Attaching Blinds to Plasterboard Ceiling

shiraz99

I have heavy, wooden blinds in my bay window held up just using spring toggle fixings, like these https://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-spring-toggles-6-x-80mm-20-pack/1936x

It's totally solid and been in place for around 10 years.

Bendy_House

You've been lucky, I think, Shiraz.

They are fine for just holding things up, but once you add movement to this, especially the much greater load from pulling on a raising cord, I just don't see how they will last.

Anyhoo, lwm has got access to the joists - the ideal solution.

paperclap

Thanks as always Bendy_House!

And good shout on gluing the bottom of the wood to the plasterboard to prevent movement. Would wood glue work on this?

And what's the best sort of screw to use for joist to joist? Bearing in mind I will probably need to drill an additional piece of wood either side of said joist.

Grenage

I think people underestimate the strength of hollow wall anchors. But still, wood is preferable.

Bendy_House

One that's long enough

Any wood screw of, say, 4 to 5mm-ish thickness, size 8 or 10, that sort of stuff. And ideally those with a smooth section of shank at the head end. 

Yes, wood glue will stick to the p'board too.

Depending on the space you have to work in, you will almost certainly have to skew the screws through. This can be sideways, or from an angle above. You can also either screw the block TO the joist, or screw through the joist into the block - whichever is easier. Either way, however, you should drill a near-clearance hole in the first material, so that the screw doesn't bite fully in this, but screws in firmly into the second material - this way the two materials will be pulled FIRMLY tight together. That make sense?

Also, if skew-scewing at a sloping angle from 'above', make sure the block is held firmly against the joist as the screw passed through and starts to bite. If you don't do this - if there's a gap between them as the screw passed through - then the block will be pulled slightly out of line with the joist as the gap is pulled tight. Does THAT make sense?!

BUFF

has anybody asked what type of blinds (venetian, roller etc.) & what weight they actually are? Roller blinds are pretty light, metal venetians quite a bit heavier ...

carefullycautious

Would these be suitable

What Kind of Curtains Look Good with Top Down Bottom-Up Blinds - Bing images

If you google bottom up blinds there are many on the market

shiraz99

Bendy_House said:

You've been lucky, I think, Shiraz.

They are fine for just holding things up, but once you add movement to this, especially the much greater load from pulling on a raising cord, I just don't see how they will last.

Anyhoo, lwm has got access to the joists - the ideal solution.

Not lucky at all, those spring toggles are designed specifically to spread load in plasterboard.. As I mentioned my blinds have been up for years and get used on a daily basis and they're as solid now as when I installed them.

paperclap

I'm yet to hang the blinds, but I've managed to add some timber along each of the joists. Where two joists were close (in the angled bay area), I'd run an angled noggin. All seems pretty solid, so confident the binds will stay put when I'm there!