What is a curtain wand or flick stick?

How it works

The wand attaches at the leading edge of the curtain, usually to the first runner (glider), and hangs straight down beside the first fold. To move the curtain you take the wand and walk it along. Nothing is geared or sprung. It is a handle.

Why people choose one

• The fabric stays cleaner. Hands on the same spot every day mark a curtain, especially a pale sheer.
• Reach. A wand brings the pull point down from a high track.
• No cord. A wand has no loop, so it avoids the cord safety concern that comes with a cord drawn track.
• Simplicity. There is very little to wear out or adjust.

Trade offs

• You still walk the curtain across. On a very wide or very heavy curtain a cord drawn or motorised track is easier.
• Lengths and colours vary by supplier, so ask what is available with your track.
• The length matters. A wand has to be long enough to reach comfortably and short enough to hang clear of the floor and of anything under the window.

Wand, cord or motor

These are the three ways a curtain track is worked. Hand drawn, with or without a wand, is the simplest. Cord drawn moves the curtain from one fixed point and has safety rules for the cord. Motorised suits high windows, heavy curtains and anyone who wants a remote or automation.

Your curtain retailer can tell you whether a wand suits your track and curtain, and supply and fit one. Speedy Blinds makes for retailers only, so they are the ones to ask.