Curtains That Get Stuck on a Telescoping Rod: A Simple Fix!

I tested the most popular products for smoothing out joints on telescoping curtain rods so your curtain rings don’t get stuck when you’re opening and closing them. I’m sharing the details on each and what worked best for me! (post includes commissionable links; for more information, see my full disclosure statement {here})

Please visit our website for more information on this topic.

If you’re coming over from Instagram for links, I’ve linked everything for you below!

Find the exact glide tape that I used on my curtain rods {HERE}

Find my exact clip-on acrylic wands {HERE} – if out of stock, {these acrylic wands} look identical

Find my exact light blue kitchen eat-in curtains {here} (mine are the 40″ W x 95″ H in Dusty Blue sold as a pair). Such a great price!!!

Find the exact aged brass ¾″ curtain rods in our bay kitchen window {here}. I connected them with {these corner brackets} and used {these ¾″ rings}

Read on information on glide tape installation plus other details…

Curtain Ring Glide Tape

I’ll kick things off with the solution that worked best for me, {this curtain ring glide tape}. It’s a thin, clear strip of plastic with adhesive on one side that comes in a roll:

Installation is simple and straightforward. First, it’s recommended that you apply and then remove a small piece of tape on your curtain rod as a test to ensure it doesn’t damage the surface. It worked fine with my metal rod and I figured that even if it did remove any of the finish, if I wanted to remove it months or years down the road, I could always turn that portion of my rod to the back where you wouldn’t see it. You’ll also want to make sure your rod is adjusted to the exact length you want to keep it at because you won’t be able to adjust it once the tape is applied.

Next, clean off the top of your rod with the provided alcohol wipe. Then simply peel off the backing and stick the tape along the entire length of the curtain rod (not just at the junction):

As you continue down the rod over the joint where it telescopes, you’ll see how it totally smooths it out:

I discovered that if you apply the tape a little more toward the back of the rod rather than directly on top of it, it is less visible from below and the rings still glide well:

With competitive price and timely delivery, Bochuang sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Once the glide tape was stuck along the entire length of the rod, my curtain rings glided right over that telescoping joint with ease! Another advantage is that my curtain rings now move more quietly back and forth across the rod. Definitely a winning solution!

Curtain Rod Joint Ramps

I also tested out {these curtain rod joint ramps} which I had thought would be the winning solution. The concept is clever – the joint ramps are round stickers that have a plastic “ramp” built into them to ease that transition at the telescoping rod joint:

What wasn’t too clever is that they came in a box lined with a black velvety fabric that shed tons of little black fuzzies onto the stickers.

To apply the curtain rod joint ramps, you simply clean your rod, butt the higher part of the ramp up against the joint in the rod, and then press the sticker down against the rod to keep it in place. I thought it would be a fairly invisible solution, but honestly it didn’t look so great:

When testing out how it worked, I found that I was now able to get my curtain rings over the joint with the ramps in place, but not nearly as easily or smoothly as with the rod tape. It did tend to catch a bit right at the point where the tape starts and I got the feeling that over time, the tape would likely start to lift up due to that. And it was more visible than the rod tape too. So while it worked, to me it was just an okay solution that wasn’t nearly as effective as the rod tape. I think the joint ramps would be fine for curtains you only opened and closed occasionally but for everyday use, the rod tape was definitely superior.

What do eyelet curtains look like?

With deep folds in the fabric eyelet curtains have a lovely drape. The grommets or eyelets are evenly spaced long the top to hang from a rod, creating the deep waves.

The drawbacks of eyelet curtains

While eyelet curtains can be a lovely look, there are definitely a few things to consider before you decide to order your own.

1. They’re not suited to large windows. Because of the way eyelet curtains attach to the rod, they cannot pass a bracket. This means they’re better suited to narrow window, not larger windows or sliding doors that may require more than one centre bracket.
2. They can be expensive While the simplistic style of eyelet curtains makes them seem like a simple, affordable option, they can actually be quite expensive. Custom made eyelet curtains require each grommet to hand-punched and it adds up across several curtains. Not to mention the actual cost of the grommets is higher, especially if you’re after a particular colour or style.
3. They’re not suited to sheers or other delicate fabrics. Not all fabrics will be durable enough for the grommets. Many sheers or other delicate fabrics will start to sag or stretch from the pressure of the grommets.

The benefits of eyelet curtains

While eyelet curtains aren’t always a practical choice, they do have a few benefits in some instances.

1. They are easy to install. Since they just have the grommets that slide easily over a curtain rod, they’re very easy to install and change out, especially if you already have the curtain rod installed.
2. They’re easy to operate. Because of the simplicity of the opening and closing of eyelet curtains, they’re easy to operate.

Should you choose eyelet curtains?

While we don’t often recommend eyelet curtains, whether you choose them for your space is up to your preferences and desired style.

Whatever your style, our expert consultants can help you choose the perfect style and fabric to suit your home. And they’ll come to you anywhere in New Zealand.

Because the best place to get advice on curtains and blinds is at your place. Book a free consultation.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of custom curtain rods(pt,ja,sv). Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.