What are the curtains for a plastic window
What tricks the designers do not use to make plastic windows look cozy at home: they put the usual vents, add bindings. But if the windows in your apartment still resemble office windows, curtains will help fix the situation. Regular floor-length curtains and tulle curtains on high eaves do not harmonize with such glazing. Here we need suitable curtains for plastic windows that will not violate the laws of aesthetics.
One of the advantages of roller blinds is that they do not let in sunlight.
To decorate your plastic windows according to the latest design, you should pay attention to the following types of curtains:
- Corrugated curtains - also known as “Pleated blinds”. The anti-static fabric collects like an accordion when you need to roll up the curtain and let the sunlight into the room. Depending on the design, the window can be slightly opened both from the bottom and from the top.
- Roman curtains - in unfolded form, they are a straight piece of fabric, but when you need to open the window glass, they, starting from the bottom edge, gather into beautiful horizontal deep folds. It is quite possible to sew such a design yourself with your own hands.
- Roller blinds - perfect for both living rooms and kitchens or balconies. They are made of fabric, and fastening is done with Velcro or brackets.
Curtains with various prints and images are especially popular.
There are open and closed types of roller blinds. Open ones are fabric twisted into a dense roller, which is placed directly above the window. Closed when folded, they hide in a special cassette and are practically invisible.
Closed roller blinds for plastic windows (video)
Useful tips and tricks for installing roller blinds
1. When measuring, it should be borne in mind that the finished structure with brackets will be 1-4 cm wider than the main sheet. 2. When using the Velcro fastening mechanism, the joints must be degreased. Do not use acetone! 3. The chain mechanism must point downward, regardless of the type of attachment. 4. When choosing an adhesive for attaching the brackets, exclude the option called "Second" - it is short-lived.
The diagram shows the correctness of the measurements. Thanks to a visual drawing, even the most incomprehensible, it will become clear "from where to start measuring" and "what to measure"
Types of sun blinds on plastic windows
For apartment owners, whose windows face the southern side, the topical issue is the choice of curtains that serve as reliable protection against the sun's rays entering the room on hot summer days. Increased requirements are imposed on such products.
There is a special type of "blackout" roller blinds, which does not allow light to pass through.
In particular, they should be:
- Made of high quality fabric that will not fade in the sun;
- Reflect the sun's rays to protect the apartment not only from bright light, but also from the heat in sultry weather.
To this end, those who prefer roller blinds need to choose a product made of heat-resistant and opaque blackout material. Such fabric provides a comfortable sleep even in the conditions of white nights, as it is able to block the sun's rays by up to 100%.
A popular option for plastic windows is day / night sun shades, also known as zebra. They are easy to recognize by their distinctive feature - an unusual design in which transparent horizontal stripes alternate with opaque lamellas. Due to this, it is possible to adjust the level of penetration of bright sunlight into the room, up to complete shading of the room.
Blinds are effective in combating the bright scorching sun. Blinds with wooden slats or horizontal fabric stripes will fit well into a home interior.
The advantages of blinds include the ability to regulate the amount of light that enters the room.
The original appearance of plastic windows will be given by multi-textured blinds with vertical slats. Combinations of wood, fabric, plastic, metal allow you to create unique compositions that will become a unique highlight of the interior. Such products are often supplemented with lambrequins.
The degree of transparency
The material for the manufacture of roller shutters most often becomes dense fabric. It can be cotton, synthetics or blended materials. The degree of transparency varies depending on the fabric. On this basis, three types of roller shutters are distinguished, they are presented in the table.
| Curtain type | Properties |
| Blackout | Light reflectance about 95%. They do not let in light, trap cold and street noise. |
| Dimaut | Full darkening is possible only at night, during the day they are translucent. Allows diffused light to pass through, shading the room. |
| Transparent | Do not prevent the penetration of sunlight into the room. In natural light, they obscure the view of the interior of the room from the street. |
An interesting variety has appeared relatively recently, with the ability to adjust the degree of illumination of the room. It is called a day / night roller blind or zebra. These are two panels, each of which is assembled from strips of transparent and opaque fabric. The stripes move one relative to the other, then completely darkening the room, then opening up access to the rays of the sun.
Materials for the manufacture of roller shutters are impregnated with special compounds, therefore they repel dirt, do not attract dust, and do not become electrified. The decoration of the panels can be very different. Recently, photo printing has been especially popular, which allows you to create very interesting solutions for interior decoration.
