When fabricating a Roman shade, the details you don’t see can make all the difference in how the shade performs. One of those behind-the-scenes heroes? The weight bar.
At Centurion Roman Shade, we recommend using steel weight bars—either flat or round—in Roman shade construction. While some fabricators choose aluminum because it’s lighter and easier to cut with a simple hacksaw, aluminum often doesn’t provide enough weight. The result can be a little bounceback when the shade is fully extended, which means adding extra weight later to get the smooth, tailored look you’re after.
Steel, on the other hand, gives you the weight you need right from the start. The tradeoff? It does take a bit more effort to cut.
If you only make Roman shades occasionally—or if you’re looking to squeeze in a quick arm workout—a hacksaw with a fresh blade will absolutely get the job done. That’s how many of us started.
In our workroom, though, we’re producing enough Roman shades that we’ve upgraded our tools. We now use a battery-powered portable bandsaw, which makes quick, clean cuts through steel flat bars—and even threaded rod. It’s a serious time-saver (and arm-saver), especially when you’re cutting multiple bars in a row.
Judi recently shared a short video on our Instagram page showing the bandsaw in action—just a little tease of how smoothly it works. We’re not endorsing any specific brand here, just the concept of choosing tools that match your workload and help keep your process efficient.
Whether you stick with a trusty hacksaw or step up to powered tools, the takeaway is simple: proper weight matters. Starting with steel helps your Roman shades hang beautifully and function the way they should—no bounceback required.
At Centurion Roman Shade, we recommend using steel weight bars—either flat or round—in Roman shade construction. While some fabricators choose aluminum because it’s lighter and easier to cut with a simple hacksaw, aluminum often doesn’t provide enough weight. The result can be a little bounceback when the shade is fully extended, which means adding extra weight later to get the smooth, tailored look you’re after.
Steel, on the other hand, gives you the weight you need right from the start. The tradeoff? It does take a bit more effort to cut.
If you only make Roman shades occasionally—or if you’re looking to squeeze in a quick arm workout—a hacksaw with a fresh blade will absolutely get the job done. That’s how many of us started.
In our workroom, though, we’re producing enough Roman shades that we’ve upgraded our tools. We now use a battery-powered portable bandsaw, which makes quick, clean cuts through steel flat bars—and even threaded rod. It’s a serious time-saver (and arm-saver), especially when you’re cutting multiple bars in a row.
Judi recently shared a short video on our Instagram page showing the bandsaw in action—just a little tease of how smoothly it works. We’re not endorsing any specific brand here, just the concept of choosing tools that match your workload and help keep your process efficient.
Whether you stick with a trusty hacksaw or step up to powered tools, the takeaway is simple: proper weight matters. Starting with steel helps your Roman shades hang beautifully and function the way they should—no bounceback required.
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