What to know about Umbra rods
Umbra mostly makes designer rods, and many are telescopic: you set the length by sliding one tube out of the other. Handy, but the weak spot is the middle, where the tubes overlap. On a wide window with heavy curtains, the rod needs a centre bracket.
The brand also has wraparound models, such as Twilight, where the ends curve back to the wall. The curtain wraps round the corner and closes the side gap, so less morning light gets into the bedroom. Brackets for these go in with the curve in mind, or the ends won’t meet the wall.
A double rod carries a sheer and a heavier curtain at once. That’s more weight, so the fixings are chosen for both curtains together, not for one.
Rather hand the job over? More here: curtain rail fitting in Warsaw.
Where installation goes wrong
- Brackets marked off the window reveals. Reveals are rarely straight, and a rod shows every height difference.
- A telescopic rod stretched almost to its limit with no centre support. A few weeks later it sags.
- Brackets too close to the window. The curtain catches the handle and gets in the way of the opening sash.
- On a double rod, the front and back tubes aren’t set parallel, so the curtains rub against each other.
- Drilling above the window without checking where the cables run.
On safety: above the window and near the ceiling, the wall is checked with a cable detector before the drill comes out.
Getting ready
- Decide how high the rod goes and how far past the window edges.
- Check that all the brackets and finials are in the box.
- Think about the curtains: how long they are and how much they weigh.
- Clear the windowsill and the space by the window.
How to book
In the app, describe the job: the Umbra model, window width, single or double rod, what the wall is made of. Add a photo of the window. Handymen send offers with their own price, and you choose on price, rating and reviews.
The handyman gets your phone and address after you choose. You pay them directly and they issue the invoice. Plugs and screws are normally included, an extra centre bracket, if the set doesn’t have one, is bought separately.
Order in the app
Describe the job, add photos and the address. Tradespeople send their own prices and dates, and you pick one of the offers.
Open the appIf the rod sags or a bracket pulls away because of the installation, the handyman redoes their work. Weak plaster and voids in the wall aren’t their responsibility.
