Put up a curtain track on a lath and plaster ceiling — HomeGraft

Fix a curtain track safely into a lath and plaster ceiling, checking what's really above the plaster before you drill.

CT-01Plan the track position and check the ceilingDecide how far above the window the track should sit, then mark the fixing line with a pencil, using a spirit level to keep it straight. Tap along the ceiling near your marks - lath and plaster sounds slightly hollow and springy compared with solid plasterboard, and old plaster can be cracked or crumbly. If it feels soft, damp-stained or crumbles under light pressure, get it checked before fixing anything to it. Lay a dust sheet on the floor and clear the area below.

1 each · Dust sheet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Pencil

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Tape measure

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CT-02Work out what's above the plasterLath and plaster ceilings are timber laths nailed across joists, usually spaced 400-450mm apart, common in houses built before the 1930s. Run a stud/joist detector along your marked line, then confirm with a small pilot hole - timber dust means you've hit a lath or joist, while a soft crumbly gap means you're between laths with only old plaster behind. In flats and some conversions, ceilings are plasterboard fixed to metal furring channels instead of timber joists - a pilot hole here brings out fine grey swarf rather than wood dust. Mark every joist or channel centre along the track line with a pencil cross.

1 each · Stud/joist detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · 2mm drill bit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CT-03Check for cables and pipes before drillingCables and pipes can run inside a ceiling void almost anywhere, especially if there's a bathroom, ensuite or loft wiring above - a detector can still miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed board. Find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns before you start, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any real doubt about what's behind the ceiling, 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 it.

CT-04Choose the right fixing for your ceiling typeFor lath and plaster, drill a pilot hole through the plaster and lath into the joist centre, then use a countersunk wood screw at least 50mm long - the extra length allows for the 20-30mm of lath and plaster before you reach solid timber, and you must never rely on the lath alone. For plasterboard on timber joists, a 40mm wood screw driven straight into the marked joist centre is enough. For plasterboard on metal furring channels, an ordinary wood screw won't grip 0.5mm steel - use self-drilling metal-stud screws, or better, fix a timber batten across at least two channels with self-drilling screws first, then screw the bracket into the batten. Never use a plain plastic wall plug in a lath and plaster or metal channel ceiling - there's nothing solid there for it to bite into.

8 each · 50mm countersunk wood screws

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

8 each · Self-drilling metal-stud screws

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 metre · Timber batten 25x50mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CT-05Fix to the wall instead if the ceiling isn't soundIf the lath and plaster feels too soft, cracked or crumbly to trust, fit a timber batten to the wall above the window instead and screw the track to that. In solid brick or block, drill a 7mm hole 40mm deep and use a red plastic wall plug with a 40mm screw. In dot-and-dab plasterboard, ordinary plugs just grip the dab and pull out - use a long fixing of 60-75mm that passes through the plasterboard and dab layer into the solid masonry behind. Into a stud wall, use a wood screw into the centre of a timber stud, or a proper metal-stud fixing - never a plastic plug - in a metal stud.

6 each · Red plastic wall plugs (brick/block)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

6 each · Long fixings for dot-and-dab, 65mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

6 each · Hollow-wall metal-stud toggle fixings

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CT-06Fit the bracketsHold each bracket against its mark, check it's level with the others using a spirit level, and drive the fixing home so it sits tight with no wobble. Fit a bracket near each end of the track and at least one every 500-600mm along its length, adding an extra bracket over longer runs. Give each fixed bracket a firm downward tug before moving on to check it's solid.

5 each · Curtain track brackets

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CT-07Fit the track and check it runs freelyClip or screw the track sections onto the brackets, following the manufacturer's instructions for joining lengths. If the track design needs gliders or hooks threaded on from the end, fit these before the final section goes on. Slide a glider the full length of the track to check it moves smoothly without snagging on a bracket.

1 each · Curtain track (per window)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

12 each · Curtain gliders

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

CT-08Hang the curtains and test the weightHang the curtains and pull them fully open and closed a few times to settle the track and check every bracket holds firm. Look and feel along the ceiling line for any sagging, cracking or movement, especially around the lath and plaster fixings. If anything feels loose, add another bracket at that point straight away rather than waiting for it to fail.

CT-09Tidy upCarry the dust sheet to the door before shaking it off, to keep plaster dust contained. Vacuum any remaining dust or debris from the floor and skirting, and wipe down the windowsill. Put spare screws and fixings back in their packaging for next time.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides