Curtains And Curtain Tracking - Choosing And Installing
If you are cordoning off areas of a tattoo parlor, healthcare facility, photography studio, laboratory, educational setting or possibly a home, curtain tracking has become an easily accessible tool. Selection and installing of curtains and curtain tracking isn't too difficult, but here are several tips that could smooth the process.
Step one is choosing a curtain. You have to contemplate what you want your curtain to do. If it is needed it to close light, then the blackout fabric should be chosen. Whether it must meet state and federal commercial fire codes, then mesh top curtains are required to allow sprinkler systems to adequately protect their environment. Quality cubicle and hospital curtains are manufactured with inherently fire retardant materials which can be durable, safe, and last throughout the duration of the cubicle curtain. There are numerous colors and styles of materials to choose from; including solid colors, striped, textured, patterned plus much more.
When a style is set, calculate the peak and whole curtain important to cover the intended space. The length should generally be 15% wider compared to the length to be covered. For any more ruffled look, add 30% for the length. As an example: you might need 220" of length to cover your parking space. You would then multiply 220" x .15 are available on top of 33"; add the 33" to the original 220" and you'll need to order an overall length of 253".
To establish the height in the curtain you can find three measurements needed to be determined. Start with measuring the height from the floor towards the ceiling. For this example let's start using a 10 foot ceiling which can be 120 inches tall. Next appraise the height from the carrier and curtain tracking; it's usually 3"-4" combined. The next measurement to find out is the open space wanted beneath the bottom of the curtain; 12"-18" is typical. Go ahead and take ceiling height of 120" and subtract 12" for bottom clearance and 4" for tracking and carriers which leaves one last curtain height of 104". Typical curtain sizes cover anything from 72" to 234" wide and 84" to 108" long. Cubicle curtains can be achieved to get and customized in many instances. Healthcare facilities frequently have building and fire codes which has to be met; talk with webmaster before proceeding.
Quality curtain tracking is made of 16 gauge extruded aluminum which is typically sold in eight foot lengths. If shorter lengths are required, tracking may be easily lessen having a hacksaw. Curves pre-bent to 45 deg. and 90 deg. are available for applications requiring the curtain to bend around a room; curves are 2 feet by 2 feet and bent at the 12 inch radius.
Curtain tracking can be that come with solid or false/drop down ceilings using screws or clips. Attaching the tracking to some solid ceiling necessitates the using screws; screw into ceiling studs anytime you can. Holes should be drilled in the tracking at each attaching point. It's not always simple to screw right into a stud. When this happens, the usage of an anchor is necessary. An anchor is pressed right into a pre-drilled hole. As a screw is inserted in to the anchor; the anchor expands and grabs firmly towards the ceiling. Drop down/false ceilings require clips that happen to be linked to the ceiling grid. There is a hole tapped into each clip that accepts a screw in the curtain tracking. These clips needs to be placed every 30".
Suspension tubing can be utilized rich in ceilings or if existing obstructions avoid the curtain tracking from being mounted straight away to the ceiling. Suspension tubing can be found in 8 foot lengths making with 7/8" O.D. hollow aluminum tubing. Suspension tubing might be attached straight to solid ceilings with a ceiling flange or via ceiling clips with a drop down/false ceiling. A screw insert will then be put in the bottom of the suspension tubing allowing the curtain tracking to get attached. Suspension tubing needs to be placed every six feet as well as the tracking ends could be attached with a wall having a nylon wall bracket.
Anodized aluminum splicing clamps join multiple components of tracking to make certain proper alignment with the channels. This allows the carriers/rollers to move freely from one part of tracking to another. Neat and smooth the ends of every part of track before assembly; burrs may cause the carriers/rollers to carry up.
An end-stop should be placed at both ends with the curtain tracking setup. Curtain tracking end-stops are employed to prevent curtain carriers from slipping out. One end should include a snap out fitting to allow for easy installation and replacing curtain carriers. Snap out fittings sit inside an end-stop and therefore are easily removed. Removal is necessary to set up or replace your curtain carriers without detaching the curtain tracking from your ceiling.
Various specialty brackets permit multiple ceiling track configurations. T-brackets connect a perpendicular section of tracking part way along a preexisting section of tracking. Cross brackets subdivide a room into 4 or maybe more separate sections with respect to the size of your living area along with the sized your tracking layout.
When the tracking layout is finalized, then determine the number of carriers or rollers needed. Carriers are merely that, they carry the curtain along the tracking. The standard style includes a nylon block and wheels with a swiveling chain and hook attached. A breakaway version can be obtained which acts unlike its name; the carrier will not break, it flexes. This enables the curtain to detach from the carrier rather than damage the curtain or carrier. Curtain carriers should be spaced every 6" on the curtain. If your curtain is 242" in length, you will want to have 41 carriers.
Drop chains and PVC drop strips are around for use when ventilation space is needed and a mesh top curtain is not a choice. A drop chain is 18" long with custom lengths available; it really is made out of nickel-plated steel. A PVC drop strip is 18" long which has a hole on top which slips over the curtain carrier; a plated hook at the bottom connects for the cubicle curtain.