Minivan, Hanging Curtains behind Driver Seat?

[Lance22]

Looking to upgrade my current method.

Right now I use a flat piece of metal that acts as a tension rod between the sides ( there is a tiny lip that it goes into right above the side airbag notice.) then I just clip on the curtain from that.

For safety reasons I remove it while driving but I still rather not be jabbing metal right next to my side airbag...


Planning on getting side blind spot mirrors and leaving my back and side window coverings in full-time and leaving the curtain up 24/7 as well. (although I like the idea of using a string or light chip clip to open them during the day however the default mode will be closed so I don't have to mess with them frequently)

At least looking for tension plastic, NOT a rod as it does not bend UP to fit better and block everything better. OR maybe gluing velcro strips to the curtains and ceiling liner? Although I did that for my window coverings and they fell off within a year or two. Looking for a long-term solution that is safer and something that is a "set it and forget it" kinda deal.

Plus would not like to damage the roof fabric liner but I'd rather damage that than drive around or park and have a metal tension strip that could do some serious damage in a crash...


Thoughts on what I could do?

 

[WanderingRose]

I like the idea of the Velcro strips, which should hold well and allow the curtain to conform to any curvature of your ceiling.

Tho they are peel and stick, I would sew the strip onto your fabric curtain, or maybe have a tailor or shoe repair person do this for you.

 

[Lance22]

I like the idea of the Velcro strips, which should hold well and allow the curtain to confirm to any curvature of your ceiling.

Tho they are peel and stick, I would sew the strip onto your fabric curtain, or maybe have a tailor or shoe repair person do this for you.

I think I could sew them...

I sewed up some pants that developed a hole in them. Not the best sewer but I think it's basic enough I could manage..

Now wouldn't it be easier to just make my own curtains? Given that I likely would cut them to size wouldn't it be easier to just buy fabric sew on the velcrow strip and glue the other side to the ceiling?

I'm thinking I'd like more of a blackout curtain so maybe they won't be thick enough fabric from a fabric store?

I'm also thinking they would be best designed to overlap meaning there would be two strips glued to the roof. So instead of them both being 50/50 one would be 70/40 that way they would overlap but not overlap in the center where it be easier to slip into the front?

Plus the short one would be mostly set into place while the bigger one would be chipped clipped to allow for light and airflow.

I know not a completely no-hassle design but I just hated monkeying with all the window coverings.

 

[WanderingRose]

You could easily make your own curtains, without a sewing machine, but may find it difficult to attach the Velcro strips by hand as the tape is thick and firm for a needle to penetrate.

You can buy heavy duty Velcro tape, which may stick to your ceiling without issue, but I think the lengths that go onto your curtains will require a sewing machine.

You should be able to find something that fairly well blocks out light, but won’t want anything too heavy.

 

[vanbrat]

I use velcro for lots of stuff in my van too.
Some of the pros are they are thin and easy to use. They are not very expensive. Mostly they go up easy.

Cons are the cheaper ones are not very good for long term, spring for the good stuff and don't count on the glue to hold for long. If you are going to do something that will be going up and down a lot expect the fussy side to wear out pretty quickly.

Can you put up some hooks and then sew a piece of string/thin rope loop to hang the curtain from the hooks. I am doing that now for my windshield curtain. I need to change my big curtain to something too. I have a curtain rod too between the seats and the back. Every time the dog rolls around as dogs do sometimes with his feet up he knocks it down and gets tangled. I am using some command hook things with sticker stuff. I'm not sure if it will work or not. I know it won't work on anything fabric. So they are on some of the trim around the edges.

 

[Morgana]

Speaking from minimal but not 0 experience -- I have fooled around with curtains and window coverings a bit, in an SUV -- a few thoughts.

(1) Are you sure your plan is safe and legal, even with the blind spot mirrors?

(2) Are you sure attaching stuff to the headliner won't cause it to sag, and that velcro and glue will be durable enough? ... in other words, that this will work long term and won't cause you expensive new problems?

(3) As for wanting a rod that bends up in order to get more complete coverage ... I seem to remember that if I combined a straight rod behind the front seats with good coverage of the front side windows, I got 100% or near-100% privacy (there was no direct line-of-sight left from outside the vehicle). This probably varies from vehicle to vehicle -- but make sure you really need the extra coverage from a hard-to-find and possibly expensive bending rod.

