail connection lines. The brackets need to connect to one of the screws in the connector bar that looks like this.

This information isn't included in the instructions for configuring the rails. It's only included in the instructions that come with the wall brackets. So, I didn't realize this until my dry run when I'd already made my rail cuts. It could have been disastrous — sending me back to IKEA in a snowstorm — except that I happened to have extra connector bars from previous installations on hand. 3. Cut your center rails to meet in the exact center. Because the brackets need to be placed at a connection point, I should have cut both rails on the back wall equally to have them connect in the very center. Instead I left one in tact at 55" and I cut the other one down to size. I thought I was saving myself some work — one less rail to cut — but, no dice. This put the connector bar to the far right off center. The brackets are pretty prominent and the one on the back wall would look terrible off-center. Luckily, I had extra connector bar on hand from a previous project or I would have been running back to IKEA for new rails — the connector bars come with a rail purchase and are not sold separately.

Most people will not have extras on hand. 4. Leave off one of the end caps until this project is completely finished. If you don't, you will not be able to slide in the little plastic hanger on wheels that your curtains will eventually hang from. Yeah, they don't tell you this anywhere in the instructions. And the end caps are very difficult to remove when the rails are up on the wall, especially if your window is a bay window and the rails abut the side walls. jcpenney trio curtainsLots of scratches on the plaster.l400 curtains Phase I: Cutting and Connecting Your Railsjade curtains county road liverpool So, my original bracket placement plan looked like this and it was wrong.cottage white bellino curtains

Why was it wrong? The red dots indicating bracket placement were not aligned with rail connection points. Here is my revised schematic, after taking a dry run and troubleshooting issues: The first thing to note is which side of the rail is "up" — it's the side that has an extra track. If you glance at the end, it looks like this. You will want to remove IKEA labels now and clean up the adhesive. argos cream blackout curtainsThey don't come off easily but will be way more difficult to remove and clean up after the rails are assembled and on the walls.umhlanga curtains and upholstery Remove the end caps as well, using a pliers cushioned with a shop towel to protect the easily dented plastic end caps.tab top curtains pretoria

Step 1: Cut your corner piece approximately in half. The entire corner piece is said to be 8-1/4".  Cut in half, each side is 4-1/8". About 2 inches of that will lay on your center wall rail with the other 2-1/8" taking up space on your wing rails. I just eyeballed the corner piece and cut it in half and that worked. Step 2: Cut your wing pieces. Mine are 36" and 35", respectively. I cut them using the hacksaw/miter box that IKEA sells specifically for this job. I purchased it about 10 years ago and have used it multiple times. It makes clean cuts, especially on Kvartal rails or anything aluminum. It's important that the rails connect up smoothly. It will make the drapes slide nicely when all is assembled. You'll find the miter box kit in the curtain area for $5.99. Step 3: Cut your main rail or rails, if you're going to be using more than one. I have a span of 92" inches on the back wall of my bay window, so I'll be using two rails to span it. They come in lengths of 55", so according to the revised schematic I should have cut each to 44" in order to have them connect in the exact center where the wall bracket must go in order to line up with and screw into a connector bar.

Step 4: Connect the corner pieces to the wings. Step 5: Connect the corner pieces to the center rail. Step 6: Connect your center rails if you have, as I do, more than one. Step 7: Make sure there is a connector piece on the outer end of each wing rail. Loosen all of its screws so that it can slide around. Now place an end cap on just one of your wing rails. Leave the other one open. These actions are going to save you pain later. Lay your connected rails on the floor. If you've made your cuts correctly, they should line up proportionally with the walls in your "bay". Phase II: Install Your Wall Brackets For a bay window, if your center wall is longer than 55" you'll be connecting rails and will need at least five brackets: One in the center and two supporting each of the wings, right and left. Here's a reminder of the revised schematic.Unscrew the small screw and separate each bracket from its plate. Do this to all five first-thing; one of mine came stripped and I had to run back to IKEA for a replacement.

Step 2: Drill holes and embed your anchors. We have plaster over masonry walls, so I used a 1" Crown Bolt red plug and a masonry drill bit. Here's how mine looked. Step 3: Screw in the plate with your flat-head screws.  I used some 1" flat-head wood screws that I have on hand and it worked fine with my 1" red plastic plug. Step 4: Slide the bracket over the plate and tighten the small screw that holds the bracket to the plate. Check that it's level. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until all brackets are on the wall. This lined up the connector screw just where I wanted it. Then I bumped the bracket back in place and tightened the screw holding the bracket to the plate. Phase III: Hanging Your Curtains IKEA curtain panels can hang multiple ways: using metal pleat hooks, plastic hooks or metal clips. Here's where I was testing the look of pleat hooks versus metal clips. I went with pleats. Whatever choice you make, both pleat hooks and plastic hooks loop into the header tape on the back of IKEA curtain panels.