Fit a curtain pole inside a window recess in a timber stud wall — HomeGraft

Fit a curtain pole between the two sides of a window recess, with the right fixing for whatever the reveal is made of.

CP-01Check your kit and measure the recessMeasure the width of the recess at bracket height and the depth from front edge to window frame. Choose a pole 20-30mm shorter than the recess width so it doesn't bind, and check the brackets sit at least 20mm forward of the window handle or opening mechanism. Unpack the pole, brackets, screws and finials and lay them out before you start.

1 each · Curtain pole kit with brackets and finials

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Tape measure

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Pencil

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-02Find your stopcock and check for cables and pipes before you drillFind your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns before you start. Run a detector over both marked spots, but expect cables or pipes to be there anyway and drill carefully even when it reads clear, since detectors miss cables that are deep, in conduit, behind metal-backed board, or outside the usual zones near sockets and lights. If you have any doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and don't drill anywhere you'd need to turn the water off unless you know that tap works.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-03Work out what the reveal is made ofTap the reveal on each side: a dull, solid sound usually means brick or block, a hollow sound means plasterboard on a frame. Run a magnet or stud detector along the height of the reveal - regular screw or fixing heads in a line mean a stud behind, either timber or metal. Drill a small 2mm pilot hole at your marked point: pale timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud, gritty red or grey dust with no give means solid masonry. If the board flexes slightly and sounds hollow near the edges but solid a little deeper in, you've probably got dot-and-dab over masonry. In older houses, a crumbly, uneven sound with thin ridges felt through the plaster means lath and plaster.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Small magnet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-04Mark bracket positions and check they're levelMark one bracket position on each side of the recess, at the same height, roughly 20-30mm back from the front edge so the pole doesn't stick out. Hold a spirit level flat across the recess between the two marks and adjust until it's true, not just measured with a tape, since window recesses aren't always square. Double-check both marks clear the window frame and any opening handle before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-05Solid brick or block reveal: drill and plugDrill a 7mm hole to 40mm depth using a masonry bit, keeping the drill square to the wall. Push in a matching wall plug until it's flush, then drive the bracket screw in firmly. This fixing holds curtain weight easily on its own.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 7mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · Red wall plugs (7mm)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · Bracket screws 40mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-06Timber stud reveal: fix straight into the woodDrill a 3mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud to stop the screw splitting the timber. Drive a 40mm wood screw straight through the bracket into the stud - no plug needed. If your mark misses the stud slightly, shift the bracket a few mm rather than fixing into thin plasterboard alone.

2 each · Wood screws 40mm (No.8)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Pilot drill bit 3mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-07Metal stud reveal: use the right metal-stud fixingNever use a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here - both strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Use a self-drilling metal-stud screw driven directly into the stud face, or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the weight if you miss the stud. A metal stud alone won't hold anything heavy or anything that gets pulled on, so if you're hanging heavy, lined curtains that get yanked, fix a timber noggin between the studs first or fix through to the masonry behind.

2 each · Self-drilling metal-stud screws

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · Toggle-type hollow-wall anchor

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-08Dot-and-dab reveal: reach through to the masonryThe plasterboard skin sits on adhesive dabs over masonry, usually with a 40-60mm gap behind it. Use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and dabs and bite into the solid masonry behind, typically a 60-75mm screw with a suitable plug, or a hollow-wall toggle rated for the weight if you can't reach the masonry. A short fixing into the board alone will pull out.

2 each · Long masonry screws 75mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

2 each · Wall plugs for dot-and-dab depth

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-09Lath and plaster reveal: fix into the timber, not the plasterCommon in pre-1930s houses. Find the timber studs or noggins behind the laths using the same detector and sound checks, since the plaster itself won't hold a screw on its own. Use a screw long enough to pass through the plaster and laths and bite at least 25mm into solid timber, typically 50-60mm. Drill pilot holes gently - old plaster can crack if you push too hard.

2 each · Wood screws 55mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-10Fit the pole and hang the curtainsScrew the bracket bodies onto the fixed screws, then rest the pole in the bracket cradles and clip or screw it into place following your kit's instructions. Slide the curtain rings or eyelets onto the pole before you fit the finials on the ends. Check the pole sits level along its length before you finish.

1 each · Screwdriver

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CP-11Tidy up and check everything holdsVacuum up drill dust from the sill and floor and wipe down the reveal. Hang the curtains and give the pole a firm downward tug at both ends to check the fixings hold before you trust it with full weight. Put spare screws and offcuts somewhere safe in case you need to adjust later.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Cloth

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides