Setting up pipe-and-drape hardware is easy for an event, but that doesn’t mean you should run through the setup without a good understanding of that hardware’s limits. For instance, how much weight can your support bar handle? Thankfully, if you can’t answer that question now, you can find it below. Since the display fabric is lightweight, max capacity might not immediately sound like a concern, but let’s quickly break down why you should know this info before setting up your hardware.
Support Bar Purpose
Support bars, also known as support rods, are beautifully designed to hold your fabric how you want, creating a uniquely luxurious look, and making it easy to accommodate various space requirements and aesthetic preferences. Instead of simply dangling down over your guests, you can use the support rods to carefully arrange the drapes to look more stylish than sloppy. Now, let’s address the titular question—how much weight can your support bar handle?
Overall Weight Capacity
Not every drape rod is identical, so it always helps to look at the manufacturer’s product listing carefully to see what they recommend. For example, at Pipe & Drape, our backdrop crossbarcomes in various styles capable of handling a maximum of anywhere between 10 to 15 pounds of premium fabric.
Our adjustable width support rods can hold a maximum of 15 pounds, whereas our small and large clip rod support can handle 10 pounds at most. However, weight distribution is critical for handling that maximum weight with ease.
Even Weight Distribution
To keep the support rods stable, the weight of the fabric must be evenly distributed. For instance, our adjustable width support rods can handle 15 pounds of fabric, but that fabric shouldn’t be bunched up to one side—it must be evenly laid out across the support bar.
Not only does this keep the bar stable, but it keeps the fabric looking ethereal as it hovers over the venue. Thanks to this walkthrough on weight distribution for your support rods, you can create a display that is equally stunning and stable.