[Help] Fixing a curtain pole to dot and dab external wall

[spongy]

Good evening to the wisest of the wise sages on here.

Last month I moved into a new rented house. It's all very nice and all that but it only has blinds in at the moment.

I need a pitch dark room to sleep and our 3 year old is refusing to go to bed when it's still daylight outside. This clock change hasn't helped either.

I want to put some black out curtains up to help and have the landlords permission to do so.

The trouble is that all the walls sound hollow when tapped so I strongly think that all the walls have been dot and dabbled.

How can I fix a curtain pole up? I've put them up before using a batten but there isn't any studwork to hit and the cavity is going to be <1" so butterfly fixings can't expand properly or won't be big enough to support some thick curtains.

Any suggestions please?

 

[Foul Play Rocks]

Gaffer tape?

 

[kentgully]

Screw in plasterboard fixings 100%

 

[clapham_gull]

Google the fixings that were on dragons den.

You drill a correct size big hole with a wood bit. The fixing slots into the hole and has thing butterfly wings that expand behind. You turn them with a screwdriver.

Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[clapham_gull]

But I'd imagine the screw in fixings will work. They are very strong but not as strong as this new style fixing.

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[pauli cee]

If not screw in plaster board fixings as mentioned above, then drill deeper into the block / brickwork with a 7 or 8 mm bit whack a brown plug in there and a couple of 3" 10's (screws) should do the job

 

[spongy]

I'll have a look at those dragons den ones. Thank you.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Get the landlord to do it.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Screw and silicon/ gripfill a curtain baton to the wall first to spread the weight then fix the curtai poll to that.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Screw and silicon/ gripfill a curtain baton to the wall first to spread the weight then fix the curtai poll to that.

Is the correct answer.
This is what I have done, 2 X 1 baton, and I painted it before fixing to the wall.
Used screws and Gripfill, made sure the Gripfill was dry before fitting the curtain pole.

 

[The Fifth Column]

[MENTION=20792]spongy[/MENTION] Don't use anything that expands butterfly type wings behind the cavity as they might seem attached really firmly but all the weight will be held by the plasterboard. I had exactly the same issue last year and eventually settled on using these fixings which