How do curtain tracks work?

Style your curtains beautifully with ceiling and wall-mounted curtain tracks.

Many people go shopping for curtains without much thought of how their curtains will need to be hung. 

It’s important to know that the type of curtains you choose influences whether you’ll need curtain tracks to suspend them. Depending on the style of the curtain and the choice of fabric, curtain tracks may provide you with much needed function and design versatility.

Highly decorative, practical, and capable of suspending heavy drapes or pleated curtains, tracks allow for greater flexibility and ease when it comes to upgrading your window.

Here, we will explain what curtain tracks are and why you might need them.

iSeekBlinds provides custom-made curtain tracks with all our custom-made curtains to make DIY curtain installation easy. 

What are curtain tracks?

Curtain tracks permit drapes to be drawn using a tracking mechanism. Unlike curtain rods - which is simply a pole fed through curtain rings - curtain tracks use an internal tracking system with clip-on gliders to attach the curtain and feed it through when opening and closing. This tracking system is completely hidden from view and can operate cordless, corded, or motorised curtains.

Tracks can be mounted to walls and ceilings as well as behind decorative fixtures such as a valance or pelmet. This allows for greater flexibility in achieving different design goals or accommodating different window sizes. 

Available in plastic or metal finishes, curtain tracks are adaptable to any type of room or interior design and give a more modern-looking aesthetic. 

Why use curtain tracks?

Tracks are primarily used to hang and draw curtains that have heading tape. For this reason, you can’t use tab top or eyelet curtains with a tracking system, as these styles must be hung by a pole or rod.

The type of curtains that do require or benefit from curtain tracks include:

• S-fold curtains
• Pinch and goblet pleat curtains
• Pencil pleat curtains

Types of curtain tracks

When choosing your curtain style, you need to be mindful of the type of tracking you need. There are different types available depending on the size of your window, the weight and style of your curtain, and whether you want to layer sheers behind your curtains. 

• Single track: A single-track rail is used to hang a single set of curtains or sheers. 
• Double track: With a double-track rail, curtains can be layered over sheers for added privacy and light reduction. 
• Motorised track: Using a motorised track, you can automate the operation of your curtains for maximum aesthetic, luxury, and convenience. 
• Long-length curtain track: For larger or longer than normal windows, an extendable tracking system is available. Our hand-drawn tracks can extend up to 20 metres, and up to 7.5 metres for motorised tracks. 
• S-fold curtain tracks: S-fold curtains such as wave fold or ripple fold curtains require S-fold tracks to give them that soft flowing, sculptural style. This is what we sell and iSeekBlinds.
• Bent curtain tracks: Curved, flexible curtain tracks can be made to use around curved or corner windows, including bay windows. 

Benefits of curtain tracks

If you want your curtains to make a statement - and not your curtain hardware - then curtain tracks are a perfect choice. Curtain tracks keep your window hardware invisible, putting the attention on the curtains themselves.

The main benefits of using curtain tracks, aside from its minimalist profile, include:

Seamless operation

Since most curtain rods are made of two pieces to facilitate a longer window, they often leave a bump or a seam where curtains can get stuck. With curtain tracks, drawing drapes is smooth and seamless and can be easily opened or closed along the entire length of the window without getting caught. 

Sturdiness

Curtain tracks are supported with brackets and other hardware mounted to a wall or ceiling, allowing for greater durability. Because of this, long and heavy fabrics or drapery can be supported without the tracks ever bending or collapsing under weight (something you might get with curtain rods). 

Versatility

Curtain tracks provide much-needed versatility and flexibility, especially when dealing with windows of irregular shapes such as bay or corner windows. They can also be used for other drapery purposes, such as for use as a room divider or as a door.

Curtain tracks can be easily bent to shape and are a great choice for DIY decorators as they allow curtains to be hung and configured any way desired. 

Get your own custom made curtain tracks from iSeekBlinds

When you purchase new curtains from iSeekBlinds, we provide you with custom curtain tracks made specifically for you. You can design them to suit any size window or room configuration, including corner windows and wide window/door combinations. 

When ordering your curtains from iSeekBlinds, simply enter in the width of your overall track, select how it will be mounted (wall or ceiling), choose your curtain track style and colour, and select your opening type and wand size. We will take it from there.

There are a variety of different installation methods for curtain tracks. We make the process easy by giving you step-by-step videos to help you install your tracks at home. 

What next?

If you’re in need of some inspiration, visit our gallery or Instagram page for ideas and real-life photos from our customers.  Once you’ve decided which product you prefer, make use of our free fabric samples. They will allow you to see and feel the fabrics before selecting the one you like best.

So, if you've got a home that could benefit from a refresh, let us help you! The DIY process is easy to follow, and it will make a world of difference to your home, we promise.

Need some help? You can either Contact our customer service team or book in a free design consultation with me.

Thanks for reading!
Cheers, 

Mike Gubby.