If you are remodeling your camper and are ready to update or replace the original curtains, you will need to decide how you will secure your new curtains to the camper’s C channel curtain track. You can either reuse the original tabs or make your own replacement tabs.
Reuse The Original Tabs
If you still have all the original curtains that came with the camper, you could remove the existing tabs and use those on your new curtains.
The curtains that originally came with many pop up campers utilized sew-in Type C plastic curtain tabs. A 2005 Jayco 1007 pop up camper used 88 curtain tabs for its interior curtains.
Camper Curtain Tab Type C
The original curtain tabs were sewn in the curtain at approximately every 4 inches and sat about 3/4 of an inch from the top of the curtain. The tab itself is is 3/4 inch tall and about 7/8 of an inch wide. The flex tab has an oval shape at the top which is roughly 3/16 wide and 1/8 inch tall which slides into the C channel rail.
The only drawback to reusing the original Type C curtain tabs is that it is very difficult to sew through the plastic. You would need a sewing needle that is recommended for vinyl or upholstery (a 110/18 or 120/19 needle) and a sewing machine with enough power to push the needle through.
Velcro
One alternative no-sew option might be to attach sticky back hook and loop velcro to the both the tab and the curtain.
Photo credit – user Geoanna of Pop Up Portal
Hot Glue
Some have used hot glue to attach the tab directly to the curtain fabric. Problems a few users encountered when using hot glue was that the glue would leach through and be visible on the front of the fabric, and/or the glued tab would come loose during extreme cold or heat. Hot glue might not be a good option if you are using a thin or sheer fabric. But if you are looking for a quick solution and don’t mind occasionally reattaching a few tabs, hot glue might be your best option.
Duct Tape
This is a really good option if you aren’t able to sew directly through the tab’s plastic but would still like to sew the tabs directly onto your fabric curtains. Just cut off half of the tab’s lip and fold one 2 inch long by 1 inch wide piece of duct tape over either side. You can then sew right through the section of duct tape that extends below the tab. Another nice benefit to using duct tape is that it can be purchased in endless colors or patterns; allowing you to match the tape your new curtains.
DIY Replacement Type C Curtain Tabs
Making your own tabs that will work with a Type C curtain channel is another option when you are replacing your camper’s curtains.
If you don’t have the original tabs or are missing some, replacing them can be costly. A set of fourteen tabs cost $12 to $15 dollars. If you need 90 tabs, you could easily spend almost $100 dollars on just the tabs.
Maybe you don’t want to remove all 90+ tabs from the old curtains and find a solution to re-attach 90+ tabs to the new curtains.
Either way, it is possible to make your own DIY replacement Type C curtain tabs.
Since we already know the dimensions of the original tab, and the dimensions we need for the tab top that slides into the C channel, we start by looking for items that can be used as substitutes. We need to consider that the tab top will have to easily glide inside the channel and retain its shape regardless of temperature extremes and/or humidity. Using an item that might swell or corrode in high humidity would freeze a curtain panel in place.
For an item to slide inside the C channel, it would need to be no larger than 3/16″ in diameter.
Some options:
Empty ballpoint pen ink cartridge
Photo Credit – user Hanne on Pop Up Portal
Stainless Steel Ball Chain
These 4mm chains would act as ball bearings and glide through the channel. Cut them into 1 inch sections and tie fishing line at the ends onto which duct tape can be attached.
Jewelry findings
Wire, thread, or fishing line can be fed through these barrel clasps, to which a patch of fabric or duct tape can be attached.
You can feed fabric or duct tape through these 20mm slider clasps, then sew them onto your curtain. The loop at the top may need to be crimped downward to fit inside the C channel.
