curtain-railwindows
I have a bay window similar to the 1st photo below. When I moved in this house, there was a curved curtain rail system and 3 separate pieces of curtain for the 3 windows of the bay. As it was very fragile and seemingly broken I removed all of this. Now I would need a solution to replace it, but I'm really not sure where to start.
What would be the easiest solution, wood or metal, for such a bay window (the only condition is that the curtain must follow the shape of the window)?
This is not meant to be a complete answer, but might help with your understanding of it. My understanding of the physics of windows is as follows -
Nearly all radiation (visible, UV, infrared, every other type too) that travels from outside the house into the house and is absorbed (not reflected back out again) is converted into heat. I would expect that exceptions (such as the energy from UV light causing a chemical change, such as when it fades your couch, or waves that induce a current in a conductor) are relatively negligible.
This means any radiation that can be reflected from the window to prevent it entering the house reduces the heat load. Also, if the radiation is absorbed into the window glass (eg through tinting it), then some of the heat from the window glass will be lost to the outside (through both conductance/convection and some radiated heat) which is an additional benefit.
A heated window pane would like lose more heat to the outside than the inside because the wind would help keep the temperature difference between the glass and the adjacent outside air larger than the temperature difference between the glass and the inside air.
The pictures you added, were edited with info to help you decide which way you want to go.
There are 3 options to choose
1) Out right replacement of the whole window sash and all.
This is the most expensive way to go about it.
Its benefits are the ability to check the condition of the framing. Windows leak over time and unseen damage will be hidden.
The other considerations are you may need to remove your siding and reset some of it to get you new windows in with their preapplied trim in place. Then again, it is a newer style of window versus sash weights, and the trim or nailing flange will fit very nicely. There is a chance you will need finish it off by covering it with a PVC brick mold.
2) Renovation kit with sash and jamb. These fit a new jamb with sash directly into the existing jamb, saving the existing trim and labor removing the jamb and trim. You only need to remove the sash and track.
3) Use a jamb reliner kit
Best Answer
There are standard curtain rods for bay windows such as this one
There is also no reason you cannot use three rods, placed close to one another, one for each window.