Features of fastening for curtains on plastic windows
Curtains for plastic windows do not have the usual hooks or loops, they do not use eyelets. Therefore, such curtains cannot be hung on ordinary cornices and not threaded into baguettes. To mount roller blinds or blinds, it will be necessary to mount the structure directly on the plastic profile.
There are different installation methods.
For curtains on the fixing window, you can use:
- Latches;
- Self-tapping screws;
- Brackets;
- Liquid Nails;
- Double sided tape.
If you do not plan to change the curtains in the near future, then you can use the easiest and most inexpensive installation method - using liquid nails.
Each method has both its own tangible advantages and some disadvantages. Self-tapping screws and brackets, if used carelessly, will break the tightness of a plastic window, but they hold a heavy structure well. It is recommended to fasten light curtains with Velcro. Having used liquid nails for installation, it will be difficult in the future to replace the old curtains with new ones. The latches are not suitable for all types of structures, but they cling directly to the window sash and it is easy to replace open-type roller blinds with them.
The main methods and their advantages
Despite the similarity of the design of all models of roller blinds, there are also noticeable differences between them. Therefore, before choosing a specific mounting method, it is worth examining the purchased roller blinds.
Here are the main points by which such designs are classified:
- Length. The canvas is selected so as to hide the window sill or leave the possibility of using it.
- Canvas material. The density of the material affects not only its ability to reflect sunlight, but also the total weight of the structure. The denser the web, the greater the total weight.
- Design features. If the Mini and Classic types are installed at the top of the window, then the Mix type seems to be upside down. Its roll is installed at the bottom, and fastening, as a rule, is done directly to the frame.
Roll designs are perfectly combined with other types of curtains and can only act as part of the window decor. Of course, in this case, the installation becomes more complicated, since additional calculations are required so that all elements do not interfere with each other.
As a rule, the roller shutter kit includes everything you need to attach it to the wall and prepare it for use. But before starting the installation, you must carefully check the contents. It is better to immediately find out that something is missing and go to the store for missing parts than to waste time on ineffectual improvisations.
Roll structures can be attached in different ways:
- to the window opening (vertical or horizontal slope);
- to Wall;
- to the ceiling;
- directly to the window frame.
The last option is considered the most convenient - this installation method does not interfere with opening the sash and gives the window a modern look. However, it is somewhat more laborious, since it is necessary to attach a separate roller shutter to each sash.
In any case, the fasteners are either self-tapping screws or double-sided tape.
Mounting on self-tapping screws
A reliable way of attaching to a window opening, wall or ceiling. As a rule, a bracket with a spring latch is attached to the wall with self-tapping screws. These brackets are made of metal or plastic. The roller blind itself is inserted into the bracket and snaps into place.
The advantage of this method is high reliability of fastening. This technology is recommended for heavy metal models with dense fabric.
Before installing the brackets, it is worth evaluating the quality of the self-tapping screws in the kit and, if necessary, replacing them with longer ones made of durable steel alloy.
The disadvantage of this method is that you need a hammer drill and some skills to work with it.
The option of fastening with screws to a plastic frame is also possible. This is how the brackets for Mini-type structures are attached. This technology is much simpler, but holes remain in the plastic, which will be noticeable after dismantling the curtain.
Double-sided tape: pros and cons
Tape with adhesive applied on both sides is the best option for those who do not want to bother with self-tapping screws. You just need to cut out the squares of the desired size and stick them on the brackets. Then peel off the protective film from the second side and firmly glue the bracket to the plastic of the frame.
The main disadvantage of the method is that the fastening is not very reliable. But for lightweight plastic models, such fasteners will be quite enough. The second drawback is that after peeling off the brackets, traces of glue will remain on the frames. But they are easy to remove with a special cleaning fluid.
If there is no special composition at hand, vegetable oil is used to wipe off glue stains.
How to attach curtains to plastic windows with your own hands
The most popular type of fastening of common roller blinds, suitable for a plastic window, is fixing directly to the window. To avoid drilling unnecessary holes in the profile, it is recommended to use removable latches that can be attached directly to the sash.
Curtains installed without using a drill look aesthetically pleasing and neat
For this:
- It is necessary to first degrease the joints of the plastic and the latch.
- Cut a suitable size of double-sided tape that will hold the latch and window sash together to secure it.
- Fasten the holders of the movable shaft to the installed latches.
- Install a shaft with a curtain between them.
- Attach a spike with a gear for the chain mechanism to the shaft.
