Put up a door curtain pole on a timber stud wall

1 each · Pencil

1 each · Spirit level

1 each · Cordless drill/driver

DP-02Mark the bracket positions dead levelHold a bracket at your chosen height and mark the screw holes with a pencil. Use the spirit level to mark the second bracket at exactly the same height, not just by eye. A door pole usually only needs two end brackets, spaced no more than 800mm apart if there's a third.

1 roll · Masking tape

DP-03Work out what your wall is made ofRun a stud detector or a magnet along the wall. In stud walls the magnet will catch on a line of screw heads roughly every 400-600mm; in solid brick or block, or dot-and-dab plasterboard, it won't catch on anything regular. Tap the wall — a dull, solid thud usually means masonry or dot-and-dab, a hollow sound means a stud wall. If you're still unsure, drill a small pilot hole at a mark you'll cover with the bracket: pale wood dust means a timber stud, fine grey metal swarf means a metal stud, and a soft, crumbly white dust with no resistance can mean old lath and plaster.

DP-04Check for cables and pipes, and know how to stop themCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the 'safe zones'. Use a detector, but still treat the wall as if something could be there — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or hidden in a metal stud frame. Before you drill, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns. If you're in any doubt about what's behind the wall, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and know you can shut off the water at the stopcock straight away if you hit a pipe.

DP-05Fix brackets into solid brick or blockDrill with a 6mm masonry bit to a depth of about 40mm, matching the length of your wall plug. Insert a red wall plug, then drive in the bracket screw. Check the bracket is tight and doesn't spin in the hole — if it does, the hole is too big and you'll need a slightly larger plug and bit.

1 each · 6mm masonry drill bit

4 each · Red wall plugs (rated to ~20kg)

4 each · 40mm screws

DP-06Fix brackets into a timber studOnce you've confirmed a timber stud (wood dust from your pilot hole), aim for the centre of the stud so the screw has plenty of timber either side. Drill a 2-3mm pilot hole first to stop the wood splitting, then drive a 4mm x 40mm wood screw straight in — no plug needed. Don't rely on the plasterboard alone; the stud does the holding.

4 each · 4mm x 40mm wood screws

1 each · 2-3mm pilot drill bit

DP-07Fix brackets into a metal studMetal studs are common in flats and anything built or refitted since the 1990s — you'll get fine metal swarf, not dust, from a pilot hole. Never use a plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw here; they strip straight through 0.5mm steel. Use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor rated for the fixing weight instead. A door curtain pole is light, but if you're hanging heavy, lined curtains, fix into a timber noggin between the studs or through to the masonry behind rather than trusting the metal stud alone.

4 each · Self-drilling metal stud fixings

DP-08Fix brackets through dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab has a gap of 20-40mm between the plasterboard and the solid wall behind, so a normal wall plug won't reach anything solid. Use a long fixing — typically 60-75mm — that passes through the plasterboard and adhesive dabs into a drilled masonry plug behind. Drill a small test hole first to check the depth to the solid wall before committing to your final holes.

4 each · Long dot-and-dab wall fixings (60-75mm)

1 each · 6mm masonry drill bit

DP-09Fix brackets into lath and plasterOld lath and plaster crumbles easily and won't hold a plug well on its own. Drill gently, with light pressure, and try to locate the timber laths behind rather than fixing into bare plaster. If you can't find solid timber, use a specialist plasterboard/plaster toggle fixing rated for the weight, and expect to make good small cracks around the hole afterwards with filler.

4 each · Toggle fixings for lath and plaster

1 small tub · Filler

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DP-10Fit the pole, rings and curtainsClip or screw the pole into the fitted brackets. Slide the curtain rings on before you fit the final bracket if your pole doesn't allow rings to be added afterwards. Check the pole is level with your spirit level and adjust the brackets slightly if needed.

DP-11Tidy upVacuum up drilling dust and any plaster or plasterboard debris. Fill and lightly sand any stray holes or cracks, especially around lath and plaster fixings, and touch up with matching paint once dry. Put drill bits and fixings away so you're not hunting for them next time.

1 small tub · Filler

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1 sheet · Fine sandpaper