Curtain track / pole - how best to 'fix'

Beta · 14 Jun 2015 at 18:16

We have a 1930's house, with lath and plaster ceilings and a bay window which were replaced with uPVC windows prior to us buying the house.

There is no wall above the window frame, therefore, fixing a curtain track or pole securely is causing me somewhat of a headache!

The previous owners had drilled and fixed directly into the uPVC frames, which I guess is an option again, however, they had used a flexible plastic track that if you use any decent weight curtains, gets ripped off the fixings on a semi regular basis (the brackets have always remained securely fixed to the frame).

Any thoughts on the best way to attach a track or pole? I'm not keen on ceiling mounted with it being lath and plaster, and therefore not designed to bear any weight and as its a bay window, i'm guessing there won't be any joints?

I did come across this but it seems the track attached and secures from the top down, so again, not an option.

bitslice · 14 Jun 2015 at 21:50

When I had a bay window I put curtains across the bay rather than inside it, whoever built the bay did not leave enough room to put up a pole and I didn't want to drill into the window frame.

If you still want to do this then screwing a thin batten to the ceiling is one way of getting a good fixing for a pole

Makhaira · 14 Jun 2015 at 21:56

If you're set on putting the curtains within the bay itself, what is above the ceiling of the bay? If you can get access, I'd put some wooden batons above that, secured to the floor joists, and just hang the rail off those.

thenewoc · 14 Jun 2015 at 23:06

If there's wall above the opening to the bay then i'd put a pole up on the wall across the top of the bay. Curtain tracking looks a bit dated imo. Presumably there's block work behind the plaster above the bay, so a good length of plastic wall plug to screw the brackets for the pole into. I recently rediscovered cut to length plastic wall plugs so much more handy for jobs like these but only place I've found to buy them is on the auction site.

Kimi · 15 Jun 2015 at 09:13

Batton into celing then blinds mounted from there with pelmet?

Skiddley · 15 Jun 2015 at 14:30

I just did this myself - hollow behind lathe and plaster, when fitting a custom made 6 bend pole. 14 holes to drill and every one was a unique experience.

I used spring clips that expanded behind the lathes - worked quite well. 4 end mounts were rawled into brick fortunately.

covenantuk · 15 Jun 2015 at 14:40

Luxury. I live in a Victorian tenement. 100-yr crumbly plaster on top of solid stone. Every time I want a wall fixing it means repairing the drill hole with filler and drilling the new filler instead

OP: It can be done - just use ceiling fixings but use more fixing points than usual. It'll be a royal pain in the **** but you only have to do it once.

Beta · 15 Jun 2015 at 21:44

Thanks all, I'm just not convinced the ceiling is up to bearing the weight. There is movement in the ceiling as it is if you were to push it, so I'm not that keen on suspending additional weight from it.

There is nothing above the bay as it is a ground floor bay only with a flat lead roof. Equally there is no brick or block work above it that is visible from the interior. Will try get a picture up as its easier to explain!