Put up a bay window curtain track on a timber stud wall

Fit a bendable bay window curtain track by marking bracket points, checking the wall type, and fixing securely before hanging curtains.

CT-01Plan the job and gather your toolsUnpack the bay track kit and check you have enough brackets, joining connectors and screws for the length of your bay. Lay everything out and read the manufacturer's spacing guide, as this varies by track weight. Get your tools together: drill/driver, detector, spirit level, tape measure, pencil and a stepladder.

1 each · Bendable bay window curtain track kit (3m)

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Spirit level (600mm)

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1 each · Pencil

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CT-02Check for cables and pipes, and know your stopcockRun a cable and pipe detector over every point where you plan to drill, but don't trust it completely. Cables and pipes can run almost anywhere, and detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or outside the usual safe zones. 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, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling near sockets or lights.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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CT-03Mark bracket positions along the bayMeasure the full length of the bay, including the angled sections, and mark a level line about 50-70mm above the window frame. Space brackets every 400-500mm, with one close to each end and one at every angle of the bay. Use the spirit level to keep the line true, checking twice before you mark anything permanently.

CT-04Work out what's behind each markBay windows often mix wall types: the piers between windows may be solid brick or block, while the wall below or beside them may be studwork or dot-and-dab plasterboard. Use a stud detector or magnet to trace a line of screw heads, and tap along the wall listening for a hollow sound over stud bays versus a solid sound over masonry or a stud itself. Drill a small pilot hole at one mark: brick dust means solid masonry, fine timber dust means a timber stud, and fine grey swarf means a metal stud. Check each bracket point separately, as the wall type can change along the same bay.

1 each · Stud and cable detector

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1 each · Drill bit (3mm, for pilot holes)

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CT-05Fix brackets into solid brick or blockDrill an 8mm hole to a depth of 45-50mm using a masonry bit, then push in a wall plug rated for that hole size. Drive a 4x50mm screw through the bracket into the plug until it's firm but not overtightened. Solid masonry gives the strongest fixing point in a bay, so use it wherever a pier or masonry section lines up with a bracket mark.

1 each · Masonry drill bit (8mm)

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8 each · Wall plugs (red, 8mm)

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8 each · Screws (4x50mm)

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CT-06Fix brackets into a timber stud wallOnce you've confirmed a timber stud with a pilot hole, drive a wood screw straight into the centre of the stud, no plug needed. A 4x50mm screw gives a solid, load-bearing fixing for a curtain track bracket. If a bracket mark falls between studs rather than on one, either shift it slightly onto the nearest stud or use a plasterboard toggle fixing rated for the track's weight.

8 each · Wood screws (4x50mm)

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CT-07Fix brackets into a metal stud wallMetal studs are common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s. 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 fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the bracket's pull-out load instead. A full curtain track carrying heavy fabric pulls hard on brackets as curtains are drawn, so if you can, fit a timber noggin between the studs first, or fix through to the masonry behind for a stronger, longer-lasting job.

8 each · Self-drilling metal stud fixings

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1 length · Timber noggin (50x50mm, cut to size)

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CT-08Fix brackets into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard sits on foam dabs with an air gap behind, so a normal wall plug just spins in the void. Use a fixing long enough to pass through the plasterboard, the gap and into the solid masonry behind, typically 60-75mm long. Drill a pilot hole first to check the gap depth, then fit a matching wall plug and screw, or a frame fixing if the gap is deep.

8 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab (60-75mm)

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CT-09Fix brackets into lath and plasterLath and plaster is common in pre-1930s houses and can crumble around a drilled hole if you're not careful. Drill slowly through the plaster and lath, then fit a toggle or hollow-wall anchor rated for the track's weight rather than a plain wall plug, which won't grip in the thin, brittle laths. If the plaster feels soft or crumbly around the hole, move the bracket slightly to firmer ground.

8 each · Toggle or hollow-wall anchors

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CT-10Bend the track to match the bay and join sectionsMost bay tracks are flexible enough to bend by hand around the angles; do this gently and gradually rather than forcing a sharp kink. If your bay needs more than one length of track, join sections with the supplied connectors before fitting, making sure the gliders run freely across each join.

CT-11Fit the track onto the bracketsClip or screw the track into each bracket, following the kit's instructions, working from one end of the bay to the other. Slide the gliders along the whole length and check the track runs smoothly round every angle without catching. Adjust any bracket that's slightly out of line before moving on.

CT-12Hang the curtains and test the drawAttach the curtain hooks to the gliders and hang the curtains, then draw them fully open and closed a few times. Check the track holds firm at every bracket, especially at the angled joins where the pull is greatest. If any bracket flexes or the track sags, remove it and refit with a stronger fixing before using the curtains normally.

CT-13Tidy upVacuum up any dust or debris from drilling, especially fine metal swarf if you fixed into metal studs, as it can mark carpets and fabrics. Wipe down the windowsill and check the floor for dropped screws or plugs. Put spare fixings and offcuts of track somewhere safe in case you need them later.

1 each · Dust sheet

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