Carabiner instead of knots
how the outdoor curtain hangs on the wire rope
On a wire rope, an outdoor curtain does not hang from knots but from carabiners in the top hem. The end of the rope is clamped, not knotted, too. Here you can read how carabiners, gathering tape and eyelets work together and why a knot strains the fabric over time.
On an outdoor curtain, carabiners, eyelets and clamps do the job of a knot in four places. This is how we hang the curtains we sew for you:
- On the wire rope: The top hem has a gathering tape with carabiners, typically every 10 cm. The carabiners run directly on the rope.
- On the track: The curtain has eyelets every 20 cm. Carabiners connect the eyelets to the runners in the track.
- On the tieback: A tieback with eyelets is hooked in. A knot in the tieback wears the fabric at that spot.
- At the rope end: The rope is fixed with wire rope clips, not knotted.
How the curtain hangs on the wire rope
The wire rope is the slim way to hang a curtain. A stainless steel rope runs between two eye bolts, one in the house wall and one in the post, and a turnbuckle gives it tension. The curtain is not tied to the rope. It hangs from carabiners that you clip onto the rope. All parts are also available individually as a wire rope system for outdoor curtains.
- Gathering tape: A tape in the top hem that the carabiners grip. We sew it in white.
- Spacing: A carabiner typically sits every 10 cm. This spreads the pull across many points.
- Sliding: The carabiners glide on the rope. They draw the curtain open and closed without releasing anything.
- Stopper: It sits on the house side in front of the first eyelet and is fixed to the rope with a small screw. This stops the curtain from sliding towards the house wall.
- Eyelets on the rope: A curtain with eyelets can also hang on the wire rope, again with carabiners.
On the track, the curtain hangs from eyelets
The aluminium track looks more formal than the rope and also holds the curtain on sloping beams. You will find the parts in the track system for outdoor curtains.
Eyelets every 20 cm
Stainless steel eyelets with an inner diameter of 11 mm sit along the top hem. A spacing of 20 cm is usual for the track.
Runner with swivel eye
Rubberised rollers with a swivelling eye run in the track. A stainless steel carabiner connects each one to the eyelet in the curtain.
10 or 20 cm
Eyelets are available every 10 or every 20 cm. The 20 cm spacing is cheaper because half as many eyelets are punched. Carabiners suit both spacings.
Locking stop instead of a knot
A locking stop closes the entry opening of the track. The first runner then cannot slide out and the curtain stays in place.
What a knot does to the fabric
A knot concentrates the whole pull on one spot in the fabric. Carabiners and eyelets spread it over many points where the hem is reinforced.
Do not knot tiebacks
Our tiebacks are 70 cm long and 5 cm wide, made from the same fabric as the curtain. They have eyelets at the ends. If you knot them, you will see wear at the knot after a while, especially on semi-transparent fabric.
Hook in instead of tying
Hook the eyelets of the tieback onto a screw hook on the post or beam. This keeps the fabric smooth and does not pinch it.
On a round column
If you cannot fit a hook, for example on a column, a sturdy cord is the better choice. It tolerates a knot better than a strip of fabric.
Eyelets need reinforcement
Every eyelet sits in a reinforced hem, otherwise it tears out under load. A knot or a hole in the fabric has no such reinforcement.
Easier to take down
You release carabiners with one movement. Before washing and in winter, you take the curtain down without untying any knots. How to clean it afterwards is explained in the care instructions for outdoor curtains.
And the well-known rope knots?
Knots from climbing, sailing or fishing belong on climbing rope, line and cord. On a curtain and on a tensioned wire rope you do not need any of them.
Clamp instead of knot at the rope end
A stainless steel wire rope cannot be knotted safely. The rope end is passed around the eye bolt or turnbuckle and fixed with U-bolt rope clips. How to tension the rope and trim the excess is shown in tensioning wire rope.
- In the set: 2 mm stainless steel rope, turnbuckle, two U-bolt rope clips and eye bolt.
- Clamp first, then trim: The rope is cut to length once it is seated.
- Rope tension awning: With this shade solution too, a turnbuckle holds the rope, and the rope end is clamped rather than knotted.
Installation, ordering and related pages
We sew the outdoor curtain to your measurements in Westoverledingen, Made in Germany. You choose the top hem, eyelets or gathering tape and the hanging method when you order your made-to-measure outdoor curtain.
Installing step by step
Fit the eye bolts, mount the rope or track, hang the curtain: the installation guide for outdoor curtains shows how.
Weight at the bottom
The carabiners hold the top, and a lead weight tape keeps the bottom calm. You can find out more under weighting an outdoor curtain.
Without drilling
Rope and track need eye bolts or brackets. What is available without drilling a hole is explained under balcony curtain without drilling.
See the fabric
Agora Liso is opaque, Agora Air is semi-transparent. Both come with a 5-year guarantee on colour fastness. Order free fabric samples.
Send a photo
Not sure whether rope or track suits you? Send us a photo and the dimensions via the service centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Last reviewed: 09.11.2026 · Reviewer: Germes-Team
Questions about hanging your curtain?
Send us a photo of the spot where the curtain is to hang, and the dimensions. We will tell you whether rope or track suits it and which hem goes with it.