Adhesive/filler to take a rawlplug+screw ?

[Jethro_uk]

The screw for the curtain pole managed to pull out today as I opened the curtains.

The rawlplug had really only gone into the plaster. I'm not sure of the construction of the window frame, but there seems to be something impenetrable further in.

Since it's lasted over 10 years, and the surrounding plaster is good, is there a chance of using something like No More Nails to fill and hold the plug, and then screw in when dry ?

Or should I investigate why I can't seem to drill any deeper than the plug went last time ?

Is a metal/steel lintel in a 1960s bungalow a possibility ?

[Andy Burns]

A couple of times I've use no more nails with oversized dowels into block walls to take screws, rock solid.

[GB]

Or concrete, but something is holding the roof up.

Bosch multiconstruction drills are good if you're not sure what you are drilling into.

[Pancho]

Does that include gas pipes?

[Dave Plowman (News]

Likely a concrete lintel. Does an SDS work on it?

[charles]

more likely a reinforced concrete one - and you've hit a reinforcing rod.

[The Natural Philosopher]

car body filler. Don't even need the plug, just put the screw in ehen its rubbery befire its set hard

yes Or concrete

[Jethro_uk]

It would have to be a real bodge job if there's a pipe running over the window ...

[Jethro_uk]

Hmmm - I didn't have an SDS last time. Might be worth a try ...

[Fredxx]

How far in further than the plaster? Masonry drills will drill through concrete but baulk at a steel reinforcing rod or steel lintel.

A steel lintel will normally be obvious from looking into the hole and seeing a shiny surface after being polished by your drill.

[Paul]

It appears to be RF based, judging by some of the terminology of "antennas". The higher end ones might amount to a phased array of some sort.

It can only see four inches into a wall though.

It is a sensor with OTG USB or something, for connection to an Android smartphone. Apparently it doesn't work with an iPhone. The phone provides the display as a readout for the thing (software is required to interpret the signals coming back and build an "image").

Now, if you could rent one of those, you might be able to get some idea what hides back there.

Some existing wall scanners, only give broad classifications of materials, and do not present an image.

Paul

[nothanks]

My previous house had perforated steel (Catnic?) lintels so I drilled holes in the lintels and used self-tappers - that gave a very secure fixing.

[newshound]

Personally I'd never trust a curtain pole whose fixings had *only* gone into the plaster. Plasterboard, or plaster on masonry? Agree with others that more likely to be concrete lintel than Catnic, but rebar should be getting on for 50mm deep (assuming say 12mm of plaster). You may need a good bit and an impact drill, lintels are usually quite good concrete with plenty of aggregate.

[GB]

One of those Bosch drills will go through a copper pipe like a hot knife through butter. Quite a bit longer to go through the old steel gas pipes.

[Fred]

But isnt likely to work as well with plaster.

[williamwright]

I regularly used to fix backboxes into crap masonry with it.

Bill

[williamwright]

And trunking with wires inside?

Bill

[Jeff Layman]

+1

I used a Bosch multiconstruction bit to drill into a lintel in our '60s bungalow when I needed to fit a new curtain pole. An ordinary TCT masonry bit just stopped when it hit what I assume was a rebar. The Bosch bit went through it.

[PeterC]

Just in case it is metal, start with, say, a 4mm HSS bit then, if it still grinds rather than drills, try the SDS. Less chance of dammage that way. If you're lucky and it is metal, self-tapping screws will hold well. For somewhere that could get damp I form the ST thread with an ordinary steel ST then use st. st. - the former is less likely to break when forming the thread.

[Pancho]

Cool.

But I use the circular saw or even just the multi-tool for cooper pipe.