Deciding on the appropriate components for ones drapery hardware window treatment is vital if you want your window treatment to look terrific and operate the way you want it to. The first step in putting together your drapery hardware treatment is to select the proper rod diameter like 1 3/8 inch, 2 inch or 2 1/4 inch along with the material composition for your components like wood, metal or wrought iron. Once you know your pole diameter and make up, you're prepared to decide about drapery rod style.

Most drapery hardware poles can be purchased in smooth, fluted and twisted styles.

The overall style of drapery rod you decide on generally is a matter of your personal preference. But, you should think about some typical guidelines before you decide based only on aesthetics. Different rod styles offer unique presentations depending on the finish you choose. As an example, a fluted pole that is painted looks entirely different if it is stained. That's because wood in the pole acts in different ways to paint and stain. A stained fluted rod may appear a lot darker as the flutes, or grooves, inside the pole absorb more stain than the other areas of the pole. But, if you apply a solid paint on a fluted rod, this variation in color will not be as dramatic as you would like. The same is true for twisted poles because the grooves created by the twist will collect more stain and appear darker than the rest of the pole.

Be careful when purchasing an unfinished pole that you would like to stain yourself.

Most wood drapery poles available in local shops are made using finger joints. To help keep expenses low, producers join several pieces of wood together to produce the drapery rod. This isn't a problem if you are planning to paint or faux finish your rod. However, this can be a significant issue if you'd like to stain the pole yourself. After you apply stain on the rod, the wood will take in your stain more heavily at the finger joints and the joints will become noticeable. Be sure to ask your store if the pole you want to stain is made with finger joints.

Smooth style rods are great for fabric wrap or faux finishing installations.

While decorative drapery hardware manufacturers provide lots of color and finish choices, you might like to take on painting the rod yourself. Smooth style wood drapery poles are excellent if you would like faux finish them. And, because fluted and twisted poles normally cost more, smooth is your best option if you want to wrap your own personal fabric around the pole. If you're going to try a fabric wrap treatment, you might want to consider purchasing a wood dowel from your local home improvement center instead of a drapery rod. Because the rod will not be seen, deciding on a rough dowel may help you save money.

Be sure the pole style you end up picking works with the type of drapery you want to use.

If you want your drapery to open and close by using a cord, you are going to need to have a drapery pole with carriers. This type of rod is called a traverse rod. While most people are familiar with the plain white traverse curtain rod, many drapery hardware makers offer functional traverse rods that appear to be just like a decorative wood rod. You'll need to look for a custom drapery hardware retailer or interior designer to assist you with this type of drapery rod.

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