Hanging blackout material

[c.cam108]

Not sure what section this one belongs in, but I'm looking for some ideas on how to black out some windows.

 

In our church we have a long row of windows at ceiling height about 500mm tall and the full ~15m length of the hall, with a boxed-in girder every 3m. The last window descends a full 3m from the ceiling.

 

We currently black these windows out using some black stage curtain material bought from Thomann. We have sections cut 3m x 500mm (and one 3m x 3m), threaded over a 22mm copper pipe which is hung at either end from a pipe clip. Not ideal, and they sag a bit in the middle, but they work. These are hung and removed two or three times a year.

 

The only issue is that these windows are 6m off the ground, and hanging the blackouts is not a fun job, and should really not be done up a ladder the way they work. So, I'm looking for an alternative way to hang the curtains.

 

My initial thoughts are that we could stitch the lot of them together into one long curtain and fit eyelets every 300-500mm or so along the top edge, with hooks (or simply nails) in a batten along the top of the window opening. They could then be hooked on and off using a pole from a safer working height. I'm not sure how workable this solution is though.

 

Any other suggestions? I can provide photos if required.

[Dave m]

I am having a slight problem imagining it but I used to know a school hall that had windows on both sides, one side of which was a single storey corridor so floor to ceiling one side, ceiling down a couple of metres on the other.

The curtains had normal industrial type curtain rail ( not tab track - although this could be done) with a draw string arrangement so they were done from the floor or a small step ladder.

The copper pipe is too bendy. Use steel tube .

Is scaffolding tower rental an option?

[Brian]

1) Use 20mm steel conduit not copper tube and

2) add an intermediate support in the centre, get someone to put a small cutout in the drapes to clear the additional support and

3) use 2 ladders, one at each end, to rig.

[Seano]

Any other suggestions?

 

Tab track too obvious?

 

I can provide photos if required.

 

You may get better suggestions if you do. Stick 'em up on a website somewhere (Flikr, Photobucket or sommat if you don't have your own space) and post a link here...