how to make an insulated curtain?

[Kathleen]

I cut reflectix to fit each window and covered the edges with duct tape. That works great except it was too shiny inside so I covered each window piece with felt covering the edges again with duct tape. I used a spray adhesive to apply the felt, no sewing necessary. I suppose you could do this to the outside of the reflectix with black felt. I don't mind the reflectix on the outside because my tinted windows block the shine a little bit and I want it to help block the Sun.

Thanks! I've got spray adhesive, :idea: guess I could use that rather than a staple gun. I'm allergic to chemicals so would have to do it far enough in advance to let fumes dissipate.

 

[Kathleen]

Insulated drapes are available at walmart and many other stores.

Yes, I have seen those. Was hoping to find a way to hang them between front seats and back bed area without making alterations to my minivan. The overhead side handles are set too far back to run them across there. I tried a spring rod in the right location but the walls are angled so it did not fit.

I may have to alter my vehicle to hang the privacy/darkout/insulating curtains behind the two front seats.

 

[John61CT]

I think if you keep experimenting you can find a way.

Different shaped steel, flat vs rectangular tubing? Pre-bent to creat an arch shape, start out too long then cut just right with a hacksaw?

Strong magnets?

If nothing else, just needing one small hole in the liner on each side to fix in the support post?

Focus on getting the arch firmly in place, then look at the track/slider to attach to it.

 

[Kathleen]

Thanks, John. I have super strong rare earth magnets. Guess I'll invest in dark out curtains and see if that approach works.

 

[RVTravel]

One of Bob's recent vlogs shows a lady who used Harbor Freight moving blankets as her insulated window shades.

 

[John61CT]

> I have super strong rare earth magnets

I meant to hold up the steel you the attach the curtain runner to.

If you want to use magnets to actually hold the material directly, depending how much curve the roof has, you may want to check out the magnetic material that comes in strips or rolls.

I've seen some advertised as very powerful, but maybe not as much as yours.

 

[dj55]

Harbor freight has their moving blankets on sale,with coupon you can pick up at the store,for $5.99

 

[Victor]

I didn't care so much about insulated curtains but have been looking for how to do curtains in my fit and came across this video.
I've been trying to work with sticky Velcro but it only seems to stick to smooth surfaces.

 

[Kathleen]

I didn't care so much about insulated curtains but have been looking for how to do curtains in my fit and came across this video.
I've been trying to work with sticky Velcro but it only seems to stick to smooth surfaces.

Thanks, Victor. I just watched this guy using a thin aluminum strip across the top of his Prius in order to hang curtains that block off the back seats. He's a genius.  :idea: 

Just watched the video you sent re making an insulated "sandwich" for windows. It's very precise work & I'd have to buy a glue gun, glue, that special white air filled board, & the black fabric from Walmart. He does a great job of creating insulation that fits snug, built to last, keeps the interior warm.

I may take the time to do this.     I found a Youtube video from Kelly Doyle on how to hang curtains behind the front seat in a minivan. No velcro required.

 

[Kathleen]

If you want to use magnets to actually hold the material directly, depending how much curve the roof has, you may want to check out the magnetic material that comes in strips or rolls.

I've seen some advertised as very powerful, but maybe not as much as yours.

Thx, John. I'll save the rare earth magnets for rock hounding. The metal strip from Home Depot does hold magnets.  I didn't know magnetic material came in strips or rolls. That could be extremely handy.

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

Using shiny inside is pointless.

I don't think that's accurate, John ... not trying to start a debate, I just think that IR will still be reflected even if it's not the first layer.  Maybe "less effective" ... it'd be fun to experiment on that question!  Think I could get a government grant?  

 

[John61CT]

Well some people feel warmed by a couple candles under a flowerpot with a raging blizzard outside.

If the living space is well enough insulated doesn't take much heat input, and we are all putting out about 100W body heat to start with.

People who rely only on scientific measurements miss out on very powerful placebo effects.

 

[SoulRaven]

Well some people feel warmed by a couple candles under a flowerpot with a raging blizzard outside.

If the living space is well enough insulated doesn't take much heat input, and we are all putting out about 100W body heat to start with.

People who rely only on scientific measurements miss out on very powerful placebo effects.

John, You're Not Right

 

[Victor]

My first you tube video is going to be on how not to make a curtain - or a you tube video. Anyway, I cut Reflectix for my front windshield but it doesn't work so well so I hung it straight down from the visors and that worked okay. When I went to put it away today I rolled it up and it takes up so much space that I was disappointed. Now I'm thinking about curtains for the front and back windows but I'm not sure. I've had bad luck with sticky backed Velcro not sticking to the windows. Must be the level of condensation in the vehicle?

There is enough metal to try magnets. What sort of stores sell magnets? (I'll check on-line also).

I went to the store to find the materials the guy in the video talked about but couldn't find them. I can try the other stores. I like the inset window coverings on the sides but I'm not so sure about the bigger windows because they can't be rolled up. And I'm not so sure about the mini windows in the front or the back either. That being said, I've spent a significant amount of money on the window curtains going about trial and error.

One of the things I wish I had done better is being more patient about the process. The good news is one roll of reflectix is enough to cover every window in the car and have a whole other roll.

