Fit a net curtain wire across your window using the right eye-screw fixing for your wall type.
NC-01Gather your tools and clear the areaLay a dust sheet under the window. You'll need a curtain wire kit (wire, two eyelet hooks, a tensioner), a tape measure, pencil, spirit level, drill with a pilot bit, and a screwdriver. Check the kit's wire length covers your window plus about 50mm spare at each end.
1 each · Net curtain wire kit (wire, 2 eyelets, tensioner)
NC-02Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, including up beside a window frame. Run a cable and pipe detector over the spots you plan to drill, but treat it as a warning, not a guarantee — detectors miss deep cables, ones in metal conduit, and anything behind metal-backed plasterboard. Find your stopcock now (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut the water off fast if you ever hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.
NC-03Work out what your wall is made ofTap the wall either side of the window. A dull, solid sound usually means brick or block. A hollow sound means plasterboard — check whether it's dot-and-dab (a hollow sound right up to the reveal, no visible studs) or on studs. For a stud wall, run a magnet or stud detector across the surface to find a line of screw heads about 400mm or 600mm apart, marking the studs. A small pilot hole tells you more: timber dust means a wood stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud. Older houses with a slightly springy, uneven wall may have lath and plaster instead of plasterboard.
NC-04Mark and level your fixing pointsHold the eyelet hooks in position at each side of the window, at the height you want the wire. Use a spirit level to make sure both marks are level with each other, not just level with the frame. Mark the exact screw point with a pencil at each end.
NC-05Drill and fix into a timber studIf your mark falls on a timber stud, drill a pilot hole about 2mm narrower than the eyelet screw's shank, roughly 30-40mm deep, straight into the centre of the stud. Screw the eyelet hook in by hand or with a screwdriver until it's firm. Timber studs take the eyelet's own woodscrew thread directly — no plug needed.
NC-06Drill and fix into a metal stud insteadIf your pilot hole brings out fine metal swarf, you have a metal stud. Never use a plain wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here — it will strip straight through the 0.5mm steel. Fit a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a small toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the eyelet's light pull weight, following the fixing pack's hole size. A curtain wire is light, so a proper metal-stud anchor is enough; you don't need a noggin for this job.
1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud fixing (pack of 4)
NC-07Drill and fix into solid brick or blockFor solid masonry, drill with a masonry bit sized to match your wall plug, typically 6mm or 7mm, to a depth of about 35-40mm. Blow out the dust, insert a wall plug, then drive the eyelet screw in until snug. Don't overtighten, as this can crack the plug or the plaster around it.
NC-08Drill and fix into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard has an air gap behind it before you reach the masonry. Use a long fixing that passes through the plasterboard and dabs of adhesive to bite into the solid wall behind — typically 50-65mm long, check by feeling for resistance as you drill. A standard wall plug on its own will spin loose in the gap, so a longer frame fixing or dot-and-dab specific anchor is needed here.
NC-09Drill and fix into lath and plasterLath and plaster walls are thin timber strips under old plaster, and they crumble easily around a hole. Drill slowly with a small pilot bit to find a lath (a slight resistance change), then use a light hollow-wall toggle fixing rated for the wire's weight rather than relying on the crumbly plaster alone. Support the plaster gently with your other hand while drilling to stop it cracking outward.
NC-10Thread and tension the wireFeed the wire through one eyelet and secure it as shown in your kit's instructions, usually by looping and twisting the end back on itself. Pull the wire across to the other eyelet, feed it through the tensioner, and pull until taut. Trim any excess wire and tuck the cut end away neatly.
NC-11Hang the curtain and tidy upThread your net curtain onto the wire before final tensioning if it isn't already on, then hang it in place. Check both eyelets are still firm after the curtain's weight is on. Hoover up any dust or debris from drilling and fold away your dust sheet.
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