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DIY Patio Curtains from Drop Cloths (with no sewing)

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Are you looking for a simple solution for the summer sun beating down on your patio?  These DIY Patio Curtains from drop cloths may be exactly what you need to add a bit of shade to your outdoor space.  Bonus- you can make these curtains with no sewing!

Are you looking for a simple solution for the summer sun beating down on your patio? These DIY Patio Curtains from drop cloths may be exactly what you need to add a bit of shade to your outdoor space. Bonus- you can make these curtains with no sewing!

Our back patio faces west and even though it’s covered, the relentless Texas sun bakes our patio between the hours of 2 and 7 pm.  The heat makes it impossible to enjoy our patio until the sun dips below the treeline.

We’ve looked into a few shade options, but everything has been out of our budget.  We finally decided to give some simple patio curtains made from drop cloths a try.

no sew curtains from drop cloths

The curtains have been up for over a month now.  I wanted to fix up the porch a bit before trying to get photos and posting about the curtains, but it’s already well into July and before you know it, summer will be over.  (Plus my hubby brought home that monster of a baby pool you see in the photo, so I figured it really doesn’t matter now anyway…)

no sew curtains from drop cloths

What makes these curtains so great is we bought enough of the drop cloths, so when you pull the curtains open, they are wide enough to reach all the way across the open space between the cedar posts.  Blocks every bit of the sun!

no sew curtains from drop cloths

DIY Patio Curtains from Drop Cloths

Disclaimer:  As I am sure you know, any cotton fabric left bunched up after being rained on, will mold/mildew.  Drop cloths are made from cotton. To ensure your curtains will last, be sure to open them so they can air dry after it rains.  If you live in a perpetually wet/humid climate, you might want to spring for the special outdoor fabric.

For the curtains I used:

(Someday, I hope to get real Sunbrella outdoor curtain fabric.   At $15.00 per yard with a 12 ft tall and 60 foot wide opening, I don’t even want to calculate how many yards I would need… OK, I calculated it, I would need almost 60 yards, ouch.)

[irp]
 

To make the curtains, I didn’t want to spend too much time sewing these in case they were a bust, so we simply folded the top over and used metal clip rings to hang them.

I considered using some inexpensive curtain hanging accessories from Ikea, but we were afraid with only one support in the middle, the curtains would sag.  So instead, hubby put together a few metal conduit and brackets from Lowes and spray painted them oil rubbed bronze.  They blend right in!

I used 1 4 x 12 Drop Cloth to use for ties.  I just cut the fabric into strips and braided them, but if you wanted a more upscale look you could go with these indoor/outdoor tiebacks.
 

 

No Sew Drop Cloth Patio Curtains

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelsey Poofy Cheeks says

    I LOVE them!! I have been thinking about using these in my boys' bedroom because of their nuetral color, size, and price. Great idea to use them in such a big area – you probably would have spent an arm and leg otherwise!

    Reply

  2. Palak says

    I can attest to the relentless texas sun! Our patio is south facing– I'd love to have something like this! Do you think they would work for indoors? How is the texture?

    Reply

  3. Judy says

    You are super clever. They look amazing and I'm sure they are super functional. Thanks for sharing at DIYByDesign.

    Reply

  5. Christine says

    Oh my goodness!!! This is AMAZING!!!!! You're a GENIUS!!! Really!! You are! It looks FABULOUS!! Can you tell I'm excited?! I'm SOOO going to try this!!

    Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality! 🙂 xoxo

    Reply

  7. Deidre says

    They look Marvelous! You really did a beautiful job on something that could have cost you a small fortune.They look like an add in a Pottery Barn mag!

    Reply

  8. Jessica @ HomewithBaxter says

    These look great! I never would have known that they were made from drop cloths. I was looking for a similar solution for my sunroom, so I'll have to give this a try! How did you attach the hooks to the curtains?

