Curtain rail in Edwardian house

[GeX]

Our curtain rail is having a day

I'm not sure exactly what it looks in the wall where the ends of the curtain pole are - it's not brick in there, nor is it the lintel.

The house was built around 1900 - so it's always fun when drilling into a wall. The centre bracket is drilled into solid brick.

I'm not sure if I just move the brackets a bit further out, and it'd hit brick? I can't exactly start ripping all the plaster off to see what's underneath.

I've looked on rightmove, at other houses down our street to see what they've done.

They seem to have much larger brackets, and either further in or out than our brackets are.

Should I just get a small drill bit and go looking for brick or does anyone have any idea what it would look like above the window?

 

[danlightbulb]

You could try a simple expanding type wall plug made for hollow walls, see if that holds it. Or you could resin in a threaded rod and bolt it on.

Older houses tend to mount a wood batten first, then attach more delicate fixings onto the wood is easier.

 

[Mason-]

Could just try drilling it out one size up and using a bigger plug. E.g. if it’s a red use a brown. If it’s a brown use a blue.

Batten is the easiest and strongest but it’s a little bit ugly and a faff. Have to paint it. And it’ll step your curtains off the wall a bit more.

I’m guessing with your coving and picture rail looking original that the walls haven’t been overboarded. So it should be a solid masonry wall. Might have just hit a big crumbly bit of mortar. Could buy a slightly wider pole, and move your brackets sideways a bit in hope you’ll hit some solid masonry.

Also are those brackets only using a single screw? I’d replace them with ones that take multiple.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

I found one of my reveals was lathe and plaster around the reveal. Could be you've hit a similar random bit of lathe and plaster vs. actual masonry. Get a bigger pole and come further away from the reveal; is the simplest answer.

 

[964rs]

It is probably 120 years of people putting curtain rails up and then filling the holes back in

 

[GeX]

You could try a simple expanding type wall plug made for hollow walls, see if that holds it. Or you could resin in a threaded rod and bolt it on.

Older houses tend to mount a wood batten first, then attach more delicate fixings onto the wood is easier.

The problem is that the wall isn't hollow there, nor is it brick. It's kinda springy once through the 100 year old plaster. Not keen on a wooden batten, the curtains are functionl at keeping draughts out and I don't want them further away from the window (plus I don't like the look).

Could just try drilling it out one size up and using a bigger plug. E.g. if it’s a red use a brown. If it’s a brown use a blue.

Batten is the easiest and strongest but it’s a little bit ugly and a faff. Have to paint it. And it’ll step your curtains off the wall a bit more.

I’m guessing with your coving and picture rail looking original that the walls haven’t been overboarded. So it should be a solid masonry wall. Might have just hit a big crumbly bit of mortar. Could buy a slightly wider pole, and move your brackets sideways a bit in hope you’ll hit some solid masonry.

Also are those brackets only using a single screw? I’d replace them with ones that take multiple.

The plaster isn't sound enough to size up, and the plugs aren't going into brick. As above, it's kinda springy. Correct that it's original, but there is some weirdness around the tops of windows in this house. I'd love to knock the palster off and actually see what's going on!

The brackets are using two screws, it's just not clear in the photos.

I found one of my reveals was lathe and plaster around the reveal. Could be you've hit a similar random bit of lathe and plaster vs. actual masonry. Get a bigger pole and come further away from the reveal; is the simplest answer.

I think this is what is going on. I had to do similar in the upstairs back bedrooms and ended up fitting the pole lower than I wanted.

It is probably 120 years of people putting curtain rails up and then filling the holes back in