chisue, this was my dilemma when I remodeled my bathroom. I was totally averse to drilling holes into the brand new tiles of my tub surround. Oh dear, what if they cracked? What if they ended up in the wrong place (this is a recurring fear of mine)? I bought a curved rod (non-tension) and then talked myself out of it and bought a straight tension rod. I pretended it would be just as nice and wouldn't fall down. Well, I don't know if would have ever fallen down, but it wasn't as nice, not by a long shot. You want a curved rod, yes you do. I suspect that a curved tension rod doesn't have quite the oomph to stay in place as a straight rod. You don't want a straight rod.

I finally put on my big girl pants, did plenty of measuring for the sweet spot for the curtain to hang (in and out of the tub), and told my guy to drill away. We all survived: me, the tiles, the curtain. Best decision of little cost I made in my entire bathroom remodel.

Wow, I need to look for my big girl pants :)

Chisue

I am so glad you started this thread and will be checking frequently to read your responses about curved shower bars. I am struggling with this with my 84 year-old dad who replaced a tub with a shower. He does not want to put holes in the tile and wants a straight tension rod. The shower is narrow so I think he needs the room and the stability of a fixed bar in case he grabs the curtain to steady himself.

Have you found any info on how far in from the outside edge of the shower the curved bar should be mounted? I have done an Internet search but have found no guidelines. I purchased one with a 5 inch arc instead of the 7 and 9 inch ones; there are no instructions concerning where on the shower sidewalls tto place the mounting brackets. My dad insists the liner will not stay in the shower if we use a curved rod. Hoping you get some input, insight, and advise on this!

The longer the distance the rod spans, the greater the curve at its widest point. Or so it seems. My shower/tub alcove is the standard 60 inches, and my curve is about 5 inches wider than if I had a straight rod. It doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it's surprisingly more spacious feeling with a curved rod.

I just took some measurements. My rod ends are attached roughly straight up from the middle of my tub deck. The curtain is hung so that there's no excess to step on when it's inside the tub during my shower. When my shower's done I leave the curtain inside the tub at its full width to air dry. I have a window in my shower that's open year-round.

I happen to like the look of my tub alcove, so when the curtain is dry, I bring it to the outside of the tub and push it over to the niche side. By centering over the tub deck, it doesn't look awkward whether it's inside the tub or out.

While a fixed rod will probably withstand a falling grab better than a tension rod, it's not a true grab bar. It likely will help break a fall, but I can see it crashing down.

We bought our curved tension rod from Bed, Bath & Beyond a few years ago. It's a little more sophisticated installation that the normal tension rod. It's been sturdy - we've hung wet pool towels on it. But I would never rely on it for support.

How well do the curved tension rods stay up?

Like this?

Or that?

I have the same rod as Mayflowers. Mine would be fine an inch or two more to the outside than I have, esp. if a straight curtain drop down without touching the tub is preferred.

I don't understand your question in reference to the links, NSM. But you don't need the double rod to hang a curtain and liner. Just get the double hooks. Though I used just a fabric liner for a few days and no water escapes. I keep my shower curtain open so I wanted a decorative one.

Thanks, all. I've learned things I didn't know I needed to consider. (Like where to place the rod in relation to the interior of the tub -- so that the liner stays IN but the decorative curtain doesn't 'puddle' on the floor like some draperies are meant to do.)

I have a straight tension rod now -- no problems for 15 years. I'm just unsure how much the tension might be decreased due to the curve. (No engineering background here!) Smuellers is the only person to say that they have what I'm looking at and that it IS secure.

There is a horizontal safety bar on the inside wall of my tub at hand height. There is a vertical safety bar on the surround where you exit the tub. These are drilled and anchored. That should cover the safety issue.

Rontontoo -- No one should expect stabilize himself by grabbing a shower curtain or rod. I am only asking if the rod will stay up when the curtain is pulled back and forth. Your father needs true 'grab bars' that are anchored into the wall. We have one of those in our stall shower -- along with a glass shower door.

The rod I'm considering looks sturdy in itself. I am looking at Moen CSR2160WB 54" - 72". My space is 58". I'm hoping this will stay up because I do not want more holes drilled into the cultured marble tub surround. MOST of the time the stall shower will be used; the shower/tub combo is just an option.

