Curtain track and plasterboard walls - anyone better this theory?

[Tim S]

Well, the family's away for a few weeks visiting the in-laws

5000 miles away, so I suggested to the Landlord now was a good time to be fixing his house... He buys the parts and I help him do some of the jobs...

I've never had much luck mounting curtain track to PB, and I've tried enough times in my old flat... Fiddly little wall-mount plastic clips don't let you use a decent length screw to get beyond the PB into the block - and in my current house, the block work has the consistency of plaster of paris...

The problem is the action of pulling on the curtains causes almost all types of PB fixings to grind loose, even metal spirals. Butterfly fixings aren't possible in this location...

Fibre RawlPlugs (real ones) with a bit of PVA and an undersized hole has been the best yet, and even they work loose in time.

So I though of screwing a bit of wood on, with big screws and fixing to that - but it's ugly.

This idea turned into the following - but I've never actually done it, wondered if any of you have: I'd like it to work first time if possible...

Drill 10mm (or so) holes in PB, and go in about 1.5", thus slightly into the blockwork. Insert 10mm (or so) softwood dowell covered in glue (PVA?). Knock in flush with PB, smidgin of filler to smooth off and paint to match wall. Fix screw into this.

Or is there a better way (apart from knocking the house down and building it properly)...?

Cheers

Tim

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Piece of wood 2" wide and same thickness as plasterboard, put wood flush with ceiling and cut through plaster board,take remains of plasterboard away,plug& screw wood batten to brickwork,fill any gaps/imperfections,paint wood,fix curtain track in position,job done. :-)

[Tim S]

Thanks! That's an interesting variation. It would make fitting different track (with variations on spacing of fittings) a doddle in the future.

I would point out that this would be about 6" below the ceiling, but I don't see why that wouldn't work all the same. Would need to stick some PB adhesive or somesuch goop behind the wood too.

Cheers Tim

[John Rumm]

Have you tried these:

seem to get a very good grip on the plasterboard that does not work loose.

[Phil Anthropist]

Could be tricky making sure the dowel is the correct length so that it ends up flush with the PB, and if it ends up too long then sawing off the excess might loosen the dowel in the wall. Variation on Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite's solution, assuming that there is a gap between the PB and masonry: plane a length of wood to the same thickness as the gap; cut PB strip away that is the same length and width as the wood; screw wood to masonry; fix PB to wood; apply filler and paint; screw plastic curtain rail clips into the PB and hidden wood. This technique can also used to fix heavy items such as shelves, radiators and sinks to PB walls.

[Stuart Noble]

IIRC don't those plastic brackets take a size 8 screw? If not, enlarge the hole a little and use whatever length you need to get an inch into the hard(er) stuff

[meow2222]

I cant think how the clips would prevent you using longer screws. Drill the hole out bigger if necessary, and use the thinnest long screw you can. Other option is glue along strip of wood up and use that. Burying wood in PB I wouldnt try, m,ay end up a right mess in time, and sounds like an unnecessary lot of work. And I wouldnt bother trying any kind of pb fixing, the pb itself isnt upto it.

NT

[Tim S]

Ah, they look better - admittedly the one fixing I never tried.

Cheers

Tim

[Tim S]

That was indeed my first idea, but it's probably going to look odd.

Hmm. Your probably right - I can see a tendency to get cracks round the edge as wobbly PB meets immovable wood...

Like I've always said, PB is the devil's work - or the work of cheap-arsed bodging @&$! w*nker housebuilders like Ideal/Barrat/Crest/etc.

Except on ceilings, which is the only place IMO it should ever be used. And dry walls, but use of them in residential should be minimal.

Cheers

Tim

[Tim S]

Thanks to anyone whom I haven't personally acknowledged - got some ideas. Maybe I'll dry-run a couple before the landlord gets here.

[OT wibblings]

Need an excuse to try me new drill. Although 800W of blue Bosch will probably reduce this place to fine dust. Wonder if it comes with a "cheap-arsed gay house" setting...

It's one of these:

?division=gw&ccat_id=9560&prod_id=7752And if that doesn't work due to some fool who had to write their website in JSP with session handling (why FFS, it's a sodding stateless site?!)

Try

and look for Impact Drill (corded) GSB 20-2 RE

It's about right as a general purpose drill for me, and the metal gearbox and collar swung it over it's immediate siblings :)

Cheers

Tim

[Guy King]

The message from Tim S contains these words:

Glue a batten to the wall. Full length glue patch will carry a heck of a weight.

[Guy King]

The message from John Rumm contains these words:

They're what hold most of my radiators up - those that don't screw straight into the studs, that is.

[auctions]

In rented houses, we fit a 4" wide strip of timber with rounded edges (routed) above each window, painted to match the walls, then allow the tenants to fit anything to it. It looks fine and is easy to change the rail etc. It could be fitted securely to plasterboard with a combination of glue and screws throught o the block. I usually use 4" pencil round MDF skirting, cut to length and round of the other 3 sides to match.

Andrew