1

My husband is renting condo, and thanking you all, wants "install a proper rod on the soffit above". But his grouchy landlord prohibited "few screw holes" or "drywall spackle".

Will blackout curtain will be too heavy for curtain tension rod like this from The Bay? We're afraid curtain tension rod will keep falling. My math is bad. I don't know physics. Can someone pls calculate?

Blackout curtain weighs (I will edit this post after I weigh it).

enter image description here

2
  • There really is no way for us to know that.
    – JACK
    Commented Jul 10, 2020 at 13:29
  • Grouchy landlord indeed! While I won't recommend it, your husband might consider screwing in a bar anyway and patching it up later. If there's any sort of texture in the wall surface, small screw hole patches will be easy to hide. Note, this wouldn't work if the grouchy landlord is in the habit of inspecting the property during the rental period... That said, there's no telling if a particular tension bar would hold up a particular blackout curtain without trying, though my guess would be no.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Jul 10, 2020 at 13:40

1 Answer 1

2

Most likely, yes. I've used a few shower curtain rods of similar design on painted drywall, and they do fine. Blackout curtains are not lead-lined or anything. In fact, they don't weigh much more than standard fabric curtains in most cases. I have some in my bedroom now and they're quite light.

If you install the expandable rod carefully and don't expect it to hold the heaviest curtains out there, it should work fine. If you find that the rubber pads are slipping against the painted wall, consider something like removable double-sided foam tape between for extra friction.

Keep in mind that you'll punch a hole in unsupported drywall with these if you get careless. Investigate first using a studfinder or a few knuckle taps and install accordingly.

1
  • 1
    I agree, and will also note that not all tension rods are created equal. Some of the heavy-duty utility-type expanding rods are quite stout. Commented Jul 10, 2020 at 14:20

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.