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options besides drilling & tension to connect shower rod?

16 years ago

i'm finishing up my new 42x42 shower and plan to use a curtain. the tile runs over 7 feet high, so attaching the rod to the drywall would make it very difficult to find curtains long enough. i'm not thrilled about the idea of drilling into my new tile, and i have read bad things about tension rods (fall down, bad to have constant pressure on your tile & walls).

i was thinking about some kind of adhesive (silicone?) but do those sorts of brackets exist? or would i have to use a screw-in type & improvise?

any other ideas?

i'm looking for a straight chrome or nickel bar.

thanks,

lisa

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Comments (4)

bestyears
15 years ago
Hi Lisa,
I saw a very cool idea in a magazine recently (wish I could remember which one!). The homeowners had installed some kind of a flat bar on the ceiling which the shower curtain was attached into via clips or something that ran inside the center groove of this flat bar. (A bit similar to the grooves in ceilings that they have for privacy curtains in dr.'s offices and hospital settings). Of course this is very high, so the homeowner had purchased two shower curtains that coordinated and simply stitched a header (or you could do a footer depending on preference) of the other color. This header was a good 12" deep, and the result was really beautiful. And all I could think of was what a smooth operation it would be! Of course I have no idea where you would get such a thing, but maybe someone else does...
Lynn
sombreuil_mongrel
15 years ago
Hi,
Let's analyze the 'pressure is bad' argument: If the tension rod is at the top (or more than 3/4 of the way) of the opening, and the side wall is of average house construction, with full corner posts, etc., there should be no worries about the spring force dislocating anything, even very long-term. Only case I see a problem is if the walls don't run all the way to the ceiling, or if it was not framed in a normal way (like if the 2x4's were placed flat to save thickness).
A rod could be hung from brackets like a window curtain rod, or a clothes rod. This exerts no spring pressure on the walls.
Casey
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You can buy a separate blackout lining for drapes. If you got those, along with unlined drapes, could you use two tension rods, one behind the other, with the lining hanging behind the drapes? Or maybe use the shower curtain tension rods--they seem to be a bit sturdier than the regular kind. Is there nothing on the windows? I've rented a few places where I wasn't allowed to use nails or screws to hang curtain rods, but there was always a landlord-provided blind or shade in place. The landlord never presented me with bare windows and an order to come up with an unconventional method of covering the windows.
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There are hundreds of important decisions to make when building a home. For me, this is not one of them. As long as it can hold the weight of a shower curtain and liner (no, I don't need it for me to do pullups) and look reasonably presentable (I think 99% of them look presentable), then I'm okay with it. Polished chrome or polished stainless? Doesn't matter to me. What does matter to me is that it doesn't rust. Now the curved rods used to intrigue me, until we stayed in some motels that had them. My reaction was: what's the big deal? I realize we must spend x percent of our lives in the shower, but at least 50% of my total time is spent with my eyes closed to keep soap and shampoo out of them. And I would think most people do not need the 25% extra room that the curved rod creates. Besides, the sides of the bathtub stays the same, so this extra room is basically "overhang space". So to me, this is more about looks and feel and less about function. My recommendation is to go with a basic rod for now. Looks like you can upgrade or change to a curved rod later rather easily, but double-check with your builder first. One disclaimer to my comments above. The use of "I/me" and not "we" is intentional. DW probably has a totally different view! :)
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Bear in mind that online reviews usually number a handful, so it's hard to determine quality based on reviews. Faucetdirect.com has lots of rods. Brass rods are the most expensive. I bought stainless steel. The Kohler rods would have been my first choice, but my shower is 58", and theirs and many others start at 60". I had to buy Moen and it does look nice. We have good ventilation so I don't think rust will be a problem. Location: Once you have the rod and shower curtain, you'll figure it out pretty quickly. Most shower curtains are 70-72" long. Leaking: Curved rods won't prevent it. I bought a shower curtain liner at BB&B that has suction cups along the sides. Shower curtains: JC Penney, Macy's, Kohl's, BB&B, Pottery Barn, Croscill.com, Overstock.com, etc. I've looked at hundreds and haven't found what I'm looking for. Most look pretty chintzy imo.
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modern life interiors
15 years ago
Maybe you can get a medical track.
They hang from the ceiling.
You can also get extra long shower curtains.
I have seen 84 and 96 inch lengths
toadangel
Original Author
15 years ago
thanks everyone.

gitana - where have you seen extra long ones? stall sized?

i saw a suggestion on john bridge's forum to use a tension rod but with less tension & a line of silicone caulk under the rubber at each end. i may try this. if it doesn't work, i'm just out a cheap tension rod & a bit of caulk cleaning...

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