What is curtain stack back, and how much wall do curtains need?
Stack back is the width a curtain takes up when it is pulled fully open. To keep the glass clear, the track is run past the window so the stack sits on the wall. How much wall that takes depends on the fabric, the heading, the fullness and the track, so there is no single figure.
An open curtain does not disappear. All of its fabric gathers into a column at the end of the track. If the track is only as wide as the window, that column sits over the glass and takes away light and view.
What makes a stack bigger
- Width. A wider curtain has more fabric to gather.
- Fullness. More fabric for the same track width means a wider stack.
- Fabric. Thick, lined or heavy fabrics stack wider than sheers.
- Heading. Different headings fold up differently.
- The track and its runners (gliders). How many there are and how closely they close up sets the smallest the stack can be.
Because all of these change it, no fixed percentage predicts a stack accurately. A rule of thumb is a starting point at best. The retailer or the maker works it out for the actual curtain.
One side or both
A curtain that opens from the centre splits its fabric into two smaller stacks, one each side. A curtain that draws one way puts the whole stack on one side, which suits a sliding door, or a window hard against a corner.
When there is not enough wall
- Let the stack sit partly over the glass and accept a little less view.
- Stack to the side that has wall.
- Choose a lighter fabric or less fullness.
Stack depth
A stack also comes forward into the room. Wave Fold and S Fold curtains need space in front of and behind the track for the wave, and two curtains on a double track need more again. That matters next to handles, sills and furniture.
Your curtain retailer measures the wall either side of the window and tells you where the stack will sit before anything is ordered. Speedy Blinds makes for retailers and does not measure or quote for homeowners.
Other ways people ask this
What is stacking space?
The same thing as stack back.
How far should a curtain track extend past the window?
Far enough for the stack to sit on the wall, if the wall allows it. The distance depends on the curtain.
Is a return the same as stack back?
No. A return is the short section of curtain that turns back to the wall at the end of the track.
This answer is general information. For your own windows, your retailer's advice and your order with them come first.
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