Hi - I've just bought an 80's Ambassador Ace 4 berth and am in the process of trying to work out how to redecorate it etc. It's not in too bad a way, I just want to make it nice.
I took the curtains down today (one was being held up with clothes pegs) and it's the old metal snap style tape that seems to be used in American motorhomes. A couple of the boxes on the track that the snaps pop into have crumbled as well. I can make the curtains myself - no problem there - but I think I need to look at replacing the track and definitely need to replace the tape.
Anyway - needless to say I'm shocked at the cost of replacing the track and tape on top of the cost of new fabric so I was wondering if you can just use normal curtain track?
Anyway - needless to say I'm shocked at the cost of replacing the track and tape on top of the cost of new fabric so I was wondering if you can just use normal curtain track?
no reason why not.
------------- the only silly question is the one you do not ask.
Isn't normal curtain track a bit too big? and also, won't it stand away too far from the windows and leave a big draughty gap? Are the fixings going to be too big for the walls?
I'm not sure if anyone else has used ordinary curtain rails, it would be nice if someone who has can advise.
Just thinking about it, and my curtain rails are ever so small with tiny screws, anything larger in the way of screws would just go straight through the side of the caravan.
something like this would probably serve you better, unless you can find some really small size ordinary curtain rail and substitute smaller screws (or the ones from that you take down).
Hi, Jax- yeah, I saw those but it works out at £18.75 for a metre and a half and that's without the tape. It would end up costing more to replace the curtains than I paid for the whole van.
I'm going to look for cheap, narrow curtain rail that doesn't need hefty screws to hold it up. I have a feeling I've seen something like it somewhere. I'm determined to find a way.
I quite agree, it's amazing just how expensive that works out!
What about some of these which are lightweight enough? you could fix them over the windows instead of inside (as they are supposed to be for nets) and would only need fixing at each end and would probably easily carry the weight of caravan curtains?
Ooo -I just thought of another possible solution, and that is too look on the caravan breakers sites for some!
ok, back to recovering my old caravan seats.... :( I did the curtains last year, but the old tracks were ok, so I only had to make the curtains. Mine hang from the track with those lining hooks sewn onto ordinary curtain tape, which hooks through little loops onto the track.
That's a good idea, I'll look out for that net tracks and look at the breakers sites.
How are you getting on with the seat covers? I'm quite good at dressmaking but the thought of re-covering the seats gives me the heebies.
Quote: Originally posted by Cledry on 23/2/2013
That's a good idea, I'll look out for that net tracks and look at the breakers sites.
How are you getting on with the seat covers? I'm quite good at dressmaking but the thought of re-covering the seats gives me the heebies.
It's very hard work. I'm covering them with the brown stretch velour, which used to be throws... it was so annoying having to keep on straightening and tucking them in, I decided to make them into stretch boxed loose covers. It's working out ok, but sewing brown material with brown cotton is very hard work, you just loose the light too quickly at this time of year, and the machine has to be practically in the windowsill! I'm lucky though, there are no back-knee rests to fit, they are literally just plain oblongs of foam! The brown moquette of the 70's decor is still underneath, just stretchy covers on top! Thanks for asking - yep hard going, but it will be worth it in the end!!
Let me know if you find any decent small tracks and how you get on. (I persuaded my Sister to make my curtains - I'm hopeless at getting them straight!)
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Topic: Replacing curtain track