(4) For connecting curtains, would things like this be any good for you? They would of course drop the curtain a bit lower. You might have to look for just the right size.
(5) That little crack where the wall/side covering meets the ceiling covering is a handy place to stick hooks and things like that, but I always worried about breaking something that might be expensive to repair.

(6) You've probably already checked that your vehicle doesn't have enough metal parts to enable you to use magnets instead of velcro, right?

(7) Just thinking generally, it seems like the simpler the solution -- and the less it interferes with driving while you're on the road -- and the less it requires permanent alterations to the vehicle -- the better off you'll be. That doesn't mean that complicated or permanent are /wrong/, just that it would be a good idea to /look/ for ways to avoid them.

Again, not a seasoned road warrior here, just a few thoughts based on my own limited experience.

 

[user 37446]

Also look at similar threads, Author: lab_nomad, March 28, 2021 entitled “window coverings and curtains”.

 

[maki2]

If you need to hand see Velcro onto fabric the easy way to get a needle through velcro is to use a needle made for sewing leather. Those needles have three sharp edges and cut the hole as you push the needle in so it then takes very little effort.

A good curtain material to work with is
Polyester fleece. It comes in lots of colors including grey, black, beige, browns , maroons, etc that will coordinate with the plastic interiors of vehicles. It is thick enough to help insulate from heat or cold and the edges do not fray so no hemming or sewing other than attaching Velcro is needed. Very washable too. Easy to buy at Walmart, Joann Fabrics and Hobby Lobby. Also sold as throws and blankets. Lots of those blankets to choose from in thrift stores if your budget is very tight.

If you want to you can fold over an edge of the fleece to create a hem to thread a bungee cord or rod through it. Just make the hem deep enough for easily putting the bungee through it. You do not have to be an expert hand sewer because the slightly fuzzy, thick fleece will help hide your not so perfect stitches. It is easy to push a needle through the fleece, bigger needles that are easy to hold onto will work just fine for this project.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

My experience with stick-on velcro for curtains in my camper:

On the vehicle side it will work well for about a year (two if you are lucky). After that it holds the curtain well but when you take the curtain down the vehicle side velcro usually come with it.​

​

On the curtain side, the velcro will stick longer but you need to be careful when removing the curtain, pulling by the velcro strip. After a couple of years it too will loose 'stick' and start to come loose from the fabric. Sewing it will be a hassle as the adhesive will gum up the needle.​

 

[wayne49]

Two points.

1. Cargo vans have no back windows, The outside mirrors are adequate for safe driving, if one checks the mirrors routinely. My Class C's inside rear view mirror is useless as it only shows the inside of the house. It is placed up and out of my view.

2. California inspection stations may ask you to pull the curtain aside to see what's behind the curtain.

 

[Happy Camper]

I don't recall what type of van you have. But maybe you can use a couple rare earth magnets. Have one on each side attached to the van. Stitch in matching magnets or even just something metal into the fabric. Easy to put up. Easy to take down.

Maybe some type of hot glue to attach the magnets to the van so your can remove them later? High temp of course.

 

[mtm12345]

I have the same issue with a 2006 Honda Odyssey. I only stealth camped in it one night. I used a pre-made front window cover from Amazon and hand made cut outs for the sides. It took a lot of figitting to get the front completely blacked out but it worked. I wonder why people a curtain cross the backseat instead of doing it this way?

 

[maki2]

My experience with stick-on velcro for curtains in my camper:

On the vehicle side it will work well for about a year (two if you are lucky). After that it holds the curtain well but when you take the curtain down the vehicle side velcro usually come with it. There are round plastic holders of beeswax with slots for pulling thread across it sold in the seeing notions areas in stores. It also keeps the thread from snarling up when sewing on buttons or doing other hand stitching.​

​

On the curtain side, the velcro will stick longer but you need to be careful when removing the curtain, pulling by the velcro strip. After a couple of years it too will loose 'stick' and start to come loose from the fabric. Sewing it will be a hassle as the adhesive will gum up the needle.​

You put bees wax on the needle and thread when sewing through something sticky with adhesives or something such as vinyl which is naturally a bit grabby and binding.

