What gear do I need to put up a pair of curtains?

kissenger

kissenger

kissenger

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Is it okay to just drill straight into the wall or do I need some wooden batons or whatever (I don't even know what those things are called so that I can buy them online) to fix the curtain rail to? And yes, I am a complete DIY noob :D
 
Generally the curtain rail will come with the required screws and rawl plugs. You drill into the wall (probably an external one, so likely plaster over brick, but do check) to the required depth, insert the rawl plugs and then screw the rail retaining brackets in to those.

Try and get a line checker of some sort, to be sure you're not drilling into your electricity lines. There shouldn't be any so close to the window, but you never can be sure...
 
Depending on the age of your house, you might have plasterboard just above the windows (well everywhere) In which case I'd put a wooden batten up and attach the curtain rail to that. Much more secure than trying to attach it to plasterboard with a gap behind it... If you hang anything remotely thick/heavy it'll just pull itself out of the wall in time.

Mine did, anyway :o
 
Or wall plug. That being the descriptive term, while Rawlplug is a brand. But with the terms sounding so similar, they tend to be used interchangeably. (And get mixed up a lot, as the previous poster did).

This was a (very boring) public service announcement. ;)
 
Unless you have a house like mine that has the worlds largest and strongest lintols above the windows then you'll need an SDS drill
 
It's a suprisingly complex one actually, depends how your house is constructed.

If you've got plaster on brick then you'll either have a reinforced concrete or steel lintel up there.

For concrete you'll need to drill in with an SDS drill and bit - first with a small one then with wider ones to enlarge the hole for a rawlplug.

For steel (uncommon but used in some parts of the country) you'll need to put in pilot holes and then you should be able to get away with self tappers.

If you've got dot and dab up - personally I'd remove some plaster sections then batten the wall out behind and skim over.

If that isn't an option (not for the novice) then you can use rigifix dryline fixings but you'll likely still be going into a concrete lintel which you'll ideally need an SDS for.

Failing all of the above - if they're light curtains and unlikely to be drawn much you can just no more nails a length of timber to the wall and screw the curtain rail directly into it.
 
pitchfork said:
Failing all of the above - if they're light curtains and unlikely to be drawn much you can just no more nails a length of timber to the wall and screw the curtain rail directly into it.
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Assuming the OP's wall does NOT have wallpaper on it, of course!! :D
We can laugh, but I know people who tried it...

Also, No More Nails is okay... but there is a similar product called "Sticks Like ****", which is vastly superior... and yes, that actually is the name! It used to be a Trade Only purchase, only stocked by Trade Only places, but I think you can now buy it from places like Drews and Travis Perkins.
 
Holy crap! I did not realise all the implications of putting a pair of curtains up.

To answer some of the questions, it's an external wall, and it's a big window, so the curtains are big too, and heavy with it. I think it's plaster and brick, but I'm just guessing.

So I need to get a wooden batten, fix that to the wall (i.e., drill holes, insert plugs, screw in), then fix the curtain rail to the batten? Can I just use any old drill or do I need something in particular?

And how important is the wooden batten part, can I defo not just fix the rail directly to the wall?
 
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In this instance I think you'd be best getting a handyman in. I've seen a few perforated walls in friends houses where they've had several attempts at putting up curtain poles.

I think curtain poles look a bit naff screwed to wood. Track looks ok but poles look best on the wall.
 
ttaskmaster said:
Also, No More Nails is okay... but there is a similar product called "Sticks Like ****", which is vastly superior... and yes, that actually is the name! It used to be a Trade Only purchase, only stocked by Trade Only places, but I think you can now buy it from places like Drews and Travis Perkins.
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I just use no more nails as a generic term for grab adhesive :D
It's like calling anything epoxy "Araldite"

OP - bare in mind how hard brick is, what you'll likely be drilling into is several times harder than brick.

You'll really need an SDS drill or you're just going to end up burning out drill bit after drill bit trying to blast through reinforced concrete with a standard hammer drill. It takes skill to get fixings directly into the lintel lined up with the curtain pole but it's doable.
 
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Tesla said:
I think curtain poles look a bit naff screwed to wood. Track looks ok but poles look best on the wall.
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^ This.

kissenger said:
Holy crap! I did not realise all the implications of putting a pair of curtains up.
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Only because it's something you've not tried before.
I've done it several times and can manage it with minimal thought quite quickly... even quicker if the Mrs doesn't insist on 'helping'!! :D

kissenger said:
To answer some of the questions, it's an external wall, and it's a big window, so the curtains are big too, and heavy with it. I think it's plaster and brick, but I'm just guessing.
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Is it brick outside?
Get a Cable Finder and make SURE you're not going to drill through anything vital. Good brands can be had for under £30, which is a small price to pay against 240V zapping through you... plus you can reuse it in future projects!!
Make sure the screws and rawlplugs are long enough to support that kind of weight. The fixings that come with the rail should be good enough, but if in doubt get some longer ones.

Lastly, these things usually have a measuring guide and a drilling template. Measure it up, then re-measure, then re-measure a third time. Do this as much as it takes to get consistent results, because you can only drill it once!

kissenger said:
So I need to get a wooden batten, fix that to the wall (i.e., drill holes, insert plugs, screw in), then fix the curtain rail to the batten?
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Your call. I've personally never done this.

kissenger said:
Can I just use any old drill or do I need something in particular?
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If you're drilling into brick, you'll need a masonry drill bit of the appropriate diameter.
You'll also be better off with a drill that has a Hammer Action (it will have a little hammer icon) and multiple speeds - The former helps go through brick. The latter increases speed as you press the trigger in further, so you can start slowly and be sure of drilling right on the mark.
I'd suggest at least an 18V drill, especially if you're going cordless. There's a nice Black & Decker one for a good price at your local 'well-known gardening & DIY superstore'. ;)
 
kissenger said:
So I need to get a wooden batten, fix that to the wall (i.e., drill holes, insert plugs, screw in), then fix the curtain rail to the batten? Can I just use any old drill or do I need something in particular?
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I've done this in 3 bedrooms here and it's quite easy to do, cut 3 small strips of wooden batten, use some no-more-nails to secure to the wall, let it dry overnight and secure the bracket to it the next day.

Found out I would need to purchase an SDS drill to do it the other way after burning out a drill bit.
 
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