Curtain & Drapery
A curtain (sometimes known as a drape, mainly in the United States)
is a piece of cloth intended to block or obscure light, or drafts, or water in the
case of a shower curtain. Curtains hung over a doorway are known as portières. Curtains
are often hung on the inside of a building's window to block the travel of light,
for instance at night to aid sleeping, or to stop light from escaping outside the
building (stopping people outside from being able to see inside, often for privacy
reasons). In this application they are also known as "draperies." Curtains come
in a variety of shapes, materials, sizes, colors and patterns, and they often have
their own sections within department stores, while some shops are completely dedicated
to selling curtains.
Curtains vary according to cleanability, ultraviolet light deterioration, oil and
dust retention, noise absorption, fire resistance, and life span. Curtain may be
moved by hand, with cords, by press-button pads or remote-controlled computers.
Measuring the curtain size needed for each window varies greatly according to the
type of curtain needed, window size, and type and weight of curtain.
An adaptation of the curtain may be a blind or, in warmer countries, wooden Window shutter that are fixed to the outside of the
building to provide privacy and still keep the building cool inside. Curtains are
a form of window treatment, and complete the overall appearance of the house. Window
treatment helps control the ambiance and flow of natural light into the room. The
effect of drapery or curtains, is best seen in daylight, and with proper indoor
light positioning, it can look attractive even at night.
Light control and insulation
Curtains can be made from varying thicknesses of fabric, each with a differing degree
of light absorption and heat insulating qualities. For maximum temperature control,
the curtain gap to the window should be small, with minimum convection drafts below
or above the curtain. Various architectural structures around the curtain can minimize
these air drafts, but usually they are just used for decoration and make rooms feel
more cozier.
A sheer or net curtain is one that is made from translucent fabric,
such as a loosely woven polyester voile or a cotton lace. Sheer curtains
allow a majority of light to be transmitted through the fabric, with the fabric
weave providing a basic level of UV protection while retaining maximum visibility
through the curtain. Sheer curtains are sometimes referred to as privacy
curtains in reference to their screening abilities; during the day most sheer fabrics
will allow people inside the home to see the outside view whilst preventing people
outside the home from seeing directly into the home. Due to the loose weave in sheer
fabrics, these types of curtains offer very little in the way of heat insulation.
Uncoated fabrics provide the next level of heat insulation and light absorption.
Uncoated fabrics constitute the vast majority of fabrics used in curtains, and are
composed of a tightly woven fabric, most typically a cotton/polyester blend, which
is mostly opaque when viewed in ambient light. Uncoated fabrics provide a reasonable
level of heat insulation due to the tight weave of the fabric, however the fabric
itself is typically not thick enough to completely absorb strong light sources.
As a result, when curtains made from uncoated fabrics are closed in an attempt to
block out direct sunlight, light will still be visible through the curtain.
Coated fabrics consist of a standard uncoated fabric with an opaque rubber
backing applied to the rear of the fabric to provide improved light absorption.
To create a coated fabric a liquefied rubber polymer is applied in a single coat
to an uncoated fabric and subsequently fused dry by means of a heated roller, in
much the same way that a laser printer applies toner to a sheet of paper before
fusing it dry. A fabric that has been through the coating process once is considered
a 1 pass coated fabric, anecdotally referred to as dim-out or blackout
because of the fabric's ability to absorb approximately 50-70% of a direct light
source. To improve the light absorption of a fabric it is possible to re-coat a
fabric up to a maximum of 3 pass coated, which is considered sufficient to
block out 100% of a direct light source, hence such fabrics are referred to as blockout
coated.
Maximum light absorption and heat insulation in a curtain is created through a lined
curtain, which typically consists of an uncoated fabric at the front to provide
the look and feel of the curtain, with a separate coated fabric attached at the
rear to provide the insulative qualities. The coated fabric is typically referred
to as a lining, which simply refers to a coated fabric that does not have any particular
color or pattern.
Curtains may be held back with tie-backs or may be closed and opened with
sticks called draw-pulls or curtain rods which are attached either
to the runner or to the first hook. On some curtain rails/poles, there is
pulley system for opening and closing called corded curtain tracks. The knobs
at the end of these cords are called cord pulls or acorns.
A curtain hook stopper is a device used to stop the curtain from falling of the
end of the curtain rail.
Commercial curtains
For curtains used in theaters, see Theater drapes and stage curtains.
With the increase in single family homes during the last century, the curtain and
drapery industries have witnessed simultaneous growth in the demand for their products.
Commercial interests also grew during that time as many companies tried to supply
institutions, hotels, etc.
Commercial sized curtains are commonly used in restaurants, cinemas, and theatre
stages.
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