How To Block Light From The Top And Sides Of Curtains?

You can go to a curtain store and buy the thickest blackout curtain, but you still seem to wake up to sunlight that enters from the edges. The problem here is not in the fabric but in how the light enters from the top, sides, or bottom of the window edges. They will result in bright strips that can be noticeable in a bedroom. This is a frustrating situation when you are trying to have a nap during the daytime or need to watch a movie without worrying about sun glare.

Lucky for you, we have found the perfect solution for this where you don’t have to replace your curtains. All you need is the right positioning of the curtains, tracks, pelmets, and side returns to reduce this light leakage.

7 Helpful Ways TO Block Light From Top And Sides Of Curtains

Curtains tend to cove the glass part of the window, but they won’t completely seal the entire opening. If the curtain has an inside mounting, light will still travel from both sides. For a standard curtain pole, you need to have a gap between the top of the fabric and the ceiling. We present these 7 helpful tips on how to block light from the top and sides of curtains.

1. Extend the Curtain Beyond the Window

The simplest solution is to make your curtain wider than the window. If the curtain happens to end just at the edge of the window glass, sunlight will travel from the side and into your room. You can extend the curtain a few inches beyond the window frame to get more wall coverage. For a bright room, you can extend the curtain on either side of the window instead of letting it stop at the frame. This will work best for a wall-mounted curtain track or pole.

2. Install a Ceiling-Mounted Curtain Track

If the light is entering from above your drapes, a ceiling-mounted track will make a massive difference. Instead of fitting drapes a few inches below the ceiling, the track can run a bit closer to the ceiling line. This way the curtain will fall from a higher position to reduce the open space from which light can enter. This also lets you enjoy a clean, modern appearance.

3. Use a Pelmet or Curtain Box

A pelmet is one of the most effective ways to prevent the light leakage from above your draperies. It will create a solid or upholstered coverage on the top side of your curtains to block the gap between the curtain fabric and the ceiling or track system. One modern alternative is to have a recessed curtain box built directly into the ceiling or the false ceiling. The track will sit inside the recess to offer a much cleaner appearance while preventing any light from leaking through it. This way is useful for a renovation project or a new construction because the recess can be designed around your curtain system.

4. Add Side Returns

Light leakage from the side is often overlooked even if the curtains are wide enough. There can be a small gap between the outer edge of the drapery and the wall. A side return will fix this by letting the drapery wrap but toward the wall. For instance, instead of letting curtains hang straight down from the final point, the track will continue toward the wall so the fabric turns back to the window opening. This lets you have a more enclosed edge and prevents the amount of light entering from either side. Side curtains are ideal for blackout drapes in bedrooms.

5. Choose a Wraparound Curtain Track

For a window that has side gaps, the wraparound track system is the most effective choice. The track will continue around the window sides instead of ending at the edge. This lets your curtains cover more of the wall that surrounds your window. This is a practical choice for bedrooms, nurseries, media rooms, and areas where you need complete darkness. It will work for corner windows where a straight curtain pole will leave any opening for light leakage.

6. Overlap the Curtain Panels

If a curtain has two panels meeting in its middle, do not let them touch each other. A small gap can appear between their panels if the air conditioning is running. The overlap between these two panels will prevent the light from passing through their center. Some tracks are designed with overlapping carriers to increase this closure. This is a small detail, but it’s going to make a huge difference for your dark bedroom.

7. Add Blackout Lining

Sometimes the light won’t come around the drapes; it is passing through them. A decorative drapery might look thick but it will still let a considerable amount of sunlight to pass through its fabric. A blackout lining will help create an opaque layer behind this decorative fabric. You can buy the drapery with blackout lining or have them professionally lined separately. This is one of the best solutions, where you don’t have to replace your curtains simply because they don’t offer light blocking.

Final Thoughts

Light leaking from around the curtain is usually due to a design or fitting issue instead of a fabric problem. If the light is leaking from the side, extend the curtain or add side returns. If it’s coming from the above, you can add a ceiling track, a pelmet, or a recessed curtain box. All the techniques we have explained above will help you have proper room darkness without any light leakage issue from the top and sides.