Fit a straight shower curtain rail to a lath and plaster wall

Fit a straight shower curtain rail safely, checking for pipes and cables first and choosing the right fixing for your wall.

SCR-01Check your kit and plan the layoutUnpack the rail, brackets, screws and end caps and check nothing is missing. Measure the width of the shower or bath area and decide the rail height — usually 1900-2000mm from the floor, but check it clears the tallest user's head. Decide if you need two brackets or three; anything over 1500mm long sags in the middle without a centre bracket.

1 each · Straight shower curtain rail kit (with brackets and end caps)

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SCR-02Mark the bracket positionsHold the rail against the wall at your chosen height and use a spirit level to keep it dead straight. Mark each bracket's screw holes with a pencil. Stick a strip of masking tape over each mark on the tiles — it stops the drill bit skating on the glaze when you start.

1 roll · Masking tape

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SCR-03Work out what's behind the tilesBathroom walls hide all sorts behind the tiles: solid brick or block, plasterboard on timber studs, plasterboard on metal studs, dot-and-dab plasterboard, or old lath and plaster. Run your detector over each fixing point, listen for a hollow sound between studs, and drill a small pilot hole to check what comes out — fine timber dust means a stud or a lath, pale gritty dust means solid masonry or plaster, and fine grey metal swarf means a metal stud. On lath and plaster expect the drill to bite into a thin timber lath, then feel soft where the plaster key sits in the gap behind it; the studs behind lath and plaster usually run at 400-450mm centres.

SCR-04Do your safety checks before drillingCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the 'safe zones'. A detector helps but it misses deep cables, cables in metal conduit, anything behind metal-backed board, and it can be fooled by a metal stud frame — treat every hole as if something might be there. Find your stopcock now, 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 at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before drilling near any pipework.

SCR-05Drill through the tile and into the wallStart with a sharp tile bit at a shallow angle to break the glaze, then straighten up once you're through. Switch to a masonry or wood bit sized for your fixing once you're past the tile. Drill slowly and check the debris coming out matches what you found in Step 3 — stop and reassess if it doesn't.

1 set · Tile and masonry drill bit set (5-8mm)

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SCR-06Choose the right fixing for your wallSolid brick or block: drill to the plug's length plus 5mm, fit a 6mm plug, then a 40-50mm screw. Plasterboard on timber studs: drive a 4mm x 50mm wood screw straight into the centre of the stud, no plug needed. Plasterboard on metal studs: use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a metal-stud toggle — never a plain plastic plug or an ordinary wood screw, both strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use a long fixing (around 75mm) that passes through the board and the adhesive dabs into the masonry behind. Lath and plaster: fix into a stud with a 50-60mm wood screw wherever you can find one, or use a spring toggle that opens beyond the laths in the gap — never rely on a plain wall plug, the old plaster crumbles and the plug spins loose.

1 pack · Wood screws 4mm x 50mm (pack of 10)

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1 pack · Brown wall plugs 6mm (pack of 10)

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1 pack · Spring toggle fixings (pack of 4)

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1 pack · Metal-stud cavity fixings (pack of 4)

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1 pack · Long dot-and-dab fixings 75mm (pack of 4)

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SCR-07Fit the bracketsPush or tap each fixing home, then drive the screws until the bracket sits flat and tight against the wall — don't overtighten a toggle fixing or you'll crack the tile. Recheck level across all brackets before moving on. If one bracket feels loose or spins, stop, remove it, and try a different fixing point.

SCR-08Fit the rail and hang the curtainSlot the rail into the brackets and press or screw on the end caps as per the kit instructions. Thread on the curtain rings or hooks, then hang the curtain and slide it along the full length to check it runs smoothly.

SCR-09Seal the fixing holes and tidy upRun a thin bead of sanitary silicone around any fixing that's near the shower or bath edge, so water can't track behind the tiles into the wall. Wipe away tile dust and drill debris, and vacuum the floor and bath. Give the silicone 24 hours to cure before using the shower.

1 tube · Sanitary silicone sealant

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