Dumb question re fitting curtain rails

Lally

I do all DIY type things round the house for my Mum, and this is a new one on me...

Her (new build) house doesn't have the wooden strips on the wall to attach a curtain rail to. So the curtain rail will be going directly on the wall.

I imagine I need raw plugs. So, what size do I get? I've never used them before.

Say (for talking sake) that the screws in the pack are 2mm. What size raw plug would i get? and would I drill the hole the exact same size or a smidge bigger?

Dumb, I know. But i don't want to mess up her brand new walls! I have 7 of them to do.

sarah_elton

At B&Q at least, the packets of rawl plugs say what size screws they're for, and also what size drill bit to use.

They also do packs of rawl plugs and screws together.

With the drilling, I tend to err on the side of caution as you need the rawl plug to fit snugly. I use one 1mm or 0.5mm less than they say, as I always seem to wiggle a bit on the way in (ooh err) and the hole ends up bigger. Then I make it a bit bigger if needed.

As I said, the rawl plugs should be tight or they'll come out. If you can easily slot them in they're probably not going to hold. It should be a push in most of the way then tap gently with a hammer to finish.

wallbash

As sarah_elton says, info on the packet
But I find I normally use red rawplugs with a 6 mm masonry bit.
With a No, 8 screw.

doesn't have the wooden strips on the wall

Just starting to see problems , curtain rails and lintels
If you find that you are having problems drilling your holes
Find out if you are trying to drill into metal or reinforced concrete
There has been threads on this topic before.
Good Luck

jennifernil

It might be easier to fit the wooden bits and then screw the rails up as usual.

The wooden bits can be done with fewer but larger screws, whereas the rails will need more small screws and be fiddly to fit.

Broadsword

You'll also need a masonry bit for the drill the same size as the plugs and screws. Check the length of the plug against the side of the drill, then put a bit of tape round the drill bit a fraction longer, then you know how deep to drill. There's a big however though. Often over windows there's a concrete lintel- it supports the hole made by the window and is made of tough concrete. If this is the case you'll need a good quality masonry bit (not the 100 for £9.99 type) more the individual bosch packet at B&Q and a hammer action drill

OddjobKIA

as has been said the raw plugs come with drill bit size and screw (normally 3 sizes) that can be used for the rawplug..

to save on making a huge mess get a piece of wood that over hangs the window a bit and you wont have to drill into the lintel..that extra bit of wodd will be hidden behind any phineals.....


Drilling into a lintel..

any deacent drill with Hammer action will do it for you...Just use standard drill for the first bit and then click over to Hammer once you get to the lintel...

if using a cordless drill make sure the battery is fully charged

wallbash

We have gone down this thread before !
Some reinforced lintels take more than a hammer drill and decent drill bit to conquer.

Have been beaten with hammer drills ( and sds ) never tried with a battery , life is too short.Try your first hole, if a success , carry on.
IF you find it tough , remember how many more holes you require. and give the idea of a longer batten a great deal of thought.

Mikeyorks

Been here several times with both old and new houses. The most practical way is to fit battens / paint them to merge with the background - first. Whether the lintel behind is a problem or not - it's easier to get the batten sound and straight, than the relatively unforgiving tolerance on the curtain brackets.

Just don't forget to get the battens high enough that the curtain heading doesn't show on the outside. And wide enough - you can't see in through the side of the curtain. Oh ...... and central !

OddjobKIA

Lally wrote: »

I
Her (new build) house doesn't have the wooden strips on the wall to attach a curtain rail to. So the curtain rail will be going directly on the wall.

.

How many new builds use huge solid lintels????????????


But yes a very good SDS drill with a very good bit...Can be beaten......but only in the rare occasion..

sarah_elton

In my flat, the previous owner had put curtain poles up just above the wooden plank bit. :rolleyes:

Assume he figured that the pole and hence curtains would end up hanging too far out from the window if attached to the wood which is a fair point. Does mean that standard drop curtains hang just an inch shorter than you really want them too.

Lally

Thanks for all the replies! I am glad I asked, it does sound a bit tricky.