    Reply

  10. Alison says

    I love it! I've been wanting to add curtains to our porch and was just thinking about drop cloths the other day. Yours look so nice- I'm definitely trying this first!!! Thanks for linking up at My Girlish Whims. 🙂

    Reply

  12. Tauni says

    Wow. These look absolutely great! I would love to have a porch that I could curtain off like this.

    Thanks for sharing on Show and Tell Wednesday at SNAP!

    xoxo, Tauni

    Reply

  15. Style Sisters says

    Wow so dramatic and no sew! This turned out spectacular! Come link up to Centerpiece Wednedsay and share your idea with us! This the the centerpiece of your patio for sure !
    Karin

    Reply

  17. Paula Parrish says

    Hello Jamie,
    I love the look of curtains on the patio, fabulous. I have always wanted some but figure that it would be pricey. Wow, this is such a awesome idea to use drop cloths as curtains. I just pinned it. Thanks for sharing.
    Smiles, Paula
    PS Nice Work.

    Reply

  18. Amy Kinser says

    Wow…I think they look great. I love the idea of using dropcloths because of the price and the durability being outdoors. They look great on your porch.

    I would love to do something like that on a lower patio deck we have but I don't have any braces or posts. It's just a lower deck leading down from our upper deck. It's so hot there though and curtains would be wonderful.

    Nice to meet you from a Tennessean to a Texan. (Tn people and Tx people are so much alike)

    Reply

  26. The Moerks says

    These look fabulous, what a great idea. With the light coming through them it would make such a pretty space. I also love the look of your house.

    Reply

  27. Helen Deeds says

    Pinned this! I love the look. I house sit for a lady who has curtains similar to these…when I ever get my own house then I will be doing this!

    Helen
    Blue Eyed Beauty Blog

    Reply

  31. Cathy @ My 1929 Charmer says

    Wow you really have a huge patio. I know what you about the sun baking you between 2 – 7, since our yard faces SW we have the same thing. Your drop cloth curtains look really nice, I used the same for our patio and I just love them. My don't close so I envy you on that. That is one big pool, do you ever take a dip? So glad you shared your creative inspiration with Sunday's Best!

    Reply

  32. Heaven's Walk says

    What a great idea for a beautiful patio area! We have the same problem with our back porch. No roof though. I'm whining to the husband all the time about building a roof over it…then I can use your curtain idea. Thanks for the inspiration! It look fabulous!

    xoxo laurie

    Reply

  33. Brooke Waite says

    These are fantastic!! We also live in a very sunny, hot climate (AZ) so these would be a perfect solution to the heat! 🙂 I'm a new follower and would love you to visit my new blog!! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  36. Tamsyn says

    Your patio is so gorgeous!! I love outdoor curtains, them make any space feel 'resort-like'. I can't wait to tackle my outdoor area, it currently resembles a building site.

    Reply

  48. Melinda says

    Loved this idea so much that I tried it. Unfortunately I live in South Carolina and it rained for days right after I put them up. Less than a month later they are covered with black spots of mildew/mold. I even put scotch guard on them before I hung them (though I probably could have used more). So…. if your curtains are going to get wet at all or be in a humid area, I recommend not using drop cloth. Or you should buy some material that is pre-treated against mold/mildew OR some chemical to pretreat them to make it waterproof. I wasted probably $100 on this project unfortunately. Great idea, but it didn't work for me, and I wanted to make sure other people knew so they didn't make the same mistake I did. They were very cute and worked great while they lasted. But we had to take them down.

