Curtain tracks for kitchens

Which tracks suit a kitchen?

Six conditions we take into account when choosing a kitchen track.

An open-plan kitchen and living room. When the kitchen runs into the dining room or the living room, the track has to match the next room. We choose one continuous aluminium ceiling track along the whole wall, from the kitchen window to the living room. The aluminium suits modern interiors, and the hidden fixing draws no attention.

Ceiling or wall. A ceiling track (from €9 per metre) goes straight into the ceiling, so the curtain falls in a flat line and does not catch on the units under the window. A wall pole (from €14 per metre) suits a window with a plasterboard recess above it, or where you want a decorative profile. In a kitchen the ceiling track is usually the more practical.

Damp and a film of grease. In a kitchen the track collects grease and condensation. Aluminium profiles can be wiped with a damp cloth and soapy water. We do not recommend a wooden pole in a kitchen unless the extractor is strong and the window is far from the hob.

Keep at least 60 cm from the hob. As a practical rule, leave at least 60 cm between the lowest edge of the curtain and the top of the hob. Closer, hot steam harms plastic gliders, and a synthetic fabric near an open flame can catch fire.

Compact in narrow kitchens. In small kitchens in Vilnius and Kaunas a ceiling track lets the curtain draw back almost to the width of the frame, so no wide overlap is needed at the sides. That matters when units or a fridge stand beside the window.

Matching a roman blind. Many kitchens combine a track above the window with a roman blind in the window itself. The blind controls the light and the curtain adds softness. An aluminium ceiling track does not meet the blind's mechanism if a 3 cm gap is left between the profile and the window frame.

An aluminium ceiling track or a wooden wall pole for a kitchen?

In kitchen damp and grease, aluminium almost always does better than wood.

Compared point by point. Resistance to damp: an aluminium ceiling track is not harmed by damp or steam; a wooden wall pole can warp and crack. Cleaning grease: aluminium with soapy water; wood only with a damp cloth, carefully. Look: aluminium is hidden and modern; wood is authentic and classic. Price: an aluminium ceiling track from €9 per metre, a metal wall pole from €14 per metre; wooden poles are not in our catalogue. Fitting: €9 per metre for a ceiling track and €12 per metre for a wall pole (up to 3 m). Matching curtains: aluminium suits every fabric; wood suits classic, heavy fabrics.

Our recommendation for a modern, open-plan kitchen where you cook often: an aluminium ceiling track (€9 per metre, hidden, easy to clean). A classic closed kitchen with little cooking and a strong extractor can also take a wall pole. In a small kitchen a compact track lets the curtain sit exactly within the frame.

Distance from the hob: at least 60 cm

A practical safety rule we follow when planning a kitchen.

A kitchen track is usually fitted above the window beside the sink or the hob. The main risks are hot steam and a film of grease on the fabric and the profile, and beside a gas hob an open flame too. So the position of the track and the length of the curtain are planned together with the hob and the extractor.

Measure the minimum of 60 cm from the lower edge of the curtain to the top of the hob. If the curtain touches the hob surface, there is a risk, particularly with synthetic fabrics (polyester, viscose). An aluminium profile does not distort at high temperature, but the fabric can scorch or yellow.

Practical distances for a kitchen: 60 cm is the minimum, and anything less puts the fabric and the gliders at risk. Aim for 80–100 cm, which is safe even with a weak extractor. A short curtain, from the window to the sill, does not reach the line of the hob. An induction hob is safer than gas, because there is no open flame. Beside a hob, choose a flame-retardant fabric; its properties are checked against the fabric maker's data.

Bendable tracks for bay windows and non-standard kitchens

Bent aluminium tracks in S, L and U shapes for kitchen situations.

Many Vilnius and Kaunas kitchens have non-standard windows: a bay, a corner window, or a window beside the balcony door. A straight track does not help here. You need a bent profile that follows the line of the wall or ceiling exactly.

Bent aluminium tracks in S, L and U shapes suit these windows. The track is bent in advance to the measured line of the window, without joins, in one line. The S shape suits a classic bay (3 segments), the L shape a corner window (2 segments at 90°), and the U shape a window with three walls (for example a balcony and kitchen together).

A bent track is priced after measuring, because the price depends on the number of bends and the shape of the window. Its advantage is that no profiles need joining, and the curtain glides through the whole bend without catching. The length of the profile and the bracket positions are settled at the measuring visit.

Five common mistakes when choosing a kitchen track

1. A wooden pole in a damp kitchen with a weak extractor. A classic oak wall pole in a kitchen with a weak extractor warps and cracks in time, and the profile loses its shape. Choose an aluminium ceiling track (€9 per metre, not harmed by damp), or a stronger extractor.

2. A track too close to the hob. A curtain hanging only a few tens of centimetres from a gas hob soon shows yellow marks, and plastic gliders soften with the heat. The minimum is 60 cm; aim for 80 cm or more. If the position of the window does not allow it, choose a short curtain to the sill and not to the floor.

3. A cheap plastic track for a kitchen. PVC tracks look tempting, but hot steam distorts them: the curtain starts to stick, and the gliders break. An aluminium ceiling track (€9 per metre) is not harmed by heat or damp, so it lasts much longer, and the difference in price for a whole window is small.

4. A track as long as the window only. A track ordered to the exact width of the window (a 120 cm track for a 120 cm window) means that the open curtain still covers part of the glass. The rule: the track should run 15–20 cm past each side of the window, so that the open curtain does not cover the glass. In a kitchen this matters for natural light.

5. A roman blind forgotten in the plan. A client orders a ceiling track and forgets the roman blind planned for the window itself. If the profile is fixed 1 cm from the window frame, there is no room for the blind's mechanism. Leave a 3 cm gap between the ceiling track and the window frame; at measuring the roman blind is allowed for.

Kitchens in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda

How the type of building and the climate change the choice of a kitchen track.

Vilnius. New flats often have open-plan kitchens, so an aluminium ceiling track (from €9 per metre) that runs on to the living room suits well. For the non-standard openings of old-town houses a compact profile is more convenient.

Kaunas. In older timber houses, a wall pole (€14 per metre) goes with the historic interior. In blocks with low ceilings, aluminium ceiling tracks are more practical, since a ceiling track makes the kitchen look taller.

Klaipėda. In flats by the sea, the salty air and the damp quickly spoil wood, so choose an aluminium ceiling track, which damp and salt harm less than wood or plain steel.

Safety rules and further reading

In a kitchen the curtain must not hang over the hob or touch it, and beside a gas hob choose a short curtain to the sill or a roman blind. If young children use the kitchen, fix the control cords higher than they can reach. For a complete guide to matching kitchen fabric, track and roman blind, see the guide to kitchen curtains.

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