Let in the Light with DIY Shower Curtain Chain

Shower curtain drop chains are probably not items we think of too often. We might see something similar in hospitals when cubicle curtains are suspended from ceiling tracks creating partition panels or privacy screens.

But this item has a practical household function as well.

Why Use Shower Curtain Chain?

Shower curtain chain allows you to keep the curtain fabric at its normal manufactured length. So instead of extending the fabric, you can use chain to extend the length up to the shower curtain hooks.

A shower curtain is usually hung so that the bottom is suspended a few inches above the floor/shower basin. However, in a space with taller ceilings, hanging a shower curtain too low might actually make the space look smaller. Hanging a longer shower curtain up higher may make a space look taller, but it can also block out light. Using a shower curtain drop chain will allow for some extra height and light.

Hanging a Shower Curtain Rod

For some reason in old houses, hanging a shower curtain doesn’t ever seem to be straightforward. In our last house, the shower ceiling was a slanted wall. The curtain rod was so low you would bump your head on it. The same thing can happen in basement bathrooms where ceilings tend to be lower.

In this house, a high window falls right where one side of the shower curtain would normally be fastened. Mounting the shower curtain rod from the ceiling was the only option, but doing so would mean that all the light coming from the window would be blocked out when the curtain was closed.

When we did the bathroom renovation, I added two pot lights to the ceiling in the shower. In retrospect, adding pot lights to the ceiling in and out of the shower might have worked better, as the curtain acts as a room divider and blocks out the light.

It is more common for bathrooms to have the opposite problem, where the inside of the shower is too dark. Dropping the shower curtain with shower curtain chain allows light to move past the curtain wherever your light source is.

Shower Curtain Rod

Given the choice between mounting brackets or a tension rod, I would always recommend mounting brackets for the rod connection. Tension rods have a tendency to fall, which can easily mark your tub or chip your tile. In my case, the trim around the window made it difficult to use a tension rod. Instead, I found these nice mounting brackets for the ceiling.

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I already had a regular gold-toned curtain rod (intended for drapery), which I dressed up with these brass finials. A shower rod like this one would also work well. If you buy a tension rod, you can always still hang it from mounting brackets.

Shower Curtain Rod Height

Typically, a standard shower curtain is 72 inches long. Installers usually mount a regular shower curtain rod 3 to 4 inches higher, at 75″ to 77″ from the floor. But, if you have a similar situation to me and your walls limit where you can place your mounting brackets, you can mount the brackets from the ceiling and allow the shower curtain chain to make up the difference in height.

If you have high ceilings, you might have more choice as to where to hang your shower curtain rod. Hanging a rod higher does make a room look taller, but if your ceilings are exceptionally high, you might not want to hang your curtain rod right at the top of the ceiling and have to make up the space with several feet of shower curtain chain. Personally, I think 6″ to 1 foot of chain looks best. If you’re hanging your curtain rod more than 90 inches high, you may want to find a longer shower curtain.

For low ceilings, mount your shower curtain from the ceiling and measure from the top of the curtain rod to the floor. If you don’t have a lot of space additional to the 72″ for the shower curtain, you may want to find a shorter shower curtain, or remove some length with a hem to make room for at least 6″ of chain, allowing for some light to enter the shower.

Selecting a Shower Curtain

I always opt for a fabric shower curtain I can wash and bleach when necessary. A white one like this is perfect. Where I live, mineral-heavy water creates pink mold in areas that experience dampness. This leads to a pinkish stain that tends to creep up the bottom of the shower curtain over time.

With a fabric curtain, you can just detach it from the rings and throw it in the wash. Or, let it soak in the tub with baking soda or bleach and any other white laundry that needs brightening. And no need to put it in the dryer, you can just hang it back up to dry!

