Curtains? Post your solution

[Herbie]

OK, I'm at the point of my Van project where I need to get my curtains done. I want to see yours! Specifically, I want to see your DIY curtain rods or other hanging schemes.

Since my Van is also my daily driver, I was originally thinking about something that didn't require a permanent installation. I was all set to sew up a set of quilted window covers that I could affix to the windows with suction cups, sort of like these VW-specific ones from BusDepot:
http://busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=J12747

However, I thought of two things I didn't like about this approach:
1) I have to completely take them down and store them for driving. Being able to just push them open and do a velcro tie back might be easier. Same goes for bedtime. I'd rather just release a tie and pull them closed...

2) I've been a bit uncomfortable when I wasn't able to see out of the vehicle without removing a cover completely. With a more traditional curtain you can "peek out" or have it open a small amount instead of "all-or-nothing".

So while the suction cup coverings would be convenient for the times when I don't need ANY curtains, and don't require any serious installations, I think that now I'm leaning towards a more traditional split-curtain approach. The problem now of course is curtain rods, or cables, or half-rod-half-cable.

I know the curtain "rods" in the VW Westy I grew up camping in were basically just a bent aluminum rod with a sort of "serifed-C-shape" that were screwed directly to the body above and below the windows. I like the simplicity, but with the modern construction of my van (odd mix of flimsy plastic trim pieces surrounding most windows), I'm not sure if this would work.

Previously I've seen "home" curtain rods that may have been suitable - a hollow rod cut to length captured by full "cups" with a mounting flange - but I can't find anything like this now.

When I was camping in my Subaru, I made a curtain system that hung on tensioned lengths of Nylon cord that clipped into bits of the interior with S-hooks. This easy to make and disappeared 100% when not in use, but was a little cumbersome to install. Since I made them in a hurry, these were also the "all or nothing" type curtains, and it was sometimes uncomfortable when I heard stuff going on outside the car but couldn't peel back a curtain to have a look.


More ideas?

 

[robert]

Westys use a flat aluminum bar to support the curtains- you could probably find some in a junkyard or just make your own out of bar stock; these are riveted to the interior or use small screws. There is a coil spring cord that holds the bottom of the curtains in place and a snap that holds them together. The front curtain is suspended by snaps; the curtain has elastic in the top and snaps in place behind the driver then around the front to the other side. There are lots of homemade curtains on thesamba.com. If you are making your own, you can buy sunblocking material that will also block light from escaping the inside or you could sew reflectix into them (seen that on a bus too).

In my old Tacoma I used paracord tied to picture hanger loops (don't know what they're actually called) that I secured using the window mounting screws. My curtains were some heavy cotton duck material I found on sale. One of my friends got bungee cord at an outdoor gear shop and suspended his that way.

 

[chimivee]

I'm not familiar with the Astro interior. But it sounds like your options for a surface to affix a curtain support of some type is a) the plastic trim, b) the windows, c) the underlying body metal. Yes?

Of those options, securing to the metal makes most sense to me. There really doesn't need to be very many mounting points - one on each side of the window. I imagine all it would take is a few small holes in the plastic trim panels.

An alternative to the flat aluminum curtain rod is to just use some 3/16" or so cable. If you want a retainer for the bottom of the curtain, the same cable could be used. However you mount it, I'd definitely go with a more "permanent" hanging curtain. It's so quick and easy to open/close, and it's one less thing you have to stow.

Good luck!

 

[etbadger]

The curtains we made for our van are multi-layered ones Amy sewed up: 1 sheer layer for privacy with light (great for waking up in the morning sun), and a second curtain made out of a sandwich of laminated white black-out cloth and headliner foam for insulation and temperature retention.

The curtains are attached at the top, and snaps at the bottom, a dowel in a pocket at the bottom provides a core to roll them up to straps with snaps/velcro at the top. You can either roll both the insulated and sheer curtain up together, or just the insulated one to let in light while preserving privacy.

-Erik

 

[Terrainist]

I have this crazy idea of using bungee cords stretched between eye hooks to hang the curtains. Don't know if I'll do that yet, but I keep thinking about it.

 

[James86004]

The Dormobile uses a "Silent Gliss" curtain track which goes all the way around the all the windows. It is an aluminum extrusion with a t-slot. There are plastic runners which slide inside the slot, and the curtain hangs from these. They are tied up with straps when you are not using them. It is super fast to to open and close them.