Chisue:

I made him put in the grab bars where you have yours for getting in and out of the shower; he grumbled about drilling the tile but acquiesced. He is fighting me about drilling the tile for the curved rod...it is a moot issue to me since the tile is already drilled for grab bars?!?! My thinking is that if he does grab the permanently mounted curved bar for balance, at least the curtain and bar will stay. I have concerns about the "staying up" ability of a curved tension shower bar also especially if he grabs the curtain.

I will look at your model; the curved Moen bars I saw at Menards needed to be drilled to mount.

Linelle:

i appreciate your info on measurement/ placement...it gives an idea of where to start and what to think about.

Opps, sorry, totally missed the subject line, which highlights TENSION rods. Basically exact question as OP posted. I just got distracted by the posts about drilling holes.

We've installed this aircraft grade aluminum rod in our kids/guest bath. It's very sturdy and can take a door smacking into it, as it's made to flex sideways. Hotels use it for this reason. Amazing how much roomier the tub feels when taking a shower.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/5-aluminum-curved-shower-curtain-rod-with-chrome-finish/327A00KIT046.html

We have the curved tension bar -- I think it is Moen. Two years in, no problem with it at all.

chibimimi -- Now THAT'S what I needed to hear! Thank you!

I tried the curved Moen tension bar this weekend; we could not get it to tighten enough to keep from drooping.

rantontoo -- Oh, nuts! Anyone else have a 'droopy' curved rod? What is the tightening mechanism? It can't be the same as my straight tension rod, where you just twist the two ends to tighten...wouldn't work with a curve.

DH has a "Gripper" tension rod from BBB. It's been up since Sept 2015. No sagging. I haven't TRIED to yank it down or anything but with normal use, it hasn't budged.

monicakm -- I have a straight tension shower rod. No problem. I'm asking about a *curved* tension rod in a shower. No BBB on Maui anyway...sigh.

I would love to know what others have done to tighten so their Moen curved tension rod is tighter; it may have simply been the dimensions we were dealing with. It did, however, make a huge difference in the "roominess" feel of the shower. I got the bar to convince my dad that we needed to go with a curved bar for him instead of a straight one. He was NOT convinced!

I would consider doing what we did: buy one, carefully open box, slide the clear plastic end protectors toward the center of the rod instead of cutting them off, and then try to tighten it enough so it stays level. If it does not work, put it back into the original packaging and return.

Chisue, this Gripper IS a curved tension rod :) I don't know that it's an exclusive to BBB.

Oh, thanks, monicakm. I'll look for Gripper here. Maybe the newly opened Target!

So far, all I can find in stores, in 'bronze', and curved, requires permanent mounting.

rontontoo -- If the only solution is to buy online, I'll remember your good advice. Thank you.

monicakm -- I found a Smart rod at Target -- only one they had in bronze. Have yet to get DH to help hang it. It says "Maytex Mills" NYC Made in...where else...China.

We've had a curved rod since we first saw them years ago in a Holiday Inn Express. Will never go back to straight! Just finished building and bought same set up as Mayflowers--Moen curved rod with double hook rings. Fit perfectly, no drooping!

eta: DOES require drilling holes. Found those big girl pants yet?? ;)

I have a double straight tension rod - I can't have a curved rod (wish I could!) because I have a sliding wall that travels in front of the tub. We haven't screwed it in yet because I wanted to be sure I liked it first. I wish I could have a curved rod, but I do like the double rod - so I can open the fabric curtain and shower with just the clear liner - it doesn't feel as claustrophobic that way! I expect we'll probably screw it in at some point. It did fall once, when MrHunzi sat on the tub edge and accidently sat on the curtain!

I'm having a hard time finding a curved tension rod that I don't have to drill into . my new porcelain tile. Ill check and see if Bed, Bath and Beyond had one.

Marcia. I recommend screw fastening curved shower rods. Not worth the risk of injury and/or tub damage.

I am going to have the tile person do that. He has to do it for the bar rails so might as well do it at the same time. The big thing is getting it set in the correct place.

Thanks for your response fixer.