Bay window pelmet - internal corners

[easycurtains]

Hi Everyone

I'm new to these forums and thought I would add my experiences as I have had many years of making and installing bay window pelmets. I always use a good quality 6mm plywood to make them from. The reason I use 6mm and not 4mm is because I can use 6mm and 8mm staples for securing the fabrics and trims.

I cover the boards with 8 oz wadding then a layer of interlining. Then cover with the face fabric. Each internal section of the bay is covered separately. All the separate sections are joined on the back using duct tape. Then stapled down to add more security.

Then I almost always cover the back with one continuous piece of lining fabric. Covering each section separately keeps the face fabric taut and wrinkle free. Using one continuous piece of lining fabric keeps the internal corners gripped tightly together when fitted. This stops light leaking through the corners. it also gives the back of the bay pelmet a nice clean look when seen from outside.

I support my pelmets using velcro tape stapled to the top board and the back off the pelmet. This has held even the largest pelmets I have made. On one or two of the heavist bay pelmets I have added small corner brackets with short screws to the top back off the pelmets to secure the pelmet facia boards to the underside of the top board just for peace of mind.

I have put a few photos just below of the finished results. You can make your own minds up if you like the finished look ot not. I hope this helps add some more useful info to this thread. If anyone has a question I have not covered here then please just ask.

All the best

Lee

[thimbilina]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi Lee, They look beautiful. I have always done something similar except I normally use 9mm ply and use less wadding. I can then screw straight into the back of the pelmet and shelf with small angle brackets/screws. I have a customer at the moment who would like a hard curved pelmet inside a bay window where there is no fixing board as yet. Thinking of playing with the idea of thin flexible ply as I do not like the effect buckram/hessian gives. Any tips/suggestions on wether you think this would work and how to fix it into position without lots of joinery work by my fitter. Thanks. Jo

[pebbles474]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing how you make them up. I always think window treatments are more finished with pelmets. Very inspirational - might try this out in my own home.

[easycurtains]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi Jo

There is no easy solution to making curved pelmets. Pelmetman (dave) has discussed his method for making curved pelmets. If you have not seen this thread, then check out the link just below. He has it down to a fine art and I would take my hat off to him, if I had one


http://www.mydecozo.co.uk/showthread...=curved+pelmet

I have made numerous pelmets the same way. The only problem is transporting them as they can be quite bulky. I have made one or two curved pelmets that are made flat then attached to a curved top board with velcro. However several factors have to be just right for this to work. Plus these are almost as bulky to transport. I have put some instructions below for making using this method. You will see that it is not that much simpler if any.

1. The bay needed to have a reasonably shallow curve. Definitely not a half moon shape.

2. No embroidered fabrics or light weight fabrics. Such as silks or synthetics.

3. Don't use wadding, just use interlining fabric.


If the bay is very curved then your fabric will ripple no matter what. You need to use a fabric like a faux suede, or something fairly heavy. I used spray adhesive to hold the interlining fabric to the board. Then I used the spray adhesive to hold the face fabric to the interlining. Then stapled the face fabric to the back of the board top and bottom as usual.

Then before I cover the back and staple on the velcro strip. I test the pelmet to see if it ripples or not. The way I do this is to tie a long strip of scrap fabric around the pelmet. Then pull each end of the strip to make the pelmet curve to the required shape. Then tie off the ends to hold the pelmet in shape. You will probably need an extra pair of hands for this.

Now your pelmet is held in a curved shape you can inspect the face fabric for ripples or other negative features. If I find any I will take out a few staples and try to tension the fabric a little and re-staple back down. You can usually get rid of most if not all problems.

I keep the pelmet tied in to shape permanently from this point on. It does make covering the back with lining fabric more awkward. You will need to feed the lining fabric under the holding strip after fixing in place at the bottom edge of your pelmet.

I keep the holding strip in place around the pelmet even after I have attached it to the curved top board using velcro tape. Next I use several small brackets and short screws spaced evenly around the back of the pelmet. These secure the pelmet to the top board ready for when I take the holding strip off the pelmet. If you don't secure the pelmet in place then it will want to regain its flat shape pulling the velcro strips apart.

So as you can see it's not an easier way to tackle curved bay pelmets. Just another way to approach the same job. The truth is that these kinds of bay take vastly more time to complete. So you need to make sure you charge accordingly for your time and effort.


All the best

Lee

[thimbilina]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi Lee,

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I am going to give it a go, feeling confident with yours and Dave's tips and love a challenge!!! Jo

[thimbilina]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi Lee,

I am just on with trying out the thin mdf idea for a slightly curved bay. The longest sheet of mdf comes 8 foot.... any suggestions on best way to join two sections together (thinking carpet tape!!). or is the safest way to make equal sections where the fabric would seam and piece together separately. I normally use joining plates when using the plywood but this is obviously going to cause problems when I come to bend it perhaps. Thanks. jo.

[pelmetman]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi Lee,

I am just on with trying out the thin mdf idea for a slightly curved bay. The longest sheet of mdf comes 8 foot.... any suggestions on best way to join two sections together (thinking carpet tape!!). or is the safest way to make equal sections where the fabric would seam and piece together separately. I normally use joining plates when using the plywood but this is obviously going to cause problems when I come to bend it perhaps. Thanks. jo.

I glue and stitch my joins with staples.....

PS Nice work Lee........welcome to the forum.

[thimbilina]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Thanks Dave....top tip....easy when you know how

[Fiona elaine]

Hello clever people . I have made a few upholstered pelmets . Ive used both ply wood and Essex board . Every time I use Essex board I say never again ! I have my first bay window pelmet to make . I had thought I may have been able to attach the fabric across the whole board , having read its best to cover each section individually I now wonder whether it is possible to do in one piece ? I have bought Essex board however is your best advice to go with ply ? There is an existing board up from previous soft pelmet . I thought I could use this and just put new velcro on . Any suggestions are more than welcome . Please !and thank you

[Louise]

I have seen a tip for bay pelmets where you make the fabric pieces all in one, and place a row of stitching through all the layers at the internal angles/corners, effectively making 'pockets'. Then cut the Essex board/ply in separate sections and slip inside the fabric to create the pelmet. Then hand sew tge top closed to hold all in place.

It would obviously need to be very accurately to get a good finish and fit, but might be worth considering. It might even been shared somewhere here on the forum.....

[Liz Gregg]

Beautiful pelmets and very useful instructions- thank you Lee.

Best wishes
Liz