Fit curtain tie-back hooks to a solid brick or block wall

Mark, drill and fix a pair of curtain tie-back hooks safely and securely into a brick or block wall.

TB-01Gather your tools and materialsGet everything together before you start: hammer drill or SDS drill, 6mm masonry bit, tape measure, pencil, spirit level, wall plugs, screws, and your tie-back hooks. Lay a dust sheet under the window to catch brick dust and make clean-up quick.

1 pair · Curtain tie-back hooks (pair)

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2 each · Wall plugs, red (6mm x 30mm)

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2 each · Screws (4mm x 30mm)

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1 each · Dust sheet

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TB-02Mark the height and position for each hookDecide how far back you want the curtains held and mark this point on the wall in pencil, roughly 150-200mm out from the window frame. Use a spirit level to check both hooks sit at the same height on either side, then double-check the spacing against your curtain width before you commit to drilling.

TB-03Check for hidden pipes and cables before drillingRun a detector over each marked spot, but do not trust it completely — cables and pipes can run almost anywhere, and detectors miss ones that are deep, in metal conduit, or outside the usual safe zones. Before you drill, find your stopcock (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 about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit first.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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TB-04Drill the pilot holeFit a 6mm masonry bit and drill straight into the brick or block, keeping the drill level. Go to a depth of about 35mm — 5mm deeper than your wall plug — so the plug seats fully and the screw doesn't bottom out. Pause every so often to clear dust from the hole.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (6mm)

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TB-05Insert the wall plugPush a 6mm x 30mm red wall plug into the hole until it's flush with the wall surface. If it feels loose or spins freely, the hole is too big or too shallow — drill a fresh hole nearby rather than forcing a bigger plug in.

TB-06Fix the first hookHold the hook's baseplate against the wall over the plugged hole and drive the screw through it into the plug. Tighten firmly until the hook sits snug against the wall, but stop as soon as it's tight — overtightening can crack the plug or the plaster around it.

TB-07Repeat for the second hook and check alignmentDrill, plug and fix the second hook in the same way, using the marks from step TB-02. Stand back and check both hooks line up at the same height and distance from the window before you tighten the final screw.

TB-08Test the hooks and tidy upLoop the curtain over each hook and pull it back as you normally would, checking both hooks hold firm under gentle tension. Vacuum up brick dust, fold away the dust sheet, and put spare plugs and screws back in your toolbox for next time.

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