How to Hang Curtains With Hooks: Pin, S and Tape Hooks

Curtains that look limp, uneven or too short are rarely the fabric’s fault. Most of the time the hooks are in the wrong place, spaced unevenly, or set at a height that does not suit the rod. Learning how to hang curtains with hooks properly fixes all three problems, and the method depends on the hook type: pin hooks that push into pleated drapes, S-hooks that bridge rings and fabric, plastic or metal hooks that slot into header tape, and hooks that clip onto rings already on a rod. Each type also gives you a way to raise or lower the panel without hemming.

Start by checking the back of the curtain heading. Pleated drapes with stiff buckram usually take pin hooks. Curtains with a gathered tape sewn along the top have small pockets for slotted hooks. Panels with plain hems, clips or loops pair with S-hooks or ring clips. Once you know which heading you have, the rest is simple spacing and adjustment.

How to Hang Curtains With Hooks: Know Your Hook Type

Pin hooks

Pin hooks have a sharp straight pin on one side and a curved hook on the other. They are the classic choice for pinch-pleated and goblet-pleated drapes. The pin pushes into the stiff heading at the back of each pleat, and the hook goes onto a ring eye or a traverse rod slider. Because you choose how high to insert the pin, you control exactly where the fabric sits relative to the rod.

S-hooks

S-hooks are simple curved metal hooks shaped like the letter S. One end goes through a ring eye or a hole in a rod glider, and the other end catches a buttonhole, a sewn loop or a small eyelet on the curtain. They are useful for café curtains, shower-style panels and drapes with hanging loops.

Header tape hooks

Many ready-made curtains have a strip of heading tape sewn across the top with rows of small woven pockets. Plastic or metal slotted hooks slide into those pockets. Pulling the cords in the tape gathers the fabric into pleats, and the hooks then go onto the rod gliders or rings. Tape usually has two or three rows of pockets, letting you set the drop in steps.

Hooks on rings

Decorative rods often come with rings that have a small eye at the bottom. A pin hook, S-hook or tape hook goes through that eye. This combination gives a traditional look with the rod fully visible over the fabric.

Tools and Materials

• Drapery hooks matched to your heading: pin, S, or slotted tape hooks
• Curtain rings with eyes, or a track with gliders
• Tape measure and a pencil or chalk
• A sturdy step stool
• Small pliers for opening or closing S-hooks
• A flat surface such as a bed or table to lay the curtain on

Step by Step: Putting Hooks on Curtains

1. Lay the curtain face down. Spread the panel flat with the heading at the top so you can see the back of the pleats or the tape pockets.
2. Count your rings or gliders. You need one hook per ring, plus one for the return at each end if the rod has a corner bracket.
3. Mark the spacing. On pleated drapes, place one hook at the back of each pleat and one at each edge. On tape headings, space hooks every 3 to 4 inches, using roughly 4 hooks per foot of finished width. Keep the spacing even so the folds hang evenly.
4. Insert the hooks. Push pin hooks straight up into the stiff heading, keeping the pin inside the fabric so no point shows on the front. Slide tape hooks into the pockets so the hook faces away from the fabric. For S-hooks, hook one end through the curtain loop or buttonhole and close it slightly with pliers.
5. Check the height. Stand the panel up against a wall or hold it on the rod for a test fit before inserting the rest.
6. Attach to the rod. Starting at one end, hang each hook on its ring eye or glider in order. Do not skip rings, or the curtain will bunch.
7. Dress the folds. Pull the curtain fully open, run your hand down each pleat to set the folds, and tie loose fabric bands around the stack for a day or two to train it.

Setting the Drop: Height Adjustment

The drop is the distance between the rod and the bottom of the curtain. Hooks give you a built-in way to change it.

• Pin hooks: insert the pin lower in the heading to raise the curtain on the rod, so the top of the fabric covers the rod. Insert it higher to let the rod and rings show. Moving the pin 1 inch moves the hem 1 inch.
• Tape hooks: use the top row of pockets to lower the fabric so the rod stays visible, or the bottom row to raise the curtain so the heading hides the track.
• S-hooks: longer hooks lower the panel; shorter hooks raise it.

Aim for one of three hem positions: kissing the floor (about half an inch off), breaking (1 inch resting on the floor), or puddling (several inches of fabric on the floor). Floor-kissing is the most practical in busy rooms and with robot vacuums, and it keeps hems cleaner on hardwood, tile or carpet.

Attaching Curtain Hooks to Rings

When you hang drapes with hooks and rings together, slide the rings onto the rod first and keep one ring outside each finial bracket. That end ring holds the curtain edge steady so it does not drift toward the center. Hook each pin or tape hook through the small eye at the bottom of each ring. If the rings are loose and spin, turn them so all eyes face into the room before hooking.

On a traverse rod or track, the hooks go into the master carriers and gliders instead. The first hook on each panel goes into the overlapping master carrier so the two panels meet neatly in the center.

Spacing and Fullness

Fullness is the ratio of fabric width to rod width. For pleated drapes, aim for 2 to 2.5 times the rod width. For tape headings, pull the cords until the panel width matches your target, then tie the cords off neatly and tuck them into a cord tidy rather than cutting them. Too few hooks leave the fabric scalloped between rings; too many crowd the stack. As a rule, a 48 inch wide finished panel needs roughly 12 to 16 hooks.

Troubleshooting

• Heading flops forward. Pin hooks are set too low in soft fabric. Push them into the stiffer buckram area, or add iron-on heading stiffener.
• Curtain hangs at different heights. Hooks are inserted unevenly. Measure each hook position from the top edge and match them.
• Pins poking through the front. Reinsert them at a slight angle so the pin stays between fabric layers.
• Curtain will not slide. Rings are catching on a bracket or the hooks are too tight in the ring eyes. Check that bracket placement leaves room for rings to pass.
• Gaps between panels. Add an overlap arm or move the center rings closer together.
• Hooks bending. Heavy lined drapes need metal hooks, not plastic.

Cost Ranges

Drapery hooks are inexpensive, usually sold in packs of 14 to 50 for a few dollars. Metal pin hooks cost a little more than plastic tape hooks. Curtain rings with eyes run from low cost for basic sets to more for decorative finishes. A traverse rod or ceiling track costs more than a basic rod. If you hire someone, window treatment installers usually charge per window for hanging and dressing drapes.

When to Call a Pro

Most homeowners can handle hooks and rings without help. Consider a professional installer for very tall windows that need extension ladders, heavy custom drapes that weigh more than a person can comfortably lift overhead, or multi-panel traverse systems that need precise alignment. A custom drapery workroom can also re-pleat or re-tape panels when the existing heading is worn out. For everything else, knowing how to hang curtains with hooks takes a little patience and a tape measure.