Fortunately I learned about those things and other sewing techniques in the1950s from my mother who did a lot of sewing

 

[maki2]

There is a very important factor when choosing velcro or VHB tape to use in or on vehicles. The majority of the varieties you will find in the hardware, craft and hardware or auto parts stores will loose their grip inside or on the outside of a hot vehicle. The adhesive used on them is not rated for those high temperature on the surfaces which in the hot sun can reach upwards of 200 degrees. It is not the Velcro itself that fails, it is the adhesive on the backside of it.

The fabric Velcro by the yard is made of nylon. Nylon is notoriously difficult for adhesive to bond properly to it.

Of you want a long lasting but removable fastener system for window coverings choose snaps with a screw base that you can put into the inside trim pieces in the vehicle. Then put a matching size snap secured into the curtain fabric.

 

[VanFan]

As for filling in the curved space above a straight rod, I found that leaving a top "ruffle" a few inches thick above the casing that the rod goes through does the trick. Hope that makes sense/helps some.

 

[Ccfree]

I have had 6 vans with curtains. By far the best rod was a spring. There are springs made for this. There are also spring made as a drain clearer. The drain ones are cheaper.

 

[hipsterreplacement]

As for filling in the curved space above a straight rod, I found that leaving a top "ruffle" a few inches thick above the casing that the rod goes through does the trick. Hope that makes sense/helps some.

Yup. This is what is currently working on my early 2000s Chrysler Town & Country minivan. Used a flattened curtainrod that's narrow enough to fit into one side of a Nite Ize S-biner. The other end is used to hook onto the top of the hard plastic strip that ends at the fabric roof line. https://niteize.com/s-biner-stainless-steel-dual-carabiner

It's not a great solution, but it works. I sew, but the store-bought blackout curtains were actually cheaper than I could buy good fabric for without a wholesale license. Ruffles up top cover the distance between the straight curtain rod and the curved minivan roof.

Used velcro on the lower sides of that plastic to hold the sides of the curtain flush, but the velcro peeled off in the heat just a few months later. If I were to try it again, I think I'd drill small holes in the plastic sides, use a curved rug sewing needle, and sew the Velcro to the plastic with one or two stitches instead of relying on the included adhesive to do the job.

I have been so busy I've not been able to work at improving things in the minivan for living in it FT if needed. I would like to explore how possible it is to access metal from inside because you really can't beat high power magnets for keeping stealth equipment applied to the minivan, it seems to me.

 

[Carla618]

I have had 6 vans with curtains. By far the best rod was a spring. There are springs made for this. There are also spring made as a drain clearer. The drain ones are cheaper.

Do you mean tension rods or just springs like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Extended-Compressed-Diameter-Stainless/dp/B07NRSCQ4N/ref=sr_1_6?

 

[VanFan]

...the store-bought blackout curtains were actually cheaper than I could buy good fabric for without a wholesale license.

Same here. I used thermal backed blackout curtains (Walmart) over ten years ago. Much less expensive than comparable yardage. I lined them with a nice van-coordinated fabric on hand just for looks. Instead of cutting them off, the bottoms are folded up toward the back and vertical lines of stitching form pockets for stuff.

The rod is a piece of gray pvc pipe, zip tied by slipping the ties under some wood ceiling trim. It can be surprisingly hard to hang curtains!

The sides still gap a little. I really need to install a few snaps, but have not gotten around to it.

Another pair covers my side doors. These are on two bungie cords: one runs from the center door hardware to the passenger windowshield visor, tucked an upholstery groove along the way; another runs back to an overhead seat belt bracket. All color coordinated, of course (LOL!). I like these better than other covers because I can leave a door open and pull the curtain at any time for a bit of privacy.

A short version is in the back, hung on a shower curtain tension rod in one of only two who places one can go.

 

[jacqueg]

I don't have insulation, just bare metal walls, so magnets work great for me. I sewed them onto Walmart blackout curtains. Boy, you've never lived until you've tried to control a metal needle next to a magnet!

For those of you who don't have metal walls, the magnets you buy at craft stores will never work. I use magnets with a 10-lb pull, you can buy them on Amazon or online sources such as Apex Magnets.They might hold through the lining and foam. You can also buy 20-lb magnets. They require careful handling though, you can seriously pinch your fingers. And I really WOULD NOT recommend trying to sew them!

I have 3 sets of curtains - one pair behind the front seats, one pair for the rear, and one pair for my sliding door. They work great.