Wife has ripped the curtain rail down!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

[gerbils]

So the wife, in her wisdom tried to put up some xmas lights along our curtain rail that covers 2 massive patio doors, slipped and held onto the rail ripping it out and leaving massive holes in the plaster.

We have regular plasterboard with a pretty deep cavity followed by what looks like breeze block. Ideally the curtain needs to go back exactly where it was.

I am stumped at how best to fix this mess? We have 15 people over for xmas and I need to sort it or we'll freeze without curtains.

Previous rail was secured with screws via a Cavity Wall Anchor Fixing Gun.

 

[rsgaz]

plasterboard with a pretty deep cavity

What's the measurement from the front of the breeze block to the front of the plasterboard?

Take a look at Rigifix or Corefix fixings. They bridge the gap between the block and the plasterboard to prevent crushing or cracking the board when you tighten the screws.

The same can be achieved with frame fixings if you are careful not to overtighten the screws. Whizz them most they way in with a drill and screw the last few mm by hand.

 

[gerbils]

What's the measurement from the front of the breeze block to the front of the plasterboard?

Take a look at Rigifix or Corefix fixings. They bridge the gap between the block and the plasterboard to prevent crushing or cracking the board when you tighten the screws.

The same can be achieved with frame fixings if you are careful not to overtighten the screws. Whizz them most they way in with a drill and screw the last few mm by hand.

Actually, in this place it's not as deep as other walls. Maybe it's the lintel?

Anyway it's just over 1 inch from the brick to the plasterboard.

 

[Nozzle]

I'd got for chemical fixing and threaded rod, then a nut on the outside (depends on your curtain pole fixings how you hide/incorporate the nut). Blow out the hole very thoroughly before injecting any chemical fixing.

Nozzle

 

[stem]

I had a similar experience. I cut a neat square hole in the plasterboard about the size of a single electrical socket and fitted a block of wood in the cavity that was fixed to the blockwork, a thin skim of quick drying filler to smooth it off, and then used wood screws (after drilling a pilot holes) to secure the curtain rail.

 

[rsgaz]

Maybe it's the lintel?

You could do with finding that out first really.

If you can drill a hole in it just by poking it with a small screwdriver, then it's aerated concrete block...

If you can drill it with a 'normal' hammer drill(non SDS), but it seems to take forever and the drill wants to wander off centre, then it's dense concrete block.

If it's a concrete lintel, a 'percussion' drill won't be able to make a hole in it. You'll need an SDS drill.

 

[gerbils]

Pretty sure it's aerated concrete block as I can dig it with my screwdriver, if not it's the latter but definitely not a concrete lintel.

 

[Notch7]

So the wife, in her wisdom tried to put up some xmas lights along our curtain rail that covers 2 massive patio doors, slipped and held onto the rail ripping it out and leaving massive holes in the plaster.

We have regular plasterboard with a pretty deep cavity followed by what looks like breeze block. Ideally the curtain needs to go back exactly where it was.

I am stumped at how best to fix this mess? We have 15 people over for xmas and I need to sort it or we'll freeze without curtains.

Previous rail was secured with screws via a Cavity Wall Anchor Fixing Gun.

Get your own back: buy her a DIY manual for Christmas or the 'dummies guide to plastering'

In the meantime have a G&T

You might see the funny side on Christmas day.....I have a feeling its going to become a family story: 'Do you remember one Christmas when Mummy ripped the curtains down'

 

[gerbils]

Get your own back: buy her a DIY manual for Christmas or the 'dummies guide to plastering'

In the meantime have a G&T

You might see the funny side on Christmas day.....I have a feeling its going to become a family story: 'Do you remember one Christmas when Mummy ripped the curtains down'

Haha - she crashed the car last week. I'm still getting over that!

 

[motorbiking]

I hope you've put all this in the "things to remind the wife, when she wont play ball bank". I took all the car keys to work and left a bus timetable with a note when my mrs curbed the alloys and gashed the tyre from driving up the curb to lazy park. Her excuse was - its a 4x4 I should be able to drive it up the curb.

 

[JP_]

strip of wood screwed into the blocks using concrete screws to support the curtains? That'd cover the holes and provide more support ... just paint before putting curtain rail up.

Maybe..

 

[foxhole]

If you can poke a screwdriver into it then it’s not concrete , more likely thermalite .
You could use thermalite screw in plugs to secure timber block as mention here and then finish as suggested .

 

[Leofric]

My house has aerated concrete blocks inner leaf on steel lintels. I used frame /through fixings (m8 I think, long screws into long plastic plugs , Fischer fixings are one make) as others have suggested. Drilled through 44 x 19mm

approx. s​

oftwood battens into block , pushed fixings through and screwed in. Then screwed curtain rails to battens , been up 20 years .(but nobody has tried hanging from them !)