Mounting the Brackets

To mount the ceiling brackets, I first measured the width of the bathtub to the middle of the tub ledge. This was where I wanted the shower curtain to fall so it could drape on either side of the tub without looking creased. Next, I transferred this measurement (28″) on to the ceiling to mark where the rod should go. I positioned the middle of the brackets on this mark so the rod would be centered above the tub ledge.

I marked each screw hole with a pencil and used a 1/4″ bit to drill a hole on each mark. Then I tapped a plastic drywall anchor into each hole using a hammer. I mounted the brackets using the screws provided, securing them into the drywall anchors.

*Note, if you encounter resistance when drilling the pilot holes or see wood shavings on your drill bit, you may be lucky enough to have hit a stud or rafter. In this case, no drywall anchors would be necessary, just use longer screws that secure into the framing.

Making the Shower Curtain Chain

After deciding that I needed to drop the shower curtain from a ceiling-mounted curtain rod, I went online to check out the options for shower curtain chain. I’m not sure what I was expecting. Pickings were slim and the standard chrome shower curtain chain was all I could find. I quickly decided I was going to make something myself.

If you decide to go the DIY route, there are limitless possibilities for what types of chains you can try. I recommend sourcing materials that are durable and resistant to moisture to avoid ending up with a final product that tarnishes, corrodes, or becomes affected by mold. These are the materials I used for the project:

• 1.5 Inch shower curtain rings in brass
• 1 Inch spring o-ring in gold tone
• Campbell #200 brass-plated twist chain

The chain I bought was from Lowe’s (Home Improvement Store), sold by the package in 10′ lengths. This gave me just enough to worth with. One economical option is to buy chain is off the spool at your local hardware store because you can get it in the exact length that you need, usually for just a couple dollars a foot.

I also used the following tools for this project:

• Two pairs of pliers (Linesman pliers work the best)
• Tape measure

Measuring the Length

Start by mounting your shower curtain rod so you have a solid point to measure from. Measure down from the top of the curtain rod to the place where you would like your shower curtain to fall, a few inches up from the floor or shower/tub basin.

Once you have your measurement, subtract the length of the shower curtain. Usually this is 72 inches in length, but mine was only 71, so it’s good to actually measure. The remainder will be the length of your chain, including the shower curtain rings. For mine, the total length of the chain was 11.5 inches.

Assembling the Chain

I assembled my shower curtain chain using three components: the shower curtain ring, the chain, and a small spring o-ring that allows you to take the fabric off the chain easily to wash. I chose everything in a warm brass/ gold tone to match in with the rest of the bathroom decor and give the bathroom a bit of added shine.

The shower curtain rings I selected had a diameter of 1.5″, but they also have a small adjoining eyelet that increases that dimension to about 2″. With the O-rings a little less than an inch in diameter, I ended going with chain lengths of about 8.5″.

I measured the first chain using my tape measure and used two pliers to pry open a link in the chain by twisting each side in opposite directions to pry them apart. I used two different types of pliers and found the ‘linesman’ type pliers, or the ones that are more blunt, to be much more effective than the needle nose type, as they have better grip and are less likely to slip or mark the chain. Once one chain was the right length, I used that piece to measure out the other lengths of chain to get 12 in total.

Each length of chain had an open link on one end, which I slipped into the lower ring, or eyelet, of my shower curtain ring. I used the spring o-ring on the closed end of the chain, clipping it on to the last link and into the hole of shower curtain.

And that was it. I repeated this simple assembly 12 times until all rings were attached to the curtain with a length of chain. I strung these onto the shower curtain rod, happy with the way it made my simple white shower curtain pop, like some added jewelry.

Final Thoughts

A shower curtain chain has its practical uses in a shower where you need to extend the length of the shower curtain, and want to optimize the amount of light that can get past the curtain.

If you are thinking about adding shower curtain chain to your shower, you’ll find that stores and online options tend to be quite limited. Luckily it is easy to DIY your own, taking the opportunity to create something unique that will add a bit of shine to your shower in more ways than one.