What Does a Bay Window Curtain Track Without Returns Mean?
Some customers prefer their curtain track to fit within the bay window only, and that’s absolutely fine. In many cases, it’s exactly the right choice for the look they want.
On this page, I’ll explain what a bay window track without returns means, why you might choose this option, and how we deal with small gaps at the sides of the curtains.
Video Transcript: What Does a Bay Window Curtain Track Without Returns Mean?
Introduction
Hi, I’m Lee Stevens from Ezecurtains, and I want to explain what we mean when we talk about a bay window curtain track without returns.
Some customers prefer their curtain track to fit only within the bay window, and that’s absolutely fine. In many situations, it’s the right choice.
Tracks Fitted Within the Bay Only
When a track is fitted within the bay only, it stops at the outer edges of the bay and does not return onto the side walls of the room.
This means the curtains open and close entirely inside the bay area, rather than pulling back onto the flat walls on either side.
Why These Tracks Are Usually Ceiling Fixed
If you have a deeper window sill, the curtains often need to hang slightly further out to clear the window and move freely.
In most of these cases, the track will be ceiling fixed within the bay. That works very well, but it can introduce one small issue at the outer edges of the window.
Why Gaps Can Appear at the Sides
When the track stops within the bay, you can sometimes see gaps down the sides of the window between the curtain and the window frame when the curtains are closed.
This isn’t a fault — it’s simply a result of where the track ends. The curtains can only hang directly below the track, so they don’t naturally wrap around the corners.
How We Close the Gaps Neatly
To deal with this, we use screw eyes for the last couple of curtain hooks.
The track still ends within the bay, but the final hooks are gently guided around the corner using the screw eyes. This allows the curtains to sit closer to the window edge and neatly close the gaps.
It’s a simple solution and works very effectively without affecting how the curtains operate.
What to Select When Ordering
When you’re ordering your track, simply choose the option:
“Track fixing to ceiling within bay only.”
You don’t need to worry about ordering screw eyes separately. When you send a photo with your order, we can see exactly where the track finishes and where the curtains need to sit.
We’ll automatically include the correct fixings as part of the design so everything works as it should.
Summary
Hopefully that explains what a bay window curtain track without returns means and helps you decide whether this option is right for your bay window.
What Does “Within the Bay Only” Mean?
A curtain track fitted within the bay only stops at the outer edges of the bay and does not return onto the side walls of the room.
This means the curtains open and close entirely inside the bay area, rather than pulling back onto the flat walls on either side.
Many customers choose this option because they like the curtains to sit neatly within the bay and don’t want the track extending beyond it.
Why This Is Often Ceiling Fixed
If you have a deeper window sill, the curtains usually need to hang slightly further out to clear the window and move freely.
In these cases, the track is almost always ceiling fixed within the bay, rather than wall fixed. This gives the curtains the space they need to hang properly.
That approach works very well — but it can introduce one small visual issue at the outer edges of the bay.
Why Small Gaps Can Appear at the Sides
When the track stops within the bay, you may notice a gap at each side between the curtain and the window frame when the curtains are closed.
This isn’t a fault — it’s simply a result of where the track finishes. The curtains can only hang directly below the track, so they don’t naturally wrap around the corners.
The good news is that this is very easy to deal with.
How We Close the Gaps Neatly
To close the gaps at the sides, we use screw eyes for the last couple of curtain hooks.
The track still ends within the bay, but the final hooks are gently guided around the corner using the screw eyes. This allows the curtains to sit closer to the window edge and removes the visible gap.
It’s a simple, tidy solution that works extremely well and doesn’t affect how the curtains open and close.
What to Choose When Ordering
When ordering your track, simply choose:
“Track fixing to ceiling within bay only”
You don’t need to worry about adding screw eyes separately. When you send a photo with your order, we can see exactly where the track ends and where the curtains need to finish.
We’ll automatically include the correct fixings as part of the design, so everything works as it should once fitted.
Related Bay Window Advice
You may also find these pages helpful when planning your bay window:
If you’re unsure whether a track with or without returns is best for your bay, you don’t have to guess.