Fit a straight shower curtain rail to a solid brick or block wall

Fit a straight curtain rail above your bath or shower, marking, drilling and fixing it firmly to the wall.

SR-01Plan the position and mark upDecide the height for the rail — most people fit it around 2000mm from the floor, or to suit the length of curtain you already have. Hold the rail (or its brackets) against the wall and use a spirit level to get it dead level. Mark the centre of each screw hole lightly with a pencil, and check the spacing matches the brackets in your kit.

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

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SR-02Check for hidden pipes and cables before you drillRun a detector over your marked points, but don't trust it completely — detectors miss cables and pipes that run deep, at odd angles, or behind tiles and metal-backed board, and bathrooms often have pipework hidden near the shower or bath. Before you drill anything, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it actually turns, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit first, and be ready to turn the water off at the stopcock the moment you cut into anything that could be carrying water.

SR-03Drill through the tile and into the wallIf you're drilling through tile, start with a tile-and-glass bit on slow speed with no hammer action, until you're through the glaze. Then switch to a masonry bit sized to match your wall plug and switch the drill to hammer mode for the brick or block behind. Drill to a depth of the plug length plus 5mm, and vacuum the dust out of each hole before moving on.

1 each · Tile and glass drill bit, 6mm

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1 each · Masonry drill bit, 6mm

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SR-04Fit the wall plugs and bracketsPush a Rawlplug into each hole until it sits flush with the wall. Hold the bracket in place and drive the screw in firmly, but don't overtighten — the plug should grip without cracking the tile around it. Check the brackets are still level with each other before you fully tighten the last screw.

1 pack · Rawlplug masonry wall plugs, 6mm (pack of 10)

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1 pack · Countersunk screws, 4mm x 40mm (pack of 8)

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SR-05Fit the rail and hang the ringsSlot the rail into the fixed brackets and tighten any grub screws or end caps to lock it in place. Thread the curtain rings onto the rail before you hang your curtain, so you don't have to take the rail down again.

1 pack · Shower curtain rings (pack of 12)

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SR-06Test the rail and tidy upHang the curtain and pull gently along the full length of the rail to check the brackets hold firm with no wobble or movement. Wipe down the tiles and vacuum up any drilling dust. If any screw holes sit close to the shower spray, run a thin bead of mould-resistant silicone around them to stop water getting behind the tile.

1 tube · Mould-resistant bathroom silicone sealant

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