Are electric curtain tracks worth it?

An electric curtain track opens and closes the curtains at the press of a button, by voice or from an app. The motors fitted are made by Brel Home, a Dutch maker. Prices run from €420 for a 160 cm track to €779 for an 800 cm track with a battery. This guide covers when a motorised track makes sense and what it costs in full.

What electric curtain tracks are and how they work

An electric curtain track is a ceiling track with a motor at one end. The motor drives the gliders along the channel at 14 cm/s and draws curtains of up to 40 kg. It runs either on a concealed 230 V cable, the more dependable option and the one to plan in a new build, or on a battery recharged with the maker's charger, which suits a renovated flat where no new wiring is wanted.

Brel Home electric track types

Brel Home makes the electric track in three versions, which differ in the direction the curtain opens and in how the motor is powered:

1. 11 direction: the motor draws the curtain to one side only, left or right. The mechanism is simpler and slightly cheaper. Best for an asymmetrical window.
2. 22 directions: the motor draws the curtains from the centre to both sides at once. This is the standard version for most medium and wide windows.
3. 32 directions with a battery: the same, with a rechargeable battery, so no cable is needed and it suits a renovation. It is charged with the maker's charger.

Wired or battery motor: which should you choose?

A wired motor is always ready and needs no upkeep, but it needs a 230 V cable to the top of the window or into the ceiling recess. During a renovation, or while the ceiling is still open, it is the simplest and most dependable option: the cable goes in with the rest of the electrical work.

A battery motor suits a home where the walls and ceiling are finished and a cable has nowhere to run. It is charged with the maker's charger now and then, so check that the track will be easy to reach. If in doubt, one question decides it: can a cable be brought to the window today?

How much do electric curtain tracks cost?

Each price includes the motor and a track of the length shown, and depends on the length and the motor type. The table gives a few lengths as a guide; the full price list, in steps of 20–100 cm, and the technical data are on the electric curtain tracks page. All prices are final.

Extras, and a full price example

Ways to control the curtains

A Brel Home track can be controlled in several ways, and they can be combined. A Brel radio remote comes with the set. A Brel 15-channel remote runs several motors: the maker advises one motor per channel, and channel 0 runs them all together. A wall switch is wired to the motor's switch port; Brel also makes a battery-powered radio wall transmitter.

For smart-home control, the motor connects to Wi-Fi: the Wi-Fi motor (BG-980) directly, a radio motor such as the battery BGLE-980 through a Brel Home Box hub. The Brel Home app then runs the tracks from a phone, with schedules and scenes, and links to Alexa, Google Home and Siri. With other systems, such as Home Assistant or KNX, compatibility depends on the motor and the hub model, so we check it before the order.

Brel Home or Somfy: how do they differ?

The tracks are fitted with Brel Home motors from the Netherlands. They are controlled by remote, wall switch or an app, and the maker rates them for curtains of up to 40 kg. Somfy is another widely known maker, with its own control ecosystem.

Three things matter more than the maker's name: whether the motor suits the weight of the curtains and the length of the window, whether there will be a cable at the window, and which smart-home system is already in use. Where another maker's equipment is already installed, compatibility is discussed before the order.

Who electric curtain tracks suit

• —Anyone who wants to control the curtains by phone, by voice (Alexa or Google) or with a remote.
• —Large windows, over 3 m, where drawing curtains by hand is awkward.
• —Older people and people with limited mobility, for whom a remote means independence.
• —Windows that are hard to reach: under high ceilings, in attic rooms, over a staircase.
• —Homes where the curtains are to join the lighting and heating in one smart-home system.

How the track is fitted

An electric track is fitted like an ordinary ceiling track, plus a power cable for the 230 V version. The battery version needs no cable, but it has to be charged with the maker's charger now and then. One track runs to 800 cm at most; a longer window needs two separate motors.

1. 1Measuring: the windows are measured, and the wall or ceiling material and the access to power are checked.
2. 2Choosing the motor and controls: the motor type, how the track is controlled and any automation scenes are agreed with you.
3. 3Making and delivery: tracks take 1–2 weeks from order confirmation to fitting.
4. 4Fitting: 2–3 hours per window, including connecting the motor and setting up the app.
5. 5Testing: the remote, the app and the automation are each checked on site.

Programming, which sets the motor's limits and pairs the remote, is always needed and is part of the service price. Our warranty covers the motors and mechanisms of electric tracks for 24 months and the track itself for 12 months. Measuring is free in Vilnius. In Kaunas and Klaipėda it is free on orders of €200 or more. Elsewhere in Lithuania the visit is paid, and the price is agreed beforehand.

Frequently asked questions

How much do electric curtain tracks cost by length?

It depends on the length and the version: from €420 for a 160 cm track and €531 for a 400 cm track that opens both ways (2 directions), up to €779 for an 800 cm track with a battery. Every price includes the motor and the track. The remote (€74), programming (€20) and fitting (€15–17 per metre) are added to that. The full price list by length is on the electric curtain tracks page.

Can an electric track be fitted in a renovated flat without new wiring?

Yes. The battery version (2 directions with a battery) runs without a 230 V cable. It has to be charged now and then with the maker's charger. It is the version for a renovation where nobody wants new wiring.

Brel Home or Somfy: which should you choose?

The tracks are fitted with Brel Home motors from the Netherlands: control by app over Wi-Fi, Alexa, Google Home and Siri, and a rating for curtains of up to 40 kg. Somfy is another widely known maker with its own ecosystem. If the home already has another maker's equipment, compatibility is discussed before the order.

Where in Lithuania can I order electric curtain tracks with fitting?

In Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda and other towns in Lithuania. The track is chosen, delivered, fitted and programmed, and the service covers measuring, choosing the motor and controls, making, fitting and a check of every function on site. Motors and mechanisms carry a 24-month warranty, tracks 12 months. Measuring is free in Vilnius. In Kaunas and Klaipėda it is free on orders of €200 or more. Elsewhere in Lithuania the visit is paid, and the price is agreed beforehand.