Curtain design coordination
Motorized Curtain Stack-Back Planning for Clear Openings
The curtain does not disappear when it opens. Its parked fabric still occupies space beside, or within, the opening. That occupied space is the stack-back, and it needs to be discussed while the designer, curtain specialist and track supplier can still coordinate the arrangement.
Begin with the clear opening the project wants to preserve. Then review where the curtain may park and which fabric and heading information is available. If the actual curtain specification has not been selected, the stack-back remains provisional.
Describe the parked envelope, not just a percentage
Stack-back means the space taken up by the curtain in its open position. For a motorized arrangement, that space must be considered together with the track route, draw direction, heading, fullness requirement and architectural interfaces.
A generic ratio cannot confirm what will remain clear. The curtain specialist needs to assess the actual curtain arrangement, while the track supplier and designer review how that proposed envelope relates to the system and building.
The questions are practical: will fabric remain in front of glazing that the buyer hoped to expose? Does a wall return provide the intended parking area? Is the opening needed for access? Does the composition call for a visually balanced stack at both ends? Keep those objectives explicit instead of treating an estimated stack width as a final product value.
One-way and centre-opening arrangements need different reviews
In a one-way arrangement, identify the proposed parking end and the surrounding condition there. Check which glazing or opening area the parked curtain may occupy and whether the requested draw direction is consistent with the architectural brief.
For centre opening, review both parking ends and the intended meeting condition. Do not assume the two sides will produce identical stacks: the actual curtain arrangement and surrounding conditions still need to be confirmed.
For either direction, label the viewpoint used on the drawing. “Left” and “right” become ambiguous when a supplier’s sketch and a room elevation are viewed from opposite sides.
Send the draw direction, curtain specification and clear-opening objective
Bring the curtain inputs into the track discussion
| Input | Record for the review | Why it cannot be silently assumed |
|---|---|---|
| Opening and desired clear area | Opening reference, width and the area the project wants clear when the curtain is open | A track length is not itself a clear-opening result |
| Curtain height and fabric | The proposed curtain specification and whether the actual material has been selected | A placeholder fabric does not close the parked-envelope question |
| Heading and fullness | The curtain specialist’s stated heading and fullness requirement | A generic catalog image cannot define the finished stack |
| Draw direction | One-way or centre opening, parking end(s), and the drawing viewpoint | Direction affects which interfaces need review |
| Track route and return | The proposed route, end/return conditions and related drawing | Route geometry and the parked fabric must be considered together |
| Wall or pocket condition | The relevant elevation/section and surrounding finishes | Available space is not established by the word “recessed” |
The Curtain Track Selection Pack collects the wider track inputs. It does not replace the curtain specialist’s assessment of the selected fabric and heading.
Resolve the architectural interfaces
| Interface | Question to close | Review record |
|---|---|---|
| Clear glazing | Where may the parked fabric remain, and what view is intended to stay clear? | Annotated elevation with the desired clear area and provisional stack zone |
| Door or other opening use | Which area must remain usable for the project’s intended operation? | The project’s required clear area, responsible designer and unresolved conflicts |
| Wall return | How does the parked fabric relate to the return and adjacent finish? | Relevant dimensions/section from the project, not a universal allowance |
| Pocket or recess | Is the proposed parked envelope being reviewed with the actual surrounding geometry? | Selected-system/curtain information requested and the issue owner |
| Visual symmetry | What arrangement is being assessed at each end? | The intended composition and the sample/drawing review needed to confirm it |
| Access | Can the selected track and curtain arrangement be reached for the agreed service task? | The appointed team’s access review and any finish restrictions |
This is an interface checklist, not an installation or building-access approval. The project team sets the required clear condition; this page does not certify that a particular arrangement achieves it.
Give each participant a specific question
The curtain specialist confirms the actual material, heading, fullness requirement and how the finished curtain’s parked envelope should be assessed. Ask whether a representative sample or other documented assessment is needed before accepting an estimate.
The track supplier reviews the proposed route, draw direction and selected-system questions against the supplied curtain and building information. Track span, motor capacity and curtain weight ratings remain outside this guide.
The designer or appointed project team confirms the desired clear opening, permitted parking areas, visual intent and interfaces. The final record should identify which inputs are approved and which remain provisional.
If the route itself is curved or shaped, continue with Curved and Recessed Track Planning. A curve-review decision and a stack-back decision are related, but neither closes the other automatically.
Assemble the stack-back review request
Send the opening reference and width, curtain height, preferred draw direction, viewpoint, available fabric/heading/fullness specification, proposed track return, wall or pocket section and the desired clear opening. Add quantities, project stage and destination for the supply review.
State plainly if the fabric or heading has not yet been chosen. Keep the parked envelope provisional until the relevant curtain and selected-system inputs have been assessed. General product selection remains with Motorized Curtain Tracks; access questions can be developed through Service Access Planning.
Before accepting the drawing
Can I use one stack-back percentage for every curtain?
This guide provides no universal percentage. Keep the estimate tied to the actual curtain specification and the method used by the curtain specialist. A preliminary assumption must remain identifiable as preliminary.
Does centre opening automatically leave more clear glazing?
It changes where the fabric parks, but it does not establish a universal clear-opening result. Compare both end conditions and the actual curtain arrangement against the project’s objective.
Can the stack be finalized before the fabric is selected?
Not as a confirmed result for an unspecified finished curtain. The team may reserve a provisional zone, but should identify the missing inputs and the review needed before release.
What should the final approval record show?
The exact drawing issue, curtain specification, draw direction, proposed parked envelope, desired clear area and the people responsible for confirming each. Leave any unclosed interface visible rather than turning an early estimate into a guarantee.