Hackers Help: How to use ELVARLI posts for a room divider curtain?

I’d love help with a hack. I need to divide a room, without putting anything (screws, nails, etc) into the wall or ceiling. I thought I’d put up a room divider curtain using ELVARLI posts.

IKEA ELVARLI system

IKEA ELVARLI posts

My question – any ideas of which pole to use horizontally on the ELVARLI posts to hang the curtains from? (The ELVARLI clothes rail is too short. I’d like to be able to space the posts 80 inches apart)

Thanks!

Miri

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Hi Miri

For a start, I want to clarify that the ELVARLI posts do need to be secured to the ceiling if you follow IKEA’s instructions. Nothing too crazy. Just 2 screw holes per post. Depending on the fabric, curtains can be heavy and just relying on the vertical tension of the poles may not be enough to keep them steady.

IKEA ELVARLI assembly

Anyways, back to your question: Which clothes rail to use for your room divider curtain? I found the RÄCKA curtain rod to be long enough to span 80″.

RÄCKA curtain rod

But then how to attach it to the ELVARLI posts? I took a second look at the ELVARLI clothes rail and saw that it is attached to the shelf above, instead of the posts.

IKEA ELVARLI clothes rail

So we’ll need to find an alternative way to hang up a curtain rod. I think the ELVARLI hooks may do the trick. Now, instead of installing the ELVARLI posts with the slots facing each other, turn them outwards (or backwards, depending on which side you want your room divider curtain to be). Slot in the hooks and place the RÄCKA curtain rod on the hooks. Voilà! Easy peasy. I just hope the hooks are large enough for the rod’s diameter. 

room divider curtain how to

One last thing, 80″ is quite a bit of length. I would suggest getting a third post (and hook) and placing it in between the 2 posts to help hold up the weight of the curtains and prevent any sags. But you could probably start with two posts and see how it does. If the curtains hold up beautifully, then just forget about the third leg.

Let us know how it goes.

Happy hacking,

Jules