Fit a pelmet above a window on a solid brick or block wall

Fit a neat pelmet above a window in one session, following the right order from marking to hanging.

AB-01Gather your tools and materialsCheck your pelmet board is the right width for the window before you start — most are cut slightly wider than the frame to allow for brackets. Lay a dust sheet under the window to catch masonry dust. Have your drill, spirit level, pencil and tape measure to hand, along with the brackets and fixings for your wall.

1 each · Pelmet board

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2 pair · Pelmet mounting brackets

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1 each · Dust sheet

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AB-02Measure and mark your bracket positionsDecide how high above the window frame the pelmet sits — usually 50mm to 100mm above the top of the frame. Mark a level line using a spirit level, then mark each bracket's screw holes on the wall. Double-check the line is level along its whole length before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

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1 each · Pencil

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AB-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillRun a detector over your marked points, but don't trust it completely — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or outside the usual safe zones. 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 about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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AB-04Drill and fix the brackets into brick or blockDrill each marked point with a masonry bit sized to match your wall plug, typically 6mm or 7mm, to a depth of at least 40mm. Blow or vacuum the dust out of the hole, push in a wall plug, then screw the bracket firmly in place. If a hole lands on a concrete or steel lintel rather than brick or block, shift the fixing point down using the method you already know for fixing above lintels.

1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm

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6 each · Red wall plugs

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6 each · Wood screws 50mm

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AB-05Check the brackets are level before you tighten fullyRest your spirit level across the tops of the fitted brackets. If one side is out, loosen it slightly and adjust, then re-check. Only tighten the screws fully once every bracket sits level.

AB-06Lift the pelmet board onto the bracketsWith a second person holding the other end, lift the pelmet board and settle it onto the brackets. Most brackets either clip the board in place or need a short screw driven up through the bracket into the underside of the board. Give the board a gentle pull to check it's secure before letting go.

4 each · Self-tapping screws 25mm

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AB-07Tidy up and do a final checkVacuum any masonry dust from the windowsill and floor, then fold away the dust sheet. Stand back and check the pelmet sits level and square to the window. Give it one more firm push to confirm it's solidly fixed before you finish.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner use

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