Put up a double curtain pole for curtains and nets on a metal stud wall

Fit a double curtain pole securely by checking your wall type, using the correct fixing, and staying safe around hidden cables and pipes.

CP-01Gather your tools and materialsGet everything ready before you start drilling. You'll need a cable, pipe and stud detector, a spirit level, a drill with a mixed bit set, a pencil, a tape measure and a dust sheet. Buy your double curtain pole kit (brackets for the main pole and the net wire) plus a small mixed pack of wall plugs, screws and cavity fixings, since the right fixing depends on what's behind your plasterboard.

1 each · Double curtain pole kit (1.8m, with net rod)

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1 each · Cable, pipe and stud detector

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1 each · Spirit level (600mm)

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1 each · Mixed drill bit set

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1 each · Dust sheet

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CP-02Decide where the pole goes and mark the centre lineMeasure your window frame and mark a line 100-150mm above the top of the frame for the main pole. Plan for the pole to extend 150-200mm beyond each side of the frame so curtains draw back fully without blocking light. Use the spirit level to draw a level pencil line at this height across the wall.

CP-03Check for cables and pipes, and know how to shut things offCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the 'safe zones'. Sweep the area with your detector, but still assume something might be there even if it shows clear — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or confused by a metal stud frame. Before you drill, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, 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.

CP-04Work out what your wall is made ofTap along your marked line. A dull, solid knock all the way along means solid brick or block. A hollow sound that changes every 400-600mm, with a magnet not sticking, usually means plasterboard on timber studs — a small pilot hole will bring out pale timber dust. If a magnet grabs strongly at regular intervals and a pilot hole brings out fine grey metal swarf, you have plasterboard on metal studs. A hollow sound right on the surface with a solid feel only when you press hard further in suggests dot-and-dab plasterboard over masonry. An older wall with a faint, springy hollow sound throughout is likely lath and plaster.

CP-05Mark and level your bracket positionsHold the end brackets against the wall on your marked line and check them with the spirit level. Mark the screw holes with a pencil, then use a bradawl to make a small starter mark so the drill doesn't wander. Space any middle brackets evenly, following the spacing recommended in your pole kit's instructions — usually every 600-800mm for a double pole carrying curtains and a net.

1 each · Bradawl

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CP-06Fix brackets into solid brick or blockDrill a 6mm hole to a depth of 40-50mm using a masonry bit, keeping the drill level. Blow or vacuum out the dust, push in a red wall plug until it's flush, then drive a 40mm screw through the bracket into the plug. If the masonry feels soft or crumbly as you drill, use a resin anchor instead of a plastic plug.

8 each · Red wall plugs (6mm)

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8 each · Screws (40mm)

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CP-07Fix brackets into a timber stud wallWhere a bracket lines up with the centre of a timber stud, drill a 3mm pilot hole through the plasterboard and into the timber, then drive a 45-50mm wood screw straight in — no plug needed. Where a bracket falls between studs, use a plasterboard toggle fixing rated for the pole's weight instead of relying on plasterboard alone.

4 each · Wood screws (45mm)

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CP-08Fix brackets into a metal stud wallNever use a plastic wall plug or an ordinary wood screw in a metal stud — it strips straight through the 0.5mm steel. Use a self-drilling metal-stud screw driven straight through the plasterboard and steel with no pilot hole, or a hollow-wall toggle fixing rated for the load if the bracket falls between studs. Curtains get tugged open and closed every day, so that repeated pull is harder on the wall than a static picture — fix at least one bracket per side directly into a metal stud, and use heavy-duty toggles for the rest. If the pole is heavy, wide, or you can't reach a stud, fit a timber noggin between the studs first or fix through to the masonry behind.

8 each · Self-drilling metal-stud screws

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4 each · Heavy-duty hollow-wall toggle fixings

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CP-09Fix brackets into dot-and-dab plasterboardDot-and-dab plasterboard sits on adhesive dabs, leaving an air gap of 10-40mm behind it before you reach solid masonry. Use a long fixing designed for dot-and-dab — a frame fixing or long hollow-wall anchor — that spans the gap and embeds at least 30mm into the masonry behind. Drill through the board and gap first, then switch to a masonry bit for the final depth into brick or block.

4 each · Long dot-and-dab frame fixings

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CP-10Fix brackets into lath and plasterOld lime plaster is brittle and can crack easily, so drill a small pilot hole first to check what's behind. Fine timber dust means you've hit a lath or the stud behind it — a screw driven directly into solid timber gives the strongest fix. Avoid heavy hollow-wall fixings that can crumble old plaster; a snap toggle designed for soft or older walls is a safer choice if you can't find solid timber.

4 each · Snap toggle fixings (for older plaster)

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CP-11Fit the pole and net wireClip the main pole into the fitted brackets and tighten any set screws or clamps underneath to hold it in place. Thread the net wire or rod through its own track or bracket set, then secure the end caps or finials on the main pole.

CP-12Hang your curtains and check the pole worksHang the curtains on the main pole and slide them fully open and closed a few times, checking every bracket stays tight. Check the net wire runs smoothly with no sagging. Re-tighten any bracket that shifts before you finish.

CP-13Tidy upVacuum up all dust and offcuts, and fold away the dust sheet. Fill any unused pilot holes or repositioned marks with a small amount of filler, and dispose of the packaging.

1 each · Small tub of filler

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