    Reply

    • Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom says

      I'm sorry this happened to you. We live in central texas where it is very humid as well. I knew going in that regular fabric molds and mildews when wet, so every time it rained or they curtains got wet, I opened them so they could dry in the sun. Mine have held up very well, with just a touch of shrinkage. (But not so much shrinkage that I feel the need to refold and lower the curtain edge.) At your suggestion, I will mention that the curtains should aired out after they get wet…

      Just this morning, my hubby and I were drinking our coffee on the porch and were debating whether we should leave them up over the winter or take them down. His vote was to leave them up, because they would dry out in the sun whether it was cold or not, but I argued we could get one more summer out of them if I took them down once the fall rains come. I am still not decided…

      Thanks,
      ~Jamie

      Reply

  49. SiNana says

    HiJamie,
    I am trying these for my apartment patio today. I live just north of Fort Worth. Since I only have about a 12 ft length to cover I bought the 4×15 ft cloth. I have a direct west facing patio and the sun is murderous on my den as well as my patio. Can't wait to get them up and see how they look!
    Sandra

    Reply

  50. Sandy McMillan says

    Did the drop cloths you bought have a seam through the middle? I have a big patio also, and a 9×12 drop cloth would be perfect… some I checked out definitely have a horizontal seam and I can't figure out what to do with that!! Hoping yours didn't!!!

    Reply

  52. srpprcrftr says

    Your curtains are so nice, great privacy and getting out of the sun. Hope you don't have excess wind.
    We lived in KY where the humidity is 100% in summer. We always had mold on north side of our house, had to spray it down all the time. Every thing mildewed. This was hard for me to learn to live with after coming from dry climate (MT).
    Our back deck/door is directly facing west in western CO so it gets super toasty in summer. No cover on deck yet but hopefully we'll get it up this summer. It gets so hot I can't touch the door knob. We also get high winds out here that just about blow us away.
    Great project, glad you shared.

    Reply

  54. Christy Gutt says

    I just moved to Austin and have a nice westward facing back patio. I have spent all morning researching fabrics and curtains – so expensive! I now have drop cloths coming my way via Amazon! So excited! Thanks for sharing this fabulous idea!

    Reply

  55. Renee Puzynski says

    We did the same thing on are screened in front porch in Florida, but instead of using drop clothes I used shower curtains (green to match my shutters) so I didn't have to worry about fabric being ruined/mold and also used conduit. P.S. I have yet to have to replace any shower curtain in the past 5 yrs.

    Reply

    • Wendy says

      Jamie,
      I know its been several years now of use…have you had any problems with them? Any mold? I live in Arkansas where if you don't like the weather now just wait a minute! I have a porch on the front of my home that I would love to put these on but I wonder how they will hold up over time. Also any ideas on how to hang them on a metal roof over?

      Reply

    • Jamie says

      It has not scratched off 2 years later, though the curtains do not get daily usage. And if it did, I would repaint them.
      ~Jamie

      Reply

  58. twinkietotmom says

    Your home is gorgeous! I'm going to have to stalk, er scour, your site now for more pictures! We have some outdoor curtains that I made a few years ago on our back pergola. I had gotten the fabric on sale for a great deal. While it's been great out there, they are starting to show their wear & tear, the FL sun can be pretty brutal. I think I'll have to do just drop cloth curtains soon. I do love the added ties you did with braiding drop cloth strips!

    Reply

  59. Zeromom says

    Hi! Wonderful post. I live in Texas too and needed something to help block the Texas sun. I am so going to do this. Thanks so much

    Reply

  61. Pattilou says

    I found this picture while doing a search and thank you! This will work for me and I'm going to Lowes asap! I had a hard time thinking about paying for grommets that I couldn't use because the rod in our cabana doesn't come out. This should be just perfect and the price is right!

    Reply

    • Jamie says

      Yes, definitely- the fabric is a cotton/canvas, so if you don't open them up to dry after getting wet, they will mold.

      Reply

  64. Elna says

    Hi, pardon my ignorance, but what is drop cloth?
    And has it any seams at the top and bottom?
    I live in Pretoria, South Africa

    Reply

  65. Jocool says

    Do you have any cool ideas for weighing them down when it’s windy? I live in Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plains, and I wouldn’t want them blowing around while I’m avoiding the volcano sun in July and August. I do love this idea.

    Reply

    • Jamie says

      I’ve seen people sew in weights, but if I were going to do something to keep them in place, I would add grommets to the bottom and figure out a way to anchor/attach them from the bottom.

