The wife wants new curtains and they’ll be substantially heavier than the current curtains, is it a simple matter of longer, fatter screws to ensure the looooooonnng curtain pole stays up?

Ta

Probably. Depends on what you’re screwing into and whether the screws are going in vertically or horizontally too.

Bigger rawl plugs. if you use bigger ones, you can also drill out the existing holes bigger, cleaning them up. I wouldnt just chuck longer screws in, as they will most likely hit the bottom of the hole and just push out the plug and rail (and plaster).
If you are in the market for some rawlplugs, get some optimal screws at the same time. (screw size is listed on the rawl plug packet)

The fattest rawl plugs (8mm – 10mm jobbys) are listed as for things like radiators, so i doubt a curtain will be too much trouble for them.

I’m drilling into brick, I have no idea what type of brick it is however and the screws are going in horizontally.

And make sure the curtain rails / poles are not going to sag

drill bigger holes and if the rawplugs won’t hold the weight just glue the screws in place with this stuff – takes an awesome amount of weight before shifting

http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-polyester-resin-175ml/53359

I never thought the day would come that I would contribute to a DIY thread.

Fischer for wall plugs, but if you’re going into brick you’ll be ‘reet with any crap (probably)

If the curtains are heavy, a pole of sufficient diameter is more important, if a wooden pole. Googling is your friend there. Some come with joins in the middle which will support better (personally don’t like them though and neither might your wife).

If it’s a metal pole, I have nothing to add.

Get thee to BandQ for these;

Use an 8mm masonry bit.

Medium weight fixings that support just about anything including big heavy curtains 🙂

If you end up needing to drill into the lintel you’ll need a BFO drill. A little cordless will get you nowhere. I’ve learnt this the messy way.

Thanks all

what I love most about drilling into brickwork is when you’re pressing on the back of the drill whilst stood on the last rung of the ladder and trying to keep the whole shebang square on to your markings and the drill suddenly finds the mortar join between two bricks and all of a sudden you’ve got a massive hole which doesn’t hold anything so you shove half a pack of matchsticks in there to hold the plug in place and hope the rest of the screws go in okay.

I can bring the dog round if you want a curtain-fixing strength test.

Cheap plugs are a false economy.

Go to Screwfix or Toolstation, buy some Fischer ones, some decent screws and a good quality masonry drill. If you go to Homebase or BandQ you will probably pay 3 times as much, absolute rip off.

I would be careful about drilling out the old holes, you may end up with large holes in the wrong place, it may be better to relocate the fixings slightly and start fresh.

I would consider fixing a wooden baton to the wall and then screwing the pole into the wood.

what I love most about drilling into brickwork is when you’re pressing on the back of the drill whilst stood on the last rung of the ladder and trying to keep the whole shebang square on to your markings and the drill suddenly finds the mortar join between two bricks and all of a sudden you’ve got a massive hole which doesn’t hold anything so you shove half a pack of matchsticks in there to hold the plug in place and hope the rest of the screws go in okay.

😆

johndoh – Member

I would consider fixing a wooden baton to the wall and then screwing the pole into the wood.

This is what I generally do.
And if the curtain poles are long, get one with a central support too.

And also for what it’s worth – make sure you use rawl-plugs that sit flush in the hole, if you get ones that the outer lip/flange sit proud of the wall then the pole brackets will not be flat against the wall.

what I love most about drilling into brickwork is when you’re pressing on the back of the drill whilst stood on the last rung of the ladder and trying to keep the whole shebang square on to your markings and the drill suddenly finds the mortar join between two bricks and all of a sudden you’ve got a massive hole which doesn’t hold anything so you shove half a pack of matchsticks in there to hold the plug in place and hope the rest of the screws go in okay.

or steel! as in the dam lintel that some 1970’s wacjob decided to use around all the windows..grrr

I ALWAYS screw a batten to the wall then fix the curtain pole brackets to that. It makes the job so much easier and more secure. Trying to drill two or three holes accurately in a small pattern for the brackets will never go right. If you must do it that way, drill small pilot holes first then enlarge with the correct drill for the plugs.

I ALWAYS screw a batten to the wall then fix the curtain pole brackets to that.

Yeah and it’s generally what happens in any half-decently built new build too.

A batten spreads the load as well.

Cheap plugs are a false economy.

Go to Screwfix or Toolstation, buy some Fischer ones, some decent screws and a good quality masonry drill. If you go to Homebase or BandQ you will probably pay 3 times as much, absolute rip off.

I would be careful about drilling out the old holes, you may end up with large holes in the wrong place, it may be better to relocate the fixings slightly and start fresh.

Whilst I agree about cheap plugs being crap – in my experience I’d say the quality of the hole is as important.
Too small and you’ll muller the plug when you tap it in, too big and it won’t grip properly.
make sure you pair up the right sized drill, and right sized screw for your chosen plug.
(ex-kitchen fitter here)

Out of interest,

How did people do stuff like this back in the days before the widespread use of plastics (and thus, Rawlplugs)? Anyone know?

I believe it’s probably the wooden wedges bewteen brickwork scattered throughout houses of a certain age, and load-bearing in my case 🙂

wooden wedges, all the skirting and picture rail in my house had it fitted before I removed it.

Must have been a complete PITA