How to fix a hole that has become too big to secure curtain rail

Fila_2

Please help me...My curtain rail has just fallen off. The screw that is holding one end of the curtain rail has become loose and it seems that the hole is bigger than the screw so now it cannot just be re-screwed back on to hold the curtain rail.

The screw originally had a wall plug in the hole but it seems the hole is too big so it cannot hold up the rail anymore. I tried to replace the wall plug that I found but its not helping. Any suggestions as to how to fix this? I just need it to hold up the curtain railing again, and I won't be opening and closing this curtain too much in the future so a temporary fix should also be ok. Thanks!!

Please suggest what I can do with as much household items as possible. I do not own much DIY tools.

lagi

If you have a wall plug, push matchsticks around the sides so its a nice tight fit, cram as many in as you can then snap them off level with the wall plug and that should do the trick. Screw up slowly until wall plug starts to expand, don't overtighten.

Fila_2

Thanks Lagi. I didn't have matchsticks so I loosely wrapped a cable tie around the wall plug, and screwed it in. Its holding up fine for now and its quick and easy. Cheers!

aboard_epsilon

depends on how old your house is ..and how its constructed

older houses ..some had 3/4 inch plaster on the walls ..

mine does ..and its even an inch thick in some places.

if it has that much .. drill deeper into the wall past the plaster and into the brick ..push the plug all the way in ..so you cant see it any more.

drill so that when the plug is pushed in ..non of it is in the plaster ..and all of it is in the brick

you will need much longer screws.

you're curtain rods will never fall off again .

caution ..you could be drilling into the lintel though and hit the re-enforcing rods

all the best.markj

DVardysShadow

The long term sensible way to do this is to fix a piece of wood to the wall large enough to take the entire curtain rail, and fix the curtain rail to that.

Modern DIY revels in fixing flexible things like curtain rails to wall with single point fixings separated by flexible elements - ie the curtain rail, rather than fixing a single rigid component [the wood] to the wall with several fixings and then fixing to the wood.

aboard_epsilon

DVardysShadow wrote: »

The long term sensible way to do this is to fix a piece of wood to the wall large enough to take the entire curtain rail, and fix the curtain rail to that.

Modern DIY revels in fixing flexible things like curtain rails to wall with single point fixings separated by flexible elements - ie the curtain rail, rather than fixing a single rigid component [the wood] to the wall with several fixings and then fixing to the wood.

These curtain polls ..are a bit of a bad idea ..they stick out a lot anyway ..putting a piece of wood on before them ..would indeed salve the problem ..but then your curtains could be 2-3 MAYBE 4 inches from the wall ..so they would look sort of crappy ..let in draft , if you have drafty windows...AND light from around the sides .

The fixings they come with are inadequate...screws too small ..plugs are usually the red ones ..
so it's no wonder they fall off the wall.

all the best.markj

ormus

you need a decent drill to drill into a concrete lintel above a window.
an SDS drill will do the job in seconds.
then use a large plug or wood in the hole. itll never fall out again.

keystone

Matchsticks won't work in concrete. Fill enlarged hole with gripfill (- actually decorators caulk works as well). Insert wallplug. Refix curtain rail (yes do it whilst the addy/caulk is still wet then you know the plug is in the right place. Wait for addy/caulk to dry now you can pull curtains back and forth to your hearts content.

Cheers

keystone

ormus wrote: »

... itll never fall out again.

Been on hols O? You've been very quiet of late.

Cheers

Fila_2

Thanks for all the replies. I don't have a drill and do not have any tools so I need to keep it as simple as possible.

keystone, gripfill might be what I need! But I think it needs to be dispensed using a gun which I do not have. Is there anything that is as good as gripfill and can just be used straight from the package?

aboard_epsilon

its in your name

car body filler

anyway ,,,my opinion is that you should be doing some shopping

good electric drills can be found on car boots for as little as £1

the guns ..get them brand new about £3

btw ..sometimes the gap fill can take over a week to set all the way through ..if there is more than a cubic inch of the stuff, in one small area .

all the best.markj