How to Make a Basement Wall Out of Curtains
Basements are often large open spaces with minimal separation. One way to create privacy walls inside a basement without building walls is by making soft curtain walls. A soft curtain wall can hide unsightly areas, create an intimate space, soften the sounds, and allow a space to be transformed into a room. This is a budget-conscious solution to space management. Creating a wall is not difficult and if you find your fabrics at a discount store in bulk, the price will be good, too.
Install The Cable For A Curtain Wall
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Measure the cross walls and mark the location where you want to install the cable hardware for your curtain wall. Mount your cable close to the ceiling for the maximum wall effect. The cable should be attached directly into a stud for stud walls or into the block portion of a concrete block wall. Mark your locations on each opposing wall.
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Screw a heavy-duty screw hook directly into a wood stud for stud walls. Drill a pilot hole if the screw hook is too difficult for you to turn by hand. Drill a hole for a masonry wall anchor with a hammer drill. Use a one-piece expansion anchor for solid concrete walls. Use a metal-sleeve type anchor for hollow concrete block walls. Screw the hooks into the anchors.
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Loosen the turnbuckles to the maximum open position. Thread cable through the loop end of the turnbuckle. Use cable wire rope clips to connect the end of the cable to the main part of the cable. Leave an extra 6 inches of cable on the short side. Place the hook end of the turnbuckle onto the screw hook mounted in the wall.
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Stretch the cable across the basement. Hook the loosened and open the turnbuckle to the wall hook. Thread the cable through the loop end of the turnbuckle. Pull the cable to make it as tight as possible. Use cable wire rope clips to connect the end of the cable to the main (stretched) part of the cable. Leave an extra 6 inches of cable on the short side. Cut off the excess wire with cable cutters.
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Tighten the cable more by turning the turnbuckles to tighten or shorten the distance inside the turnbuckle.
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Attach ring and clips to the cable. You will need 8 to 10 rings per standard-width curtain panel (approximately 60 inches of fabric).
Make Simple Curtain Panels
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Pre-wash your curtain fabric and iron the fabric before making your curtain panels. This will prevent later shrinkage.
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Measure the height from the cable to the floor and add 1 inch. Use the width of your fabric for individual panels or sew the sides together for wider curtains. For individual panels hem around all four sides with a 1/2 inch hem. For joined panels hem the top and bottom edges and seam along the sides to attach as many panels together as you like.
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Attach your curtain panels to the cable by evenly spacing the alligator clip portion of the curtain rings to the top edge of the curtain panels.
References
Tips
- Consider buying fabric by the bolt to cover long walls at a discount.
Writer Bio
F.R.R. Mallory has been published since 1996, writing books, short stories, articles and essays. She has worked as an architect, restored cars, designed clothing, renovated homes and makes crafts. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley with bachelor's degrees in psychology and English. Her fiction short story "Black Ice" recently won a National Space Society contest.
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