curtain pole query - sorry it's a bit tedious but would be grateful for advice

[onepieceoflollipop]

We have quite wide windows and most of our curtain poles are the sort that come in two parts. You slot them one inside the other which does of course leave a "bumpy" bit where the join is.

On some of the poles this is fine, but on others I have a real job to pull the curtain along the pole. (the curtains have round hoop type fixings, not tab top). In one room I can't close the curtain over the bump unless I climb up and move the hoops over it manually. It is a real pita.

Any ideas? Would WD40 help or not to make it more "slidey". Could I try and file the metal where the join is to make it smoother? Any tips gratefully received.

Depending on the end effect you want when curtains are open . . . before you slot the pole together, put the first curtain ring of the left curtain onto the right half of the pole and the first ring of the right curtain onto the left curtain pole. then all the left rings on left pole, right rings on right pole (bit tricky like knitting) put pole together and put it up. Now the curtains won't ever open fully they'll hang like drapes (like on a kids drawing of a house iyswim) may be too 'fussy' for you, but I did it at my moms house for her and it's easier for her to do.

Thanks chrissnow, I will read your post again when it is peaceful (!) and have a go! Might look quite pretty in dd2's room, imagine pink curtains and a room that gets a lot of direct sun and heat, so may well work for us.

If you want to make it more slidey, I'd try silicon spray rather than WD40. My parents used to make curtains professionally, and they used silicon spray on corded tracks.

Not sure it would work on poles though. I have the same issue and just live with the annoyance!