How To Keep Outdoor Curtains From Blowing In The Wind

This post is sponsored by KGORGE, use code CB18 for 18% off

On a whim at our first house, I installed some really inexpensive curtains around our back porch – and it turned out to be one of my most popular projects on the blog ever! And while the curtains were beautiful, they also tended to blow in the wind…sometimes too much. They were actually kind of scary to watch during a big storm! That’s why I was so excited when KGORGE reached out to collaborate – they offer a perfect solution that keeps outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind.

The best way to keep outdoor curtains in place is to physically attach them at both the top and the bottom. This can be done relatively inexpensively with metal rods or conduit pipe. Weights, magnets, and other temporary measures will help with light breezes, but won’t keep your curtains from blowing in the wind during storms or stronger winds.

KGORGE kindly sent over these dual grommeted outdoor curtains (which I believe are only available on their website, but come in a TON of different colors). So – here’s how to keep outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind (without weights or magnets) in case you’d like to tackle this project, too!

(I mean…can you believe this transformation?!?!?!)

This deck has a hot tub built-in (which you can kind of see at the bottom of the above pictures), but it’s easy to see that any of their neighbors have a clear view of them. In the summer, they have a little more privacy, but not much.

They wanted to install some curtains to help their backyard feel a little cozier and give them that much-needed privacy. With the hot tub so close to the bottom of the curtains, though, they wanted to make sure the curtains wouldn’t be flying in their faces – so the dual grommeted outdoor curtains that KGORGE recommended were a perfect solution!

What You’ll Need To Install Dual Grommetted Outdoor Curtains:

This is actually a pretty easy project and doesn’t require a whole lot in terms of materials. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Measuring tape
• Metal conduit pipe (don’t buy the plastic…you’ll see why in a moment!)
• Metal conduit brackets
• Wood screws
• Metal saw
• Curtains! (Use code CB18 for 18% off!)

Why Conduit Pipe? Shouldn’t I Use A Curtain Rod?

The elements are hard on anything installed outdoors – and exterior curtain rods are EXPENSIVE. For comparison, I spent around $70 on all the materials needed for this project (besides the curtains), compared to $100+ that I calculated we would need with traditional curtain rods.

I’m happy to splurge on things for my home (like curtains!), but if it’s just functional…I’m going to save my money.

Step One: Install Brackets For Conduit Pipe

I initially tried out using electrical conduit pipe to hang curtains during my last outdoor curtain makeover because it was inexpensive, but it turned out to also be durable, attractive, and perfect for the job.

To install conduit pipe as your curtain rod, you’ll first want to install the brackets that will hold it. Each bracket will have two holes – simply use two exterior-rated screws to attach it to your structure.

A quick tip though: don’t tighten them down all the way. The conduit pipe will need a little give when it’s time to thread it through the bracket.

Remember to install the brackets at both the top and the bottom of your structure to keep your curtains from blowing in the wind.

Step Two: Thread Curtains

Once you have your brackets installed, and before you install the conduit pipe, go ahead and thread your curtains on. We did it all at once on the top, installed the top conduit pipe, and then all at once on the bottom.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Plastic Conduit Pipe To Hang Curtains

But here’s where we made a mistake – in my first curtain project using conduit pipe, I used metal ones like this. This time, we wanted to try the plastic conduit pipe since it was a little cheaper and easier to transport…big mistake. You can see what I mean here:

Good outdoor curtains (like KGORGE‘s) are thick and heavy, meaning they will bend the plastic conduit very easily. I can deal with a little bend, but not this much! Thankfully, we were able to remedy the bend by installing a few more brackets, but we could have avoided the whole issue if we had just bought the metal conduit pipe.

Step Three: Install Conduit Pipe

Now that your curtains are threaded onto the conduit, thread the conduit into the brackets on the top and bottom that you installed earlier. Tighten the brackets around the conduit, and you’re done!

I am thrilled with how this project turned out. It really brightened up their backyard, and I can’t wait to see what it looks like in the summer when the trees and vines aren’t so barren!

Are KGORGE Curtains Worth Purchasing?

Absolutely. I was blown away by how bright, thick, and water-resistant the curtains are. The silver grommets are smooth and well installed, and they just felt good to touch. Their packaging was excellent too – the curtains were very well protected in transit.

They also let me know that the fabric in this curtain is new – although it’s still thick, it’s lighter than their regular style and more waterproof. Win-win!

Are There Other Syles of Outdoor Curtains available from KGORGE?

Yes! They have a TON of different styles of outdoor curtains. Everything from sheer to blackout, solid colors and patterns, grommeted, etc.

What Do Dual Grommet Curtain Look Like In Other Installations?

I wish we had better weather to show off these stunning curtains – unfortunately, it’s still cold and dreary here in Kentucky. I hope to update this post later this year with better pictures when everything is lush and green!

In the meantime, here are a few more examples of how you can use dual grommet curtains, straight from KGORGE’s website:

What If You Can’t Install Dual Grommet Curtains?

So what do you do if you can’t install dual grommet curtains, but you still want to make sure your curtains don’t blow in the wind? Here are a few other solutions:

Magnets

Super-heavy duty magnets are a great solution for keeping curtains in place, but you will have to deal with the annoyance of the magnets snapping to each other. Plus, magnets are expensive! I calculated that we’d need nearly $200 worth of magnets to even have a chance of keeping the curtains in place during a windy day.

Cables

If you want to keep outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind, but can’t use dual grommet curtains, you can sometimes use a thin cable or dog tie attached at either end of the curtain.

You’ll want to make sure that where your cable attaches to the wall/deck/etc. is really well secured though, since strong wind pulling on curtains can cause a lot of stress!

Lorrie on Pinterest has a great example photo of what this can look like!

Weights

Weights are a great way to keep outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind if you can’t install dual grommet curtains. You can use pretty much anything heavy that will fit in the bottom hem of the curtain:

• Stones/pebbles
• Bolts (though make sure they won’t rust!)
• Heavy duty chains

Wind Slits

I personally wouldn’t want to use wind slits to make my curtains more wind-proof, but that’s mostly for aesthetic and privacy reasons. Anything that you can do to reduce wind resistance with the curtains will certainly help!

I actually think the super-light density of the curtains in my original project (pictured above) kept them from being blown around too much during a normal day – they were inexpensive lightweight curtains from IKEA (you could see through them).

The lighter density probably made them less of a wind-break than the nicer, more durable KGORGE curtains we used in this project.

In summary, if you need to keep outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind, consider purchasing dual grommet curtains like these from KGORGE, and use conduit to secure them on the top and bottom. It’s a simple, inexpensive, and fast project that can make a huge impact on your outdoor space!