Measuring up for a curtain pole and choosing a style to suit

A good curtain pole will transform the way your curtains hang, improving the whole look of your room. Purchasing a curtain pole may not be as straightforward as you first thought; they can range between straight plastic poles with rings to a curtain track with automatic closing and opening on a light sensor.

Curtain poles can be both manually operated and cord-operated, poles with rings or gliders, or even electronically operated for home protection and convenience. Curtain rails can be bought in different materials and colours to complement a room; either coloured plastic, or wood or metal with a different finish (paint or varnish). Whichever material you use for your track or pole, it is important that it will support the weight of the curtains which will hang from them; it might be better to splash out on a top quality pole which will last for years.

Corded tracks work differently to simple poles with rings as they allow the opening or closing of the curtains by pulling a nylon cord which works on a system of gliders and pulleys. This avoids you having to handle the curtain, which will shield fragile fabrics from damage. Pull-cord openings are also practical if the curtains are particularly tall and difficult to manage. Purchasing a spray-lubricant will guarantee that the tracks work as efficiently as poles with rings.

Electronically operated curtains are an alternative to manually operated poles with rings or cord-operated curtains, but are more expensive. They offer similar advantages as corded tracks, but can be remotely operated by a controller, light sensor or timer. The latter two enable the opening and closing of the curtains when nobody is in the house, adding to home security.

Whichever type of curtain pole you choose it is important to make sure the size and shape are right. Curtain rails come in different sizes, so measuring the window area is essential. Measure the recess width of the window with a metal tape measure, and note the figure down. Also decide on the number of centimetres you will need either side of the window for when your curtains are open, you will need this so the curtains do not restrict daylight once open. The number is usually around 15cm to 20cm on each side, but should be more for wider or thicker curtains. Add two times this width (once for each side) to the width of the window to get a total. This will give you the length required for your new curtain rail. Extra wide windows will need multiple rails joined together by a joiner or good curtain rail retailer. Bay windows are all different shapes and sizes, meaning that measuring is more difficult. You will need to add the depth of your bay to the total length of the rail, but it is very likely that the rail will need to be adapted to measure by the retailer, or, if you are handy, bent and cut at home.

You can give poles with rings a number of unique features to add to the appearance of the room. Finials and midials can be found in different materials and effects to complete the look of your window, as can curtain ties or hold-backs.