Any luck with affordable XXL curtain poles?

[WoolyMammoth55]

(I'm doing nothing but ridiculous posts recently - sorry all!!)

We need 550cm curtain poles for our bifold doors. I'm planning on stitching together a few Ikea curtains so don't need help with those, but can't for the life of me find a pole...

5m long one from screwfix is £75 but we can't use as too short.
www.screwfix.com/p/universal-metal-bay-window-curtain-pole-antique-brass-28mm-x-5m/5547t

Next cheapest I can find is this 600cm one at £232!!
www.fendow.com/strand-ribbed-end-stopper-35mm-metal-curtain-pole/

I don't need bling and would be very happy with simple simple white wood or similiar. How do I do this please? Anyone sorted this without spending hundreds?

Thanks for any thoughts or google skills!!

[Knittedfairies]

How about this?
www.amazon.co.uk/Brushed-Chrome-Curtain-Metal-Finial/dp/B01N2ACYO7?th=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[BlueSlice]

Could you have two curtain poles instead of one extra long one? I’m not sure if you’ll be left with a gap in the middle though. Possibly a track would work better than a pole.

[WoolyMammoth55]

Ok - had a brainwave and am wondering if I just buy 2 x 3m poles and join them in the middle?

Curtains are very sheer so not a lot of weight to support...

Would 2 of these work, anyone know?
www.screwfix.com/p/universal-wooden-curtain-pole-white-28mm-x-3m/1732p

:)

[Knittedfairies]

Cross post

[WoolyMammoth55]

Yes, sorry @Knittedfairies! Your amazon link looks great, thanks loads :)

[Knittedfairies]

Do read the reviews; I haven't got one, so can't say whether it's up to the job or not!

[PigletJohn]

if you have two, joined in the middle, the curtains will not be able to get over the joint, so you will have to draw one to the left and one to the right.

With that sort of length, I think you will need C-shaped rings so they can pass over the intermediate supports.

Last time I needed a very big, corded, pole, I ordered it from Argos. I think it came in two pieces, and the cord and carriages were inside the pole. The first one got damaged in transit. But I see their longest now is 4m.

You can also get theatre curtains tracks in huge lengths, but they are designed to be hidden.

[PigletJohn]

I see the amazon one has the C-shaped rings.

[WoolyMammoth55]

Hi @PigletJohn, I was actually planning to draw them to either side anyway - more symmetrical! :)

Thanks for the advice on rings too!

[NotMeNoNo]

Would you consider a good quality track? Not sure the fussiness of poles and rings goes with modern bifold doors. You can get ones that are just a flat white strip. We have windows that go to the ceiling so had to learn to love curtain tracks again.

[NotMeNoNo]

Poles have to be thick to span such a wide window and it all gets a bit chunky looking.

[whataboutbob]

Is this any help? www.thepolescompany.co.uk/renaissance-50mm-natur-shades-wood-curtain-pole-chalk-white.html

[whataboutbob]

I’ve just had to curtain up a house from scratch and am in rehab from my poles and curtains obsession!

[neverenoughchelseaboots]

Place marking as I have exactly the same issue. I fancy felt curtains though so would be fairly heavy.

[Bikingbear]

I'd look at track or get in touch with some local blacksmiths. I got one made a few years ago that was about 4.5m can't remember what I paid for it but wasn't wild.

The issue with trying to join multiple poles is they often have a support in the middle, so you can't actually pull the curtains all the way along.

Don't bother trying to join the curtains. When they are open or closed no one will notice if you have multiple curtains. Multiple curtains are much easier to hang, wash and iron that two massive curtains.

[Kiki275]

Would it be worth contacting your local timber yard and seeing if they can supply a suitable pole? You could paint to match your decor and choose your own ends x

[Bikingbear]

@Kiki275

Would it be worth contacting your local timber yard and seeing if they can supply a suitable pole? You could paint to match your decor and choose your own ends x

It would need to be really thick to get spans of 2.5m in timber not to sag. I say 2.5m assuming you'd have 25cm over hang at each end and a center bracket.

[NotMeNoNo]

The long and short of it is that you will need intermediate supports not just ends and centre, so you are looking at passing/C rings on a pole or a track.

[Focalpoint]

Be very careful about thinking you can buy two 3m and join, as it is quite likely that a 3m pole is really two shorter poles with a middle joint.

[WoolyMammoth55]

Thanks all - yes it's obviously more of a problem than I was hoping :(

@NotMeNoNo can you give any links or rough costings for the flat white strip solution? I am worried that the c-rings on the track might be a pain considering the height.

Just really at the end of our budget now so gutted at the thought of spending £££s on a curtain pole - ugh.

[wineymummy]

We needed a curtain pole for our sliding doors (3m?) wide. Didn't want a central support as we wanted the curtains all to sit on one side when open. We bought a piece of circular steel (CHS) and used brass pipe fittings from the plumbers merchant to fix it. Looks fantastic and cost about £20 in total I think. If you're using lightweight curtains you don't need a big steel to span a long way.

[WoolyMammoth55]

Ooh @wineymummy that sounds great! Can you upload a pic? Did you use regular curtain rings? I'm going to look into that now!

Really appreciate the advice folks.

[wineymummy]

Hmm I keep replying and it isn't posting so trying without pics. We just used brass rings that clip to the curtains that we got from Etsy I think. Standard rings would work. I checked and ours is a 22mm pole, with quite heavy curtains. I had an engineer I know check the span/deflection! With lightweight curtains and a central support, 22mm would be fine for you I think, you'd probably need it to be in 2 pieces.

[Arnoldthecat]

Buy some copper tubing and joint it.

[NotMeNoNo]

www.terrysfabrics.co.uk/products/swish-supreme-glide-track-white

These can be mounted flush with the ceiling or with concealed fixings on a wall. Length can be joined.
Do the bifold doors go all the way to the ceiling? There must be some steel above them at that span.

Such big curtains you will want to stack back neatly, some of the ikea ones have facility to clip into pleats.

Some ideas here.
thehomeofinteriors.co.uk/product-category/curtain-tracks/curtain-tracks-suitable-for-bi-fold-doors-and-extra-wide-windows/