Fitting curtain rail - lintel problem

[PatrickD]

As Static says, you could go above your lintol but you're almost certain to come across a seam of 450:1 (sand to cement) immediately on top of it followed by the crumbly edge of clinker block. Don't hold your breath with that one then.

Hanging it from the ceiling, as suggested, is another possibiity but your missus might not care for her curtains doing a ninety-degree as they drape themselves decorously in front of the window! The little ruffly bits might not look too god either!

If it is a catnic, there won't be a gap between the plasterboard (or plaster) and the steel. If that's the case I would personally, and I stress personally, go down to the hire shop and get a Hilti gun. Tell the man at the shop what you're trying to do and he'll fix you up with the correct nails.

Don't be frightened of the Hilti, once you have the first nail in, you'll be at it like Rambo and SWMBO will view you in a completely new light. If you Hilti the batten on you can hang donkeys off it (although why you would want to do that is beyond me)

HTH

Pattrick

p.s. no-one has ever accused me of knowing what I'm talking about.

 

[big-all]

 

[big-all]

Hanging it from the ceiling, as suggested, is another possibiity but your missus might not care for her curtains doing a ninety-degree as they drape themselves decorously in front of the window! The little ruffly bits might not look too god either!


p.s. no-one has ever accused me of knowing what I'm talking about.

most fitting are suitable for celling hanging you just screw through the hole in the top off the fitting if its a bracket for a track
or if its a pole it doesn't matter

 

[PatrickD]

You can tell how often I hang curtains

Patrick

 

[Londoner]

If it is a catnic, there won't be a gap between the plasterboard (or plaster) and the steel. If that's the case I would personally, and I stress personally, go down to the hire shop and get a Hilti gun. Tell the man at the shop what you're trying to do and he'll fix you up with the correct nails.

What would the difference be between using this Hilti gun and using masonry nails? I have to admit I'd never heard of this tool before now and have never used one.

As for going higher or lower, I only have about 8 inches of wall to choose from so it sounds like the lintel will take up all of that space - therefore no avoiding it, I guess.

 

[PatrickD]

Well; masonry nails only go into masonry. Actually that's not quite true, they also shatter easily and take your eye out if you hit them slightly wrong. They also go into wood of course, but you haven't got any of that in your wall. They certainly won't go into a steel lintel though!

A Hilti gun on the other hand will push nails into an rsj, a concrete lintel or the side of the QE2 if you're that way inclined. It comes complete with its own supply of live ammunition and the best thing is, you don't have to have a firearms licence for it!

Put your batten where you want it; get someone to hold it in place (while keeping their fingers out of the way); press the armed gun against the batten and pull the trigger. If you like Guy Fawkes night, you'll love this bit. There'll be a ****ing big bang and you won't get the batten off the wall - ever - without a Gorilla bar and the eponymous Gorilla pulling on it.

The gun will have driven the nail through the batten, through the masonry and into the lintel as though they weren't there. If you get it right, you do not have to worry ever again about your curtains falling down. Course, get it wrong and you might finish up shooting next doors cat!

HTH

Patrick

p.s. It's definitely some of the best fun you'll ever have with your clothes on, hence the reference to SWMBO earlier on.

 

[noseall]

you could always try self drilling ( as opposed to self tapping) screws. they come with their own cutting head wich drills its own hole and creates its own thread. absolute doddle to use and remarkably effortless, but will struggle if its rsj thickness.

 

[Londoner]

Follow up: In the end I got a batten from B&Q, glued it first with No More Nails and then hired a Hilti Gun and blasted a few nails into it just to be safe (although I actually thought the glue was strong enough on its own).

Word of warning about those Hilti guns though - ideally you should do a practise run to get the strength setting right, using the same materials. Kind of diffficult to do but it does help. The nails I gunned in are slightly too far out or too far in until I get to the end of the line, by which time I had just about worked out the ideal setting (for the very last nail)!

Anyway, job done. Still can't believe what a nightmare putting up a curtain rail can be. If anyone out there can invent a hassle fre way of doing this you're onto a real moneyspinner.

 

[kevinem]

to drill through the lintel (although Ive never done it myself )

you would obviously need to change drill bits from your initial masonary bit to one best suited for drilling steel.

when drilling the Lintel turn down the speed on your drill , otherwise you will just blunt it very quickly

Your idea about the baton was a good one i thought as long as you miss the lintel with the nails !the lintel by the way should only be about 6" either side of your window.

Lintels are only covered by plaster so i wouldnt go using smaller nails as it wont be able to support much weight . no good if your hanging bloody great big curtains

Hi I'm a newbie from this forum by the way I agree also about here idea about the baton but make it sure dont' miss the lintel with the nails.
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