      Reply

  66. Kristy says

    I think I’ve just found the solution to my patio problem. Like you, I’d love Sunbrella curtains, but holy moly, they are EXPENSIVE! I have two questions. Are the curtain clips you have sufficient to keep them clipped in high wind? (I live in MT where the wind just howls at times…) And second, did you attach the metal pipe from the top as well as the sides? Is it permanent or can you take the metal pipe down. (I’m considering putting grommets in mine…if it were permanent it would be hard to take the curtains down in the winter). Thanks!!!

    Reply

    • Jamie says

      The clips have held up very well. We’ve replace the curtains with new drop cloths last year, but are still using the same clips. (We added these curtains in 2012.) I would recommend tying the curtains back in heavy winds as they will whip around. The pipe is permanently attached.

      Reply

  67. Virginia Storm says

    I did something similar for my pool deck/arbor. I took some small chains from Lowes, threaded large silver key rings through the end of the chains, then threaded small diameter PVC pipe through the rings and hung the chains from the cross-tie of the arbor on small hooks. Then I hung heavy curtains I had picked at the local Salvation Army store and viola! Instant privacy/sun protection! I kept the south side closed most of the time for privacy, but the west side was only closed when we were out there, and of course after the rain to make sure they didn’t mold. Worked very well and lasted all season. Next year, got new curtains from Salvation Army and had a whole new look.

    Reply

  68. Deborah says

    YOU have saved me a fortune!! Our screened porch has hot in the afternoon’s coming thru on the right and nosy neighbors on the left. That is not bearable. We were about to spend almost a $1000 on blinds. I didn’t like the look and sure didn’t like the price. I do, however love this look and the price is Amazing! Thank you so much!! YOU HAVE MADE MY YEAR!

    Reply

  69. Danny says

    Just made a sun curtain for my from porch. Super easy and so happy with the end results. Have Coolarado sunshade on the same porch and the drop cloth is cheaper and better in so many ways

    Reply

  70. janet says

    I would like to know if they blow a lot in the wind. I had hung sheets last year and they blew in the wind and was coming out of the tie backs, so this year I was going to try something else. Was thinking of a drop cloth. I did not know if you can find the type of material that is on the pergolas that are all framed together that you can buy ready made.
    Like your ideas.

    Reply

    • Jamie says

      they do sway in the wind, (but, we didn’t get much wind, so it was never really an issue.) However they are definitely heavier than a curtain, so they definitely don’t move as much as something lighter weight. On the other hand, since they are so heavy, it is important to spread them out to dry after a heavy rainstorm.

      Reply

      • Mary says

        I live in Central Texas. Did this on our deck. Works beautifully, looks great but…….we had several days of rain and I did not open them to dry. BIG mistake. They are now covered with mildew. I have tried washing with bleach and borax to no avail. Any ideas ?

        Reply

  71. Rod says

    My wife and I love your idea. We are changing our carport into a outdoor space. Concerning the rings and clips: Have you found that over time, the weight of the drop cloths have caused the rings to bend/warp, and/or the hooks (the ones that connect the rings to the clips) to stretch out/warp? If so, any suggestions on finding similar products that might handle the weight better? My wife suggested that doubling the number of rings/clips would distribute the weight better, and lessen the strain on them.

    Your thoughts

    Reply

    • Jamie says

      Yes, definitely don’t skimp on the # of rings. We’ve since sold this house, but while we lived there, we replaced the curtains once, and the rings we bought held up at least 4 to 5 years.

      Reply

  72. Cindie Webb says

    Jamie, do I need to wash or iron the drop cloth before I hang it? Did yours have fold marks on the panels straight out of the package? Please advise. Thank you, Cindie from Denton, TX

    Reply

    • Jamie says

      I did not, the folds didn’t bother me. If you wash the drop cloth, take into consideration, it will shrink and wrinkle like crazy. I imagine the wrinkles can be ironed out with a lot of pressure and a high heat iron.

      Reply

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