Ways to keep outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind:
- Run the utility link chain through the bottom hem.
- Use fish sinkers, washers, and river stones as weights.
- Clip curtains together and tie them to the ground.
- Keep the curtains scalloped at the top.
- Make wind slits on the surface of each drape.
Are your outdoor curtains constantly on the move? They just won’t stay put, no matter what you do?
Lots of homeowners struggle to keep their outdoor drapes from flapping in the wind like a flag. So, do people living in windy areas have to forgo outdoor curtains? Not at all!
If you are wondering how to keep outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind, you are in the right place!
My list of crafty DIY tips will help you keep your outdoor space looking like a cozy area and less like a sailboat and can be a great help when you are implementing some amazing winter porch decor.
Contents
How To Keep Outdoor Curtain From Blowing In The Wind?
Utility Chain For The Win
- 500 pound (226kg) safe work load
- Made from corrosive resistant stainless steel
- Great general purpose chain
For this project, you will need a stainless steel utility chain you can buy at your local hardware store or on Amazon.
To install it, simply unstitch the bottom hem of the curtain at the sides and run the chain through the opening. Stitch the sides back up, and you are done!
You should get something similar to this.
You have successfully weighted your outdoor curtains!
I recommend you pin the curtains back when the wind gets out of control. The flying chain can be an extremely dangerous projectile.
Use Fishing Weights
Here is another idea!
Buy heavier fishing weights and sew them into the bottom hem. Try to stitch a pocket for each weight as you go. This way, the fishing sinkers won’t bunch up on one side when you slide the curtains.
If you are not good at sewing, you can simply hang the fishing sinkers from the bottom of the drapes. You can use this method to weigh down your outdoor tablecloth, as well!
Try Washers
You don’t have to spend a dime on outdoor curtain weights if you have big washers somewhere stored in your garage. You can use them to weigh your outdoor curtains or secure your outdoor carpet in place:
You can sew them in the bottom seam or let them hang from the edge as an embellishment. Just make sure to use M12 to M20-sized washers. The bigger they are, the heavier they’ll be and the stronger wind they will defy.
DIY River Stone Weights
Put your crafting skills to use and make personalized outdoor curtain weights to improve your curb appeal.
Collect pretty river stones from your local riverbank or buy them from Amazon. Tie craft wire around each stone, as shown in the picture above. Attach clips to the loops you have created, and your DIY project is complete.
If you know how to crochet, you can make a casing for each stone instead and hang them without the wire. How pretty are they?
Clip The Drapes Together
An easy way to reduce the impact of wind is to clip individual drapes together to create a bigger, heavier surface. This method won’t completely eradicate the problem, but it will significantly improve it.
Stainless steel clips or binder clips will work perfectly. Keep them in a small basket on your outdoor table at all times, so you can quickly retrieve them when the wind starts blowing.
Tie The Curtains Down
If your outdoor curtains propel into the air with the slightest gust of wind, you should consider tying them to the ground.
Attach the bottom corners of each drape to the ground using tarp grabbers and cup hooks.
If your curtains lay low enough, you can directly put cup hooks through grabbers. Otherwise, you may have to use bungee balls as an extension.
The curtains won’t lift into the air anymore, but they will bulge to the side, creating a sailboat effect.
Keep It Curvy
The best way to minimize the impact of the wind is to keep your curtains scalloped at the top. Don’t tighten the top of the drapes straight across the curtain rods. This makes curtains go wild in the wind.
The draped effect allows the wind to blow over the curtains, reducing the dragging.
Tab top curtains with deep cuts are ideal for outdoor use. You can find some pretty tab top curtains on Amazon.
Make Wind Slits
Have you ever wondered how companies keep their street banners from blowing in the wind? Wind slits!
Making a row of vertical slits across the width of the fabric will keep your drapery from blowing around. The strong wind can pass through the openings in the fabric, and will keep them from inflating and tearing.
Make one or two rows of vertical cuts on the surface of the fabric. I recommend you fold and stitch the edges of each slit to keep them from fraying.
Try to make incisions on the backward fold of the pleat. This way, the slits won’t be visible when you pull back the curtains.
FAQ: Answered
How to weight curtains for outdoor use?
Drapery lead weights for indoor use won’t cut it outdoors. You will need something much heavier to defy the wind. You can put a heavy stainless steel link chain through the bottom hem of the curtains. Alternatively, you can sew or hang heavy fish sinkers and washers at the bottom, as well.
How heavy should drapery weights be for outdoor curtains?
Heavy link chains sewn in the bottom hem seem to be the most effective at keeping curtains still. Three feet of stainless steel chain with 5/32-inch diameter weighs about one pound. Try to weigh every foot of the curtain with at least one pound of chain.
Where to buy weights for outdoor curtains?
You can buy weights for outdoor curtains. You can use a heavy link chain as a curtain weight, too, which you can buy at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, and Amazon. These stores sell other craft supplies for making DIY outdoor curtain weights, as well.
Use Your Creativity
There are several ways to keep your outdoor drapes from moving in the wind. The best part is that you don’t even have to spend a dime on outdoor curtain weights. You can simply use your creativity and the materials that you have laying around in your garage.
How to keep outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind? Let’s summarize all the methods once again:
- Weigh your outdoor curtains with a utility link chain.
- Use fishing weights or washers instead.
- Clip curtains together or tie them to the ground.
- Make pretty DIY stone curtain weights.
- Let the curtains drape at the top or invest in tab top curtains.
- Make wind slits on the surface of the drapes.
If you have a similar problem with your patio furniture, here’s how you can weight it down.
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below and let us know how you keep your outdoor curtains from blowing in the wind.
About The Author
Last update on 2024-04-24 at 07:42 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Thanks for all the great tips. Very helpful.
I bought curtain round rod holders with clips and then got a pack of ground cover u stakes
Thanks for all the ideas.. My curtains were too long so I had do re-do the hem and I sewed vertical pockets and put in baggies full of sand
I have 8 mil clear plastic curtains on my patio so I can watch the snow fly in comfort. After weighing down the panels, the entry “door ” (or rather a slit from top to bottom) soon went to pot with people coming and going. My solution was to glue small magnets to hold it shut.
Hey Nila, thanks for sharing your experience!