Might be easier on the walls and let you swap things out if you're feeling adventurous.
Tension rods are nice, but they can sag over larger spans. If you're going for a fantasy vibe, maybe thin aircraft cable would work better—it's super strong and discreet enough to hide easily behind fabric or decor.
Totally agree on aircraft cable being a better choice than tension rods, especially if you're covering a larger area. I've done something similar in a basement project before, and tension rods just didn't hold up well over time—they started drooping after a few months, and it was a pain to keep adjusting them.
If you do go with aircraft cable, here's a quick rundown of how I set mine up:
1. First, map out exactly where you want your cables to run. I spaced mine about 3 feet apart, but you can adjust depending on the weight of your fabric or decor.
2. Get yourself some sturdy eye hooks or anchors—make sure they're rated for ceiling use and can handle the weight. Screw these securely into your ceiling joists (use a stud finder if you're unsure).
3. Run your aircraft cable through the eye hooks and secure each end with cable clamps. You can find these at most hardware stores, and they're pretty easy to use—just loop the cable through and tighten the screws.
4. Once your cables are up, you can hang fabric panels, fairy lights, fake vines, or whatever else fits your fantasy theme. The nice thing about aircraft cable is that it's thin enough to blend in easily, especially if you paint it black or match it to your ceiling color.
One small tip from experience: leave yourself a little slack when installing the cable initially. You can always tighten it later, but it's harder to loosen if you've already cut it too short. Also, if you're hanging heavier items like lanterns or decorative pieces, consider adding extra support points along the cable to prevent sagging.
Overall, aircraft cable is definitely the way to go for durability and flexibility. Plus, it'll save you from constantly readjusting droopy tension rods...trust me, been there, done that.
Aircraft cable definitely has its perks, but honestly, I found it a bit of a hassle when I tried it. Maybe it's just me, but getting the tension right was trickier than expected—too tight and things pulled weirdly, too loose and it sagged anyway. Ended up switching to thin metal conduit pipes mounted directly to the ceiling joists...way sturdier, easy to paint, and no fussing with cable tension. Just another idea if you run into any trouble!
I feel your pain with the aircraft cable—I once tried it for a client's basement project and ended up spending half the weekend just tweaking tension. My arms were sore for days, and I swear I developed a new appreciation for circus performers. Conduit pipes are definitely underrated; they're sturdy, easy to customize, and you don't need an engineering degree to install them. Plus, painting them to blend into your fantasy theme is way easier than wrestling with cables...lesson learned the hard way.
"Conduit pipes are definitely underrated; they're sturdy, easy to customize, and you don't need an engineering degree to install them."
True, conduit is way simpler. Have you tried PVC instead of metal conduit? Cheaper and easier to cut, but not sure if it'd hold paint as well for your fantasy theme...