 

[Kathleen]

"I've had bad luck with sticky backed Velcro not sticking to the windows. Must be the level of condensation in the vehicle?"

Have you tried Industrial Strength velcro? I hear it works well. 

"There is enough metal to try magnets. What sort of stores sell magnets? (I'll check on-line also). "

Bob Wells uses ceramic magnets from Amazon. Do a search in his blog or the forum. Michael's Craft store sells magnets. Print a 40 per cent off coupon to get the discount. View online first.

"The good news is one roll of reflectix is enough to cover every window in the car and have a whole other roll."

I bought a real wide roll of the shiny stuff for my minivan & silver Reflectix tape. Home Depot did not stock the wide roll of masking paper the guy in the video used so I will check local hardware stores. That paper is perfect for tracing the shape of the windows, it's so thin. 

I watched Kelly Doyle's video re how to do blackout curtains behind the two front seats of the minivan. Today I bought the same piece of 1/16" flat metal bar, the binder clip & the dark out curtains. It's just what I need for the contours of the minivan roof. The metal bar flexes and the curtains slide over it. The ends of the bar slide in between the plastic & the upholstery at either end of the bar. A binder clip (must be just the right size) holds the metal rod with the clip part inserted into dvd or rear A/C unit. I'm now so much closer to the privacy I need. She did a walkabout. Her interior was pitch black from the outside, well lit inside. No light showing at all.

Any minivan owners who need privacy watch Kelly Doyle's minivan curtain video on youtube. You can also use mini binder clips to insert curtains around the rear & back seats. No washer, no magnets required for light weight curtains. One video showed a couple in a warm climate buying second hand store sheets for $5. The clipped them into the entire wall of each side of their van.

Also a note re the Kidde fire extinguisher recall. The customer service rep at Home Depot told me to bring the one at my house to the store & he would replace it with a new model. Very nice! 

Good luck with your project, Victor!

 

[Victor]

While out today, I bought paper black out curtains. These were nice because they stuck and fell the way they were supposed to. I don't think I will use them much in the car because they are too fragile but I'm going to add them as a review to my curtain video. I bought pretty simple curtain hooks which are pointy at one side. Once I realized I had ruined the vehicles ceiling I didn't feel bad about these small puncture holes. I also bought a magnetic curtain rod. While non of these have to do with insulated curtains I will leave one note. Doubling reflectix does make the reflectix more sturdy. Almost annoying to bend or roll - maybe that is a good thing.

 

[breeze]

Velcro maxes out at 10 lbs force I believe. 3m dual plastic spikes (I forget what they are  called) maxes out at 15 lbs force (or I forget exactly which is the strongest, but it's on the front of the boxes at Home Depot and they are right beside each other - and that stuff is expensive, both of them!) Velcro seems to average out well in strength, and although the 2 way homogeneous spikes may max out greater force, they also give way in an orthoganol (or right angle) direction to the main clasping force direction up and down (plastic spikes on top of plastic spikes coefficient of friction gives in one direction).
3M is the absolute best tape adhesive known to man (or woman), but I think a mixture of both of the top velcro/3m spike products should yield the best results. However, I agree that the condensation on the glass reduces adhesion of the glues.

I am going to look at that further, but I think a large part of that is separating your areas away from your breathing (humidity) output. After thinking about it for a while, I've come to the conclusion that roof vents are for heat and floor vents are for cold temps: so that should help circulation in the right direction. Air flows are very tricky to simulate with soap bubbles, etc... but cutting holes in your van is serious business too, lol.

With all the different material types around my windows, plastic fabric seems the best and rubber seems ok. I've used glass too, with textured fabric the worst. I'm getting my fitted 'trucker' shades next week, so I'm looking forward to see how the big boys do it; and then try to improve upon that. It sounds like a complete coverage more systemic (w/ a few smaller different style tab fasteners) than just Velcro where ever you can make it stick. Still, it sounds like the difference between a good night's rest and a restless night; or that's what I'm hoping anyway   If sure does look purty though!

 

[Kathleen]

With all the different material types around my windows, plastic fabric seems the best and rubber seems ok. I've used glass too, with textured fabric the worst. I'm getting my fitted 'trucker' shades next week, so I'm looking forward to see how the big boys do it; and then try to improve upon that. It sounds like a complete coverage more systemic (w/ a few smaller different style tab fasteners) than just Velcro where ever you can make it stick. Still, it sounds like the difference between a good night's rest and a restless night; or that's what I'm hoping anyway   If sure does look purty though!

Beautiful!!  :heart:

 

[tx2sturgis]

People who rely only on scientific measurements miss out on very powerful placebo effects.

Whatchoo talkin' bout Willis?

Hey...my horoscope, rabbit's foot, copper bracelets, and fuel line magnets are all good stuff, man. 

I'm gonna go out and invest in some of those new nano-crystals and make MILLIONS!




(please read this post before it's deleted....)

 

[Kathleen]

I'm gonna go out and invest in some of those new nano-crystals and make MILLIONS!

  I need some "walking around money" too. To stay on topic, extra $$$ would would help me make those complex Reflectix "sandwich" insulated window shields, as well as the curtains I am hanging. All this stuff for making a camper van adds up. 

May get Freedom ready to roll, then have to play music on the street corner for gas $$