WINDOWS & BLINDS

Put up a bay window curtain pole on a lath and plaster wall

Fit a curtain pole across a lath and plaster bay window, choosing the right fixing for each wall type behind it.

BW-01Measure and mark bracket positionsMeasure the full length of the bay, including both corners, to work out how many brackets you need. Mark the pole height on the wall, at least 100mm above the window frame, using a spirit level so the line stays true across all three walls. Bay windows usually need a bracket near each end and one at each internal corner - check the spacing recommended for your pole. Hold the pole up and pencil-mark the exact bracket centres before you drill anything.
1 each · Tape measure
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Pencil
BW-02Work out what's behind the lath and plaster at each markLath and plaster is thin timber strips nailed across studs or masonry and covered in lime plaster - it sounds hollow and feels slightly springy when tapped. Tap along your line: a dull solid knock means masonry, a hollow drum sound means you're between studs, and a firmer hollow band means a stud or noggin. Run a stud detector or magnet along the line for nail and screw heads, then drill a 3mm pilot hole - timber dust means a wooden stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud, and a sudden change in resistance usually means masonry behind. Check every bracket mark separately, as older houses often mix solid walls, timber studs and later metal-stud repairs in the same room.
BW-03Run a detector and stay cautious before drillingCables and pipes can run anywhere in a wall, and a cheap detector can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or confused by a metal stud frame. Use your detector on every mark, but still drill carefully and assume something could be there until you've proved otherwise. Before you start, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns, so you can shut off the water instantly if you hit a pipe. If in doubt, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn off the water at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
BW-04Fix into lath and plaster backed by solid masonryIf your pilot hole meets solid masonry a few mm behind the plaster and laths, drill through with a 6mm masonry bit to a depth of at least 55mm (35mm into the brick or block plus the plaster and lath thickness). Push in a wall plug sized to your screw, then drive a 50-60mm screw through the bracket into the plug. This is the strongest fixing you'll get on a lath and plaster wall, so use it wherever it's available.
1 each · Masonry drill bit 6mm
1 pack · Wall plugs, pack
1 pack · Screws 50-60mm, pack
BW-05Fix into lath and plaster backed by a timber studWhere the pilot hole finds timber a short way in, you're on a stud or noggin behind the laths. Find the centre of the timber with your detector or a second pilot hole either side, then drill a 3mm pilot hole through the plaster, lath and into the timber to stop it splitting. Drive a 50mm woodscrew straight into the centre of the timber - never into the lath on its own, as a lath will not hold a curtain pole's weight or the pull of opening curtains.
1 pack · Wood screws 50mm, pack
BW-06Fix into a metal stud, if you find oneA rebuilt pier or a later repair can be plasterboard on metal studs rather than lath and plaster - a magnet sticks to the stud, and a pilot hole brings out fine steel swarf rather than timber dust. Never use a plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here, as they strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Use a self-drilling metal-stud screw or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the load. A metal stud alone won't reliably hold a curtain pole against the constant pull of opening and closing curtains, so fit a timber noggin between the studs first, or fix through to the masonry behind instead.
1 pack · Metal-stud screws or toggle fixings, pack
1 each · Timber noggin 100x50mm, length
BW-07Fix into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard is stuck to masonry with adhesive blobs, leaving a gap of 10-40mm behind the board. Use a long fixing - a 60-75mm hollow-wall anchor or a screw long enough to pass through the plasterboard, the gap, and at least 30mm into the masonry behind. A short fixing that only grips the plasterboard will pull out under the ongoing weight and pull of curtains.
1 pack · Long fixing screws 75mm, pack
1 pack · Masonry plugs, pack
BW-08Fit the brackets and check levelHold each bracket to its mark and check it's level before final tightening, working from one end of the bay to the other. Tighten all screws fully, then give each bracket a firm downward and outward tug to check it holds without any movement in the wall. Recheck the level across all three walls of the bay together, since a pole that looks level on one wall can look wrong once all three are joined.
1 each · Spirit level
BW-09Cut and fit the poleMeasure each straight section of the pole against the finished bracket positions and mark the cut lines. Cut the pole with a hacksaw and mitre box for a square end, then file off any sharp burrs. Fit corner connectors and thread on any curtain rings before lifting the pole into the brackets, then fit the retaining clips or caps.
1 each · Hacksaw
1 each · Mitre box
1 each · File
2 each · Corner connectors
1 pack · Curtain rings, pack
BW-10Hang curtains and testHang your curtains and run them fully open and closed a few times to check the brackets hold and the pole doesn't sag or twist at the joins. Watch the wall around each fixing for movement or cracking in the plaster - this means the fixing isn't strong enough and needs redoing into a better spot. Adjust bracket screws if needed, then fit the finials.
1 pair · Finials, pair
BW-11Tidy upSweep up plaster dust and any lath splinters, and vacuum the windowsill and floor below each fixing point. Fill any oversized or missed pilot holes with a little filler, let it dry, then touch up with matching paint. Put drill bits and fixings away, keeping a few spare screws in case a bracket needs adjusting later.
1 each · Multi-purpose filler, small tube
1 sheet · Fine sandpaper
1 each · Touch-up paintbrush

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