Keep Curtains from Flaring Out at the Bottom – 8 Easy Upgrades That Actually Work

Introduction

Nothing ruins the polished look of a room faster than curtains that resemble a bell-bottom shape. As an interior designer, I see this issue constantly. You invest in beautiful fabric and the perfect hardware, but once the drapes are hung, they flare out awkwardly at the hem rather than falling in a straight, elegant column. This visual clutter creates subconscious stress because our eyes naturally seek vertical order in architectural spaces.

The good news is that this is rarely a permanent defect of the curtain itself. It usually comes down to “fabric memory”—the material wants to return to how it was stored on the bolt—or a lack of proper weighting. Whether you are dealing with stiff polyester blends, unlined linen, or high-end velvet, physics is usually the culprit. We simply need to retrain the fibers and add the right amount of gravity to correct the drape.

In this guide, I will walk you through the eight specific methods I use on installation days to ensure drapery hangs perfectly perpendicular to the floor. These range from simple steaming tricks to architectural hardware hacks. For plenty of visual inspiration and examples of perfectly hung drapery, be sure to check out the Picture Gallery at the end of this blog post.

1. The “Train and Tie” Method

The most non-invasive way to fix flaring is to “train” your curtains. This acts like braces for your fabric. When curtains are packaged or rolled on a bolt, the fibers develop a memory of that shape. You need to overwrite that memory with a new one: deep, consistent pleats.

To do this, open your curtains fully so they are stacked back against the wall. Use your hands to arrange the pleats exactly how you want them to look, folding the fabric like an accordion from the top header all the way down to the hem. The folds should be uniform in depth.

Once folded, take a soft ribbon or a strip of fabric and tie it loosely around the curtain stack. I recommend tying them in three places: the top, the middle, and the bottom. Do not tie them too tightly, or you will create horizontal creases that are hard to remove.

Designer’s Note: Patience is Key

Leave the curtains tied for a minimum of two weeks. I know it is tempting to untie them sooner, but the fibers need time to relax into this new vertical orientation. In evidence-based design, we know that environmental cues impact behavior; think of this as behavioral training for your textiles. If you have a steamer, you can lightly steam the folded stack to speed up the process, but time is the best tool here.

2. The Strategic Steam Strategy

Steaming is not just for removing wrinkles; it is a structural tool. Heat and moisture relax the tension in the weave that causes the bottom corners to kick out. However, there is a specific technique to doing this correctly so you don’t ruin the fabric.

Never steam from the front face of the fabric if you can avoid it, especially with velvet or delicate silks. Always steam from the backside (the lining side). This prevents water spots and “crushing” the pile of the fabric.

Start at the very top and work your way down slowly. When you reach the bottom hem—the trouble zone—apply extra steam while gently pulling the hem downward. You are using heat to lengthen the fibers slightly and kill the static flare.

Common Mistakes + Fixes

Mistake: Steaming linen while it is perfectly dry.
Fix: Linen is stubborn. It requires a lot of moisture to change shape. I usually mist linen curtains with a spray bottle of distilled water first, then go over them with the steamer. The weight of the water helps pull the flare out as it dries.

3. Installing Covered Lead Weights

If training and steaming don’t work, you need gravity. In professional drapery workrooms, we almost always sew weights into the hem. The most standard option is a covered lead weight. These look like small, fabric-covered squares or discs.

You want to place these inside the hem at the bottom corners. If your curtains are already sewn shut, you can carefully use a seam ripper to open about two inches of the side seam at the bottom. Slide the weight in, tack it securely to the hem allowance (not the face fabric, so stitches don’t show), and hand-stitch the opening closed.

Safety Constraint: Pet and Child Safety

As a specialist in pet-friendly design, I must add a warning here. Lead is toxic if ingested. If you have puppies who chew or toddlers who play on the floor, you must ensure these weights are sewn completely inside the hem and cannot be worked loose. If you are unsure about the stitching quality, skip the lead and opt for non-toxic stainless steel weights instead.

4. The “Penny Hack” for Renters

If you are renting or on a strict budget and cannot alter the curtains, the “penny hack” is a classic industry secret. It is essentially a DIY version of drapery weights that costs practically nothing.

Take four to five pennies and stack them. Tape them together tightly with electrical tape or masking tape. The tape prevents the metal from reacting with your fabric or leaving oxidation stains (which can happen with copper and light linens).

Drop this little packet into the open end of your hem. If the hem is sewn shut at the sides, you can simply cut a tiny slit on the back layer of the hem fabric, insert the pennies, and close it with a safety pin or a dab of fabric glue. It provides just enough heft to pull a flaring corner straight down.

