Fit a net curtain wire to a lath and plaster wall — HomeGraft

Fit hooks each end of your window, thread curtain wire between them, tension it, then hang your nets — check what's behind the plaster first.

NC-01Measure up and gather your kitMeasure the width between the two points where you want the wire to sit, usually just inside the window reveal, 40-60mm above the sill and the same distance below the top of the recess. Decide how many nets you're hanging and buy curtain wire long enough to span the gap plus 150mm for tensioning. Lay everything out on a dust sheet on the windowsill before you start.

1 pack (5m) · Plastic-coated curtain wire

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1 pack · Brass screw eyes or curtain wire hooks (pack)

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1 pair · Wire tensioner/turnbuckle

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Dust sheet

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NC-02Work out what's behind the plaster at each fixing pointTap gently near your marked points. Lath and plaster sounds slightly hollow and springy, with a dull knock where you hit a wooden lath and a duller thud between laths. A stud detector or magnet can pick up the fixing nails in the laths, but it's not as reliable as on plasterboard, so also push a bradawl in gently at an angle — if it meets solid timber within a few mm, you've found a lath or the timber reveal lining behind it. If your window reveal is actually solid brick or block dressed with plaster (common even in lath and plaster houses), the bradawl won't go in at all and you'll feel hard resistance straight away.

1 each · Bradawl

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1 each · Stud detector or magnet

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NC-03Check for cables and pipes, and know your isolation pointsCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, including up window reveals to sockets or light switches. Use a detector, but treat the result as a guide, not a guarantee — it can miss cables that are deep, boxed in metal conduit, or hidden behind old lath and plaster's wire mesh in some repairs. Before you drill, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt about what's behind your fixing point, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

NC-04Mark, drill and fit the right fixing for your wallMark your two fixing points level with each other using a spirit level. On lath and plaster, drill a 2-3mm pilot hole and aim for the timber lath or reveal batten you located in step NC-02 — screwing into plaster alone will crack it and pull straight out. If you land between laths with no timber behind, don't force it; move the point sideways by 15-20mm until you find solid wood. On solid brick or block reveals, drill with a 6mm masonry bit to 35mm depth, blow out the dust, and insert a matching wall plug. If the reveal is a timber-stud partition faced with plasterboard, screw a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud; for a metal-stud partition, use a self-drilling metal-stud anchor, never a plain plastic plug or ordinary wood screw, as it will strip straight through the thin steel. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough to pass through the plasterboard and dab and bite into the masonry behind, typically 60-75mm.

2 each · Wall plugs (6mm, red)

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1 each · Masonry drill bit (6mm)

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2 each · Metal-stud hollow-wall anchors

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2 each · Wood screws (No.8, 40mm)

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2 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (60-75mm)

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1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Cordless drill

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NC-05Fit the screw eyes or hooksScrew the eyes or hooks into your fixings by hand once the plugs or anchors are seated, turning until they sit tight against the wall. Check both are level with each other and both feel solid with no wobble — if one feels loose, back it out and check you've actually found timber or the correct fixing, not just plaster.

NC-06Thread and tension the wireFeed the curtain wire through the hooks or screw eyes, threading your net curtain onto the wire first if it doesn't have its own channel. Fit a tensioner or turnbuckle at one end and tighten it until the wire is taut with no sag, then trim off any excess wire with wire cutters and tuck the cut end away.

1 each · Wire cutters

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NC-07Hang the curtain and check itSlide the net curtain along the wire so it hangs evenly, then open and close the window a few times to check the curtain doesn't snag on the handle or catch. Give both fixings a firm tug to confirm they're holding before you leave the room.

NC-08Tidy upSweep or vacuum up any plaster dust from the sill and floor, especially fine lime plaster dust from lath and plaster, which can sit in fabric folds. Fold away your dust sheet and put fixings and offcuts away for next time.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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