How to hang curtains without drilling in a rental

Bare windows in a rental are a classic: the landlord took the old curtains, the lease says no holes, and the drill is at a friend's place anyway. Good news for the lazy: most windows can get curtains in about ten minutes with no tools at all. The trick is picking the method that matches your window, then being honest about weight. This guide covers both, measured in cm.

First: which window do you have?

Look at the window from the side.

• Recessed window: the glass sits back in the wall, with a box of wall on three or four sides (the reveal). This is the easy one. A tension rod pushes against both sides of the recess and holds itself up.
• Flush window: the frame sits almost level with the wall, with nothing for a rod to push against. Here you need hooks above the frame, and adhesive hooks only suit light sheers.

If you have a recess deeper than the window handle sticks out, you are in luck. If not, skip to the flush-wall section.

Step 1: measure the recess in cm

Take three numbers. It takes two minutes and saves a return trip.

1. Width at the top, middle and bottom of the recess. Old walls are rarely square; a recess can differ by 1-2 cm from top to bottom. Use the smallest number.
2. Depth of the recess. The rod has to sit in front of the window handle and anything on the sill, with room for the curtain to hang without rubbing the glass. Measure from the glass to the front edge of the wall, and note where the handle sticks out.
3. Drop. Decide where the rod goes (usually 2-5 cm below the top of the recess) and measure down to the sill for sill-length curtains. For floor-length curtains, measure to the floor and take off 1-2 cm so the hem does not drag.

Write them down. You will forget the middle one; everyone does.

Step 2: pick a rod whose range covers your width

Tension rods are sold by range, usually in inches. A 28-48 in rod covers about 71-122 cm. Pick a rod where your smallest width sits comfortably inside the range, not right at the very end of it, because a rod stretched to its maximum has less grip. If your recess is 120 cm, look at the next size up.

Two spring rods for 71-122 cm (28-48 in) openings, both verified on Amazon:

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Kenney rod is sold for lightweight sheers to medium-weight fabric curtains. Neither listing is a promise about your curtain, so check the rod's rated load on its packaging before you hang anything heavier than a sheer.

Step 3: put it up (no tools)

1. Thread the curtain onto the rod first. Doing it in the window, arms up, is how rods end up on the floor.
2. Extend the rod a little longer than the narrowest width you measured, following the instructions on the pack (spring rods compress; twist rods lengthen by turning).
3. Hold it level at your chosen height and let it press against both sides of the recess. A phone level app is fine.
4. Give the rod a gentle downward tug. If it slips, extend it a bit more. If you cannot get it tight, the rod is the wrong size.
5. Check that the curtain clears the handle and the sill when you open and close the window.

The rubber end caps leave no holes, but on soft or fresh paint they can mark the wall over time. Wipe the spot when you move out and nobody will know the curtains were ever there.

Step 4: choose light curtains

The lighter the curtain, the happier any no-drill rod is. Sheers are the lightest and still give daytime privacy while letting daylight in, which matters in a small room.

For width, aim for about 1.5 to 2 times the width of the rod, so the curtain gathers instead of hanging flat like a bedsheet. On a 100 cm rod that is 150-200 cm of fabric, so two panels of about 137 cm (54 in) each give a soft gather. For length, buy panels close to your drop and hem or clip them rather than buying short.

Grommet panels slide easily on a rod; rod-pocket panels gather more tightly and stay put. Both are 84 in (213 cm) long, so check that against your drop from Step 1.

No recess? Light sheers on adhesive hooks

On a flush wall, two adhesive hooks above the window frame can hold a slim rod, or curtain rings, for a light sheer. Do it properly:

• Check the rated load on the hook's packaging and add up the rod plus the curtain. Stay well under the total. Adhesive hooks are for light loads only, the same rule as the adhesive hooks in a small entryway.
• Clean the wall where the hook goes with rubbing alcohol, not a household spray, and follow the waiting time on the pack before hanging anything.
• Smooth, painted walls hold best. Textured walls, wallpaper and very fresh paint often do not.
• Kitchens and bathrooms are harder: steam and heat weaken the adhesive.
• To remove a hook, follow the release instructions on the pack. Pulling it off at an angle is how paint comes with it.

Heavy, lined or blackout curtains are not for adhesive hooks. If you need full blackout on a flush wall, ask your landlord about a small screw-in rod before you make any hole, and offer to fill the holes when you leave.

Curtains as a room divider

The same tension rod works in an alcove or a wardrobe opening up to about 122 cm wide: a curtain hides open shelves, a desk nook or a bed at night. For splitting a whole studio into zones, see studio zoning without walls.

Curtains and lamps

Keep fabric away from hot bulbs and heaters. A sheer in front of a window looks great with a lamp beside it, not behind it. For plug-in lamps that need no drilling either, see renter-friendly lighting and floor lamps.

Common mistakes

Measuring only once, at the top, and finding the recess is 1 cm narrower at the bottom. Buying a rod stretched to the very end of its range. Hanging a heavy curtain on adhesive hooks and finding it on the floor at 3 a.m. Curtains exactly the width of the rod, so they look like a flat sheet. And floor-length panels that are 5 cm too long and collect dust.

Checklist

• Window type checked: recessed or flush.
• Recess width measured at top, middle and bottom; smallest number used.
• Rod range covers that width with room to spare.
• Rated load on the packaging checked against the rod plus curtain.
• Curtain width about 1.5-2 times the rod.
• Curtain clears the handle and the sill.
• Lease checked before any screw.