Shower curtain rod help
March 14, 2023 11:05 AM Subscribe
I just moved into a new rental that had a one of those tension rods to hold up the shower curtain. I took the rod down to hook up my shower curtain and I can not get it to stay up again. I tried buying a brand-new rod...and this one will stay up for maybe 1 minute. Is there a secret to getting these things to work? WTF am I doing wrong?
The shower has tile walls. I'm not trying to put it up while the walls are wet. I expand the rod until it fits between the two walls and then twist the inner rod to tighten, as the instructions say. My shower curtain is not heavy and I can't get it to stay up without the shower curtain either. I feel like I must be missing something because the rod was already there when I moved in and hadn't fallen down.
The shower has tile walls. I'm not trying to put it up while the walls are wet. I expand the rod until it fits between the two walls and then twist the inner rod to tighten, as the instructions say. My shower curtain is not heavy and I can't get it to stay up without the shower curtain either. I feel like I must be missing something because the rod was already there when I moved in and hadn't fallen down.
Aside from what any portmanteau suggested, another thing I always do is attach felt furniture pads to the ends of the rod. I find that the extra cushioning helps keep the rod in place.
posted by May Kasahara at 11:23 AM on March 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by May Kasahara at 11:23 AM on March 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
After trying every way to make tension rods stay up I caved and bought the fancy curved kind you screw in. No regrets on that, I recommend if in your budget.
But they also make adhesive brackets, you can get some on Amazon, to give more stability to tension rods.
posted by emjaybee at 11:33 AM on March 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
But they also make adhesive brackets, you can get some on Amazon, to give more stability to tension rods.
posted by emjaybee at 11:33 AM on March 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
I place the rod at a slight angle and tighten it. Then I straighten it. That way the rod is slightly longer and has better tension against the wall.
Yeah. Also sometimes it turns out you're unknowingly installing it at an angle to begin with, which makes it easier for it to fall. You want to move it around a bit after expanding to be sure you're installing it at the point of tightest fit, which means it's straight.
posted by trig at 11:52 AM on March 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
Yeah. Also sometimes it turns out you're unknowingly installing it at an angle to begin with, which makes it easier for it to fall. You want to move it around a bit after expanding to be sure you're installing it at the point of tightest fit, which means it's straight.
posted by trig at 11:52 AM on March 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
Some tension rods also have twist adjustment that that tightens them against the wall
posted by snuffleupagus at 11:53 AM on March 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by snuffleupagus at 11:53 AM on March 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
Could you provide pictures? I think there are several different kinds of these things, each of which might need different kinds of fidgeting.
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:08 PM on March 14, 2023
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:08 PM on March 14, 2023
Yes, pictures would help.
One idea I had that depends on your specific room: Could you suspend the rod just _outside_ the tile area, and also mount a couple of pieces of wood just below the ends to take the vertical downward force?
Other ideas:
- make sure your rod is still in good condition and can achieve sufficient tension;
- get some grippy drawer liner stuff to put between the rod and the tiles to increase friction;
- use the lightest shower curtain you possibly can
- find studs in the ceiling, screw some heavy duty hooks into those, and add a suspension support to each end of the rod
posted by amtho at 1:24 PM on March 14, 2023
One idea I had that depends on your specific room: Could you suspend the rod just _outside_ the tile area, and also mount a couple of pieces of wood just below the ends to take the vertical downward force?
Other ideas:
- make sure your rod is still in good condition and can achieve sufficient tension;
- get some grippy drawer liner stuff to put between the rod and the tiles to increase friction;
- use the lightest shower curtain you possibly can
- find studs in the ceiling, screw some heavy duty hooks into those, and add a suspension support to each end of the rod
posted by amtho at 1:24 PM on March 14, 2023
Do the tiles go all the way up to the ceiling or do they stop at some point? I've put a rod I couldn't get to stay up so high that it sat on top of the highest row of tiles. You have to adjust it to the width of the walls at that point, not the tiles. Then you have the tension holding it but it also gets a little help by perching on top of the tiles.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:29 PM on March 14, 2023
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:29 PM on March 14, 2023
and are you screwing it the correct way? you might be shortening it just a little bit...
posted by calgirl at 1:52 PM on March 14, 2023
posted by calgirl at 1:52 PM on March 14, 2023
Hold straight
Expand to fit space
Now boost one end up about 4 inches and expand a touch more
Tap that end back down until it's straight again
posted by Ausamor at 3:31 PM on March 14, 2023 [5 favorites]
Expand to fit space
Now boost one end up about 4 inches and expand a touch more
Tap that end back down until it's straight again
posted by Ausamor at 3:31 PM on March 14, 2023 [5 favorites]
There are stick-on rod-holders on Amazon that can help
posted by kschang at 4:25 PM on March 14, 2023
posted by kschang at 4:25 PM on March 14, 2023
I get mine good and tight and then humidity from using the shower makes it slide. I solved it by taping a square of several layers of duct tape just under each end. Ugly, but it works.
posted by JanetLand at 5:47 PM on March 14, 2023
posted by JanetLand at 5:47 PM on March 14, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:20 AM on March 14, 2023 [12 favorites]