Hanging a blind - hitting metal when drilling wall

zippy1969

I've just bought some faux wooden blinds to fit into my window recesses in all my rooms.

I've hit a bit of a snag though.

When I drill into the wall in each of the window recesses the drill goes through the plasterboard and then hits metal. This means that the rawlplug will only go halfway into the wall.

I have no idea how to get around this?

Can anyone help?

Thanks.

Nilrem

You can try swapping to a (decent) metal drill, as what you're hitting is probably the lintel.

Make sure you take the drill off hammer action before you use the metal bit.

zippy1969

Nilrem wrote: »

You can try swapping to a (decent) metal drill, as what you're hitting is probably the lintel.

Make sure you take the drill off hammer action before you use the metal bit.

I've been looking at these... HSS drill bits. I'll give it a try.

Thanks for the reply.

phill99

Even with a decent drill and a HSS bit you will struggle to get through 10-12mm of steel.

You would be better off fixing the brackets in to the top rail of the actual window, or the side reveals of the window opening.

zippy1969

phill99 wrote: »

Even with a decent drill and a HSS bit you will struggle to get through 10-12mm of steel.

You would be better off fixing the brackets in to the top rail of the actual window, or the side reveals of the window opening.

Problem is, I've had the blinds 'made to measure' and can't send them back or exchange them. They've been made to fit on the inside of the window recesses with small, box brackets and additional support brackets to fit on the upper inside face of the recesses. The windows are UPVC double glazed windows.

I'm not sure it's the lintel I'm hitting? I'm hitting metal even when I try to drill into the bottom of the recesses on both sides. I've tried this just to 'explore' and get a picture of what's going on.

Regarding the HSS drill bit... I've got these drill bits but am not sure which, if any, are the HSS type?: http://www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/3329582/searchTerm/DRILL+BITS.htm

Is it the silver finish drill bits?

Thanks for your help so far guys.

benjus

Is there a gap between the plasterboard and the metal? I'd have thought fixing to the plasterboard would be sufficient for a blind. If there's a gap I'm sure you'll find some suitable fixing.

zippy1969

benjus wrote: »

Is there a gap between the plasterboard and the metal? I'd have thought fixing to the plasterboard would be sufficient for a blind. If there's a gap I'm sure you'll find some suitable fixing.

I'm not sure if there is a gap?

The depth to which I can drill before hitting the metal is 2cm, but I'm not sure if there is a gap between plasterboard and metal.

Strangely, one of the windows has let me drill to a suitable depth on the inside vertical faces of the recess. The other windows just won't let me do it before I hit the metal.

srm1

zippy1969 wrote: »

Problem is, I've had the blinds 'made to measure' and can't send them back or exchange them. They've been made to fit on the inside of the window recesses with small, box brackets and additional support brackets to fit on the upper inside face of the recesses. The windows are UPVC double glazed windows.

I'm not sure it's the lintel I'm hitting? I'm hitting metal even when I try to drill into the bottom of the recesses on both sides. I've tried this just to 'explore' and get a picture of what's going on.

Regarding the HSS drill bit... I've got these drill bits but am not sure which, if any, are the HSS type?: http://www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/3329582/searchTerm/DRILL+BITS.htm

Is it the silver finish drill bits?

Thanks for your help so far guys.

From the image supplied, the silver finished drill bits appear to be for masonary - the tip will look like it has a chunky end.
High speed steel drill bits may likely be the black ones and have a sharp cutting tip.
If you are drilling through a steel beam, select a slower drill speed to prevent the drill bit from overheating.

Le_Kirk

srm1 wrote: »

High speed steel drill bits may likely be the black ones and have a sharp cutting tip.
If you are drilling through a steel beam, select a slower drill speed to prevent the drill bit from overheating.

Also use a smaller diameter to start with. Before drilling the finished size hole, decide what fixing you are going to use. If, as I suspect, you have hit a steel lintel, there may be a cavity once you have drilled through, which means that a plastic wall plug will not work. Better to use a self tapping screw and fix it into the lintel. Or, if you can drill a large diameter hole in the lintel use a cavity toggle type fixing.
Try one of these: -
http://www.screwfix.com/p/hollow-wall-anchors-6-13mm-m5-x-43mm-pack-of-10/18266?kpid=18266&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%20-%20Fixings%20and%20Fasteners-_-Shopping%20-%20Fixings%20and%20Fasteners&gclid=COXwyaHh7scCFSTmwgodILgF-g&kpid=18266
or
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/product/6816747/?grossPrice=Y&cm_mmc=UK%7CShopping-_-Google+PLA-_-Rawl+Fixings%7CPlasterboard+%26+Cavity+Anchors+%26+Fixings-_-6816747&kpid=&kpid=6816747&istCompanyId=f7e7b05b-2daf-4c0e-8825-3633baf8113b&istItemId=xitmalalm&istBid=tztx&gclid=CPX9wLfh7scCFaYfwwodZ2AFvw

zippy1969

None of the drill bits I have will touch the metal.

I'm getting my nephew around tomorrow, he's an electrician so has all the gear.

I thought this was going to be a quick job!

brightontraveller

If you cant drill it and plasterboard or contact adhesive (no nails etc) alone will not take weight ? Remove a few inches square of plaster board use sharp Stanley knife replace with thick ply ( the plaster board/ plaster finish normally around 15- 35mm thick? ) Cut ply fractionally smaller than whole size may also need to be little thinner if filler is required to surface ? Place adhesive no nails etc on the back of ply fit into place the combination of adhesive and supporting existing plasterboard should be sufficient to hold blinds up and screws into ply do not need to be as deep as plaster alone would be bit fiddly not really much material wise though ,Or use L bracket on wall window frame etc long enough to get a suitable fixing above side etc you maybe able to cut them into plaster/ fill etc so they are hidden
Lintels can be thick and there hard personally not keen on drilling holes in them myself,,,