This isn't the best photo, but it shows the aluminum strip bending around from the sides and over the windshield, as well as two of the curtains just after of the front doors. I will try to get a close up of the track for you.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm not there yet, but I know that some sort of curtain/privacy panel is going to be needed in the back of my FJ60. I've planned on making the curtains with a insulator like Reflectix sewn into them. The storage when not in use part was what I hadn't solved.

For a privacy panel I have been tempted to try using a very low durometer rubber from McMaster. The sample that we have here at work has enough surface tension to stick to formica without being sticky or gooey. My thought was to sew some to the perimeter of each panel and just stick them to the glass.

I think that I'm familiar with the design used in the Dormobile. I seem to recall Airstream's using something similar. One method of attaching might be to use some 3M VHB tape on the back of the extrusion. In my case I would attach the extrusion directly to the top of the glass as the surrounding trim doesn't look to lend itself very well to being a mounting surface.

 

[Herbie]

One method of attaching might be to use some 3M VHB tape on the back of the extrusion. In my case I would attach the extrusion directly to the top of the glass as the surrounding trim doesn't look to lend itself very well to being a mounting surface.

I was thinking I might do something similar, especially if I end up using any sort of extruded "track", as the glass is nearly perfectly flat along the fore/aft lines, and for the same reason.

The odd mix of plastic trim which creates a variety of mounting "planes". The rear windows (fixed) have no upper plastic, just the headliner edge. The middle windows (tilt out) have some trim, but the trim at the top and bottom is at differing angles, etc. This is why I was originally just going to do suction cups...

 

[rynosurf]

I have this crazy idea of using bungee cords stretched between eye hooks to hang the curtains. Don't know if I'll do that yet, but I keep thinking about it.

This is what I did in my old camper. I made my own curtains with a seam along the top and bottom that a bungee could fit through, then I attached bungee hooks to cable clamps. The curtains would slide on the bungees and you could remove the whole curtain for cleaning. Attaching at top and bottom would keep them secure when driving.

 

[Herbie]

OK, here are the results of a bit more research:

1st, the drapery rods I was thinking of that are captured on the "end" are apparently called sash rods (since they're intended to be mounted inside window sashes and the like):

2nd, once I started using the right search terms, I found both plastic and aluminum track suitable for both ceiling and wall (or direct on window) mounting. Lots of examples here:
http://www.curtain-tracks.com/curtain-track-gallery/wheel/

I'm now leaning strongly towards using "wall mount" flexible track, adhered directly to the tops of the rear and middle windows. I was originally hoping that I could do tracks top and bottom, but the pivot-latches for the middle swing-out windows will interfere, so I'll probably either just let gravity to its thing or possibly affix snaps or velcro to the bottom corners...

 

[Herbie]

One other feature I was considering was how insulated to make my curtains.

I found a product called Warm Window, which is a quilted insulation of 4 layers including a vapor barrier and reflective layer. They claim an R-value of up to 7.6 if you use their product and seal the drapery to the casing with magnets.

Watching some of the how-to videos, the stuff looks pretty thick, so I'm not sure it'd work well for my application (being out of the way when not in use), and moreover its $20-$25/yd so it wouldn't be cheap to use.

That said, if I find that I need more insulation during Cold-weather camping, I'd consider making another set of curtains using this stuff...

 

[BirfMark]

I made my own. They stick to the windows with suction cups:

The material is heavy black vinyl on one side, and reflective foil on the other. The shades are reversible, so in the winter time we run the foil side in to reflect radiant heat back in. In the summer, we run it foil side out to reflect more heat. We just roll them up when not in use.

 

[Terrainist]

Hey, that's some nifty black vinyl foil material. Remember where you got it?

Thanks for posting your research Herbie, it's going to be useful. Got curtain problems.

 

[BirfMark]

Hey, that's some nifty black vinyl foil material. Remember where you got it?

I made it.


It's regular black vinyl like you'd get at any fabric store (I bought mine online, it was cheaper). I also bought a bunch of those mylar emergency blankets off amazon.com, and used 3M spray adhesive to laminate them together. It was a little tricky to get the foil to lay onto the vinyl evenly enough to look decent, but it definitely makes a noticeable difference in temperature. Once I had the foil glued to the back side of the vinyl, I used a grommet tool to install grommets into various places around the edge of the fabric. I found some suction cups that fit through the hole, and hold the curtains in place.

 

[Terrainist]

Wow. Definitely going to have to consider that for certain applications. It looks substantial and pliable. Like it's pretty much perfect for putting in that front window. Hmmm.