5. Using Beaded Chain Weights

For lightweight sheers or curtains that flare across the entire width—not just the corners—corner weights won’t be enough. You will end up with a curtain that hangs straight on the ends but billows in the middle. This is where chain weights come in.

This is a long, flexible chain of small lead or steel beads covered in a fabric casing. It looks like a shoelace with beads inside. You thread this through the entire length of the bottom hem.

This distributes weight evenly across the entire panel. It creates a beautiful, rhythmic flow to the fabric and mimics the high-end drape seen in luxury hotels. This is particularly effective for outdoor curtains on a patio, as it helps keep them from blowing wildly in the breeze.

6. Opening the Side Hems

Sometimes the construction of the curtain itself is the problem. In mass-produced curtains, the machine stitching on the side hems often pulls tighter than the fabric itself. This tension pulls the corners up and out, creating that dreaded “ski-jump” look.

The fix requires a little bit of sewing knowledge but is very effective. Use a seam ripper to undo the stitching on the bottom two inches of the side hems.

By releasing this tension, the corner can relax and drop. You can leave it open (as is often done in custom couture drapery) or tack it loosely back in place by hand. The goal is to ensure the thread is not shorter than the fabric.

7. Adding a Heavy Interlining

If your curtains look flimsy and flare out, it is often because the material is too thin to support its own structure. In evidence-based design, we look at acoustics and thermal comfort; thin curtains fail at both. They also fail aesthetically.

The upgrade here is to add a flannel interlining. This goes between the face fabric and the backing. While this sounds like a major project, you can cheat this by purchasing “drapery liner” panels that hook onto your existing curtain rod behind the main panel.

The friction between the flannel liner and your main curtain helps grab the fabric and hold it in place. The added bulk also rounds out the pleats, making them look voluptuous rather than creased and angular.

8. Magnetic Closure Weights

For a modern, tech-savvy solution, magnetic weights are fantastic. These are particularly useful for keeping two panels together in the center, preventing that annoying gap that lets light in while also weighing down the inner corners.

You can buy sew-on magnets or simple magnetic discs that attract each other through the fabric. Place one magnet in the bottom corner of the left panel and one in the bottom corner of the right panel.

When the curtains are closed, the magnets snap together. This locks the bottom hem in place, forcing a straight line and eliminating the flare. This is my go-to “what I’d do in a real project” for media rooms where light control is critical.

Finish & Styling Checklist

Once you have applied your upgrades, run through this quick checklist to ensure the look is polished.

• The Kiss: Check that your curtains are just barely touching the floor (the “kiss”) or hovering 1/4 inch above. If they are too short (high-waters), they will flare more. If they puddle too much, the flare gets lost in the mess, but it collects dust.
• The Stack: Ensure your curtain rod extends 10–12 inches past the window frame on each side. This allows the curtain to stack back against the wall, hiding the side flare against the architecture.
• The Pleat Check: Run your finger down the pleats from top to bottom one last time to “set” the fold.
• Lighting Check: Turn on your room lights. Sometimes side-lighting exaggerates the look of a flare. Adjusting your floor lamp position can minimize the shadow.

FAQs

Why do my linen curtains flare more than others?
Linen is a bast fiber, meaning it is stiff and has a hollow core. It resists draping naturally. It relies heavily on humidity levels. In dry climates, linen flares more. Steaming and weighting are non-negotiable for linen.

Can I use fishing weights instead of drapery weights?
Technically yes, but be careful. Lead fishing weights are often irregularly shaped and not covered. They can wear a hole through your fabric over time. Always wrap them in scrap fabric or tape before inserting them into a hem.

How do I fix flaring on outdoor curtains?
Outdoor fabric is usually acrylic (like Sunbrella) and is very stiff to resist water. The best method for outdoor curtains is the chain weight method or using heavy-duty magnets at the bottom to secure them to the patio post or floor.

Does washing curtains cause them to flare?
Yes, it can. If the face fabric shrinks at a different rate than the lining, you get a “bagging” effect where the lining pulls the hem up, causing a flare. Always dry clean custom or lined drapes, or wash on cold and hang dry, stretching the hem while damp.

Conclusion

Correcting curtain flare is one of those small details that separates a “lived-in” room from a “designed” space. You do not need to replace your window treatments to get a professional look. By understanding the physics of the fabric—and applying a little heat, weight, or training—you can elevate the entire feel of your room.

Remember that textiles are fluid materials. They react to humidity, heat, and gravity. Don’t be afraid to handle them. Tug on the hems, steam the creases, and add the necessary weight to make them behave. Your home will feel calmer and more orderly for it.

Picture Gallery