Fit a roller blind outside the window recess on a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall

Fit a roller blind bracket outside your window recess safely, checking your wall type and fixing correctly before drilling.

RB-01Check the kit and measure the recessUnroll the blind kit and check you have both brackets, the roller tube with fabric attached, the bottom bar, and the chain or cord safety device. Measure the window recess width at the top, middle and bottom with a tape measure, and use the narrowest figure. For an outside-recess fit, the fabric needs to overlap the recess by 50-70mm on each side to block light properly, so check this matches the wall space you have before you go any further.

1 each · Roller blind kit (outside-recess brackets included)

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Pencil

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RB-02Find your stopcock and check for cables before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere behind a wall, including up and down beside window openings to sockets or switches. Run a detector over the fixing area, but still treat the wall as if something is there until you have drilled a small test hole and proved otherwise. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely, so you can shut off the water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before you drill.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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RB-03Work out what your wall is really made ofDot-and-dab plasterboard sits on foam or plaster dabs over solid brick or block, so tapping the wall gives a mix of hollow sounds with firmer patches roughly every 200-300mm where the dabs are. A small 3mm pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot should pass through the board, hit a short air gap of 10-40mm, then reach solid masonry. If instead you hit timber close behind the board, or the whole wall sounds hollow with a regular pattern of screw heads, you may have a stud partition rather than dot-and-dab. Check with a magnet or detector for a line of fixings, and look at the pilot hole dust: pale wood dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud.

1 each · 3mm drill bit

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RB-04Mark and level the bracket positionsHold a bracket 50-70mm beyond each side of the recess opening, level with its pair using a spirit level, and mark the screw holes with a pencil. Double-check both marks are level with each other and not just level with the window frame, since frames are not always true. Hold the tube between the marks to check it sits square before you drill anything.

1 each · Spirit level

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RB-05Drill and fix the brackets for your wall typeFor dot-and-dab over solid masonry, drill through the plasterboard and dab gap with a long bit, then use a frame fixing screw of at least 75mm with a matching plug, sized so it goes at least 40mm into the solid masonry behind, not just into the dabs. For plasterboard on a solid wall with no dab gap, a standard wall plug and 50-60mm screw with 40mm embedment is enough. For a timber stud wall, drill a 2.5mm pilot hole into the centre of the stud and drive a 40-50mm wood screw directly, no plug needed. For a metal stud wall, use a self-drilling metal-stud screw or a proper toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the bracket load; never use a wood screw or a plastic plug, as both strip straight through 0.5mm steel. For lath and plaster, find the stud behind the laths and fix as for timber, but drill gently since old plaster crumbles easily.

4 each · Frame fixing screws 75mm with plugs

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4 each · Wood screws 40mm (timber stud option)

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4 each · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings (metal stud option)

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4 each · Toggle-type hollow-wall anchors (plasterboard between studs option)

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1 each · Drill with masonry and wood bits

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RB-06Fit the roller tube onto the bracketsClick or slide the roller tube into the fitted brackets according to the kit instructions, usually the pin end first, then the clutch end. Give the tube a gentle spin to check it rotates freely and does not catch on either bracket. Check the bottom bar hangs level; if it does not, one bracket is out slightly and needs adjusting before you carry on.

RB-07Fit the child-safety cord or chain deviceFit the safety cleat, breakaway connector or tensioning device supplied with the kit, following its instructions, so the pull cord or chain cannot form a loop within reach of a child. Position it as high as practical on the wall or window frame, out of reach of young children.

RULES

1 each · Cleat or tension device (usually supplied with kit)

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KNOW THE RULES

UK safety rules (BS EN 13120) require corded and chained blinds to include a device that keeps the cord or chain out of reach of young children. Always fit the device supplied with the kit.

RB-08Test the blind and fine-tuneRaise and lower the blind fully a few times, checking it runs smoothly without binding on the brackets or the window frame. If it drifts to one side, loosen and re-level the low bracket rather than forcing the tube straight. Check the chain or cord hangs at a comfortable working length and trim any excess as the kit allows.

RB-09Tidy upVacuum plaster or wood dust and any metal swarf from the sill, floor and window ledge. Wipe down the wall and window frame with a damp cloth. Flatten the blind packaging for recycling and put any leftover fixings in a labelled bag for future use.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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1 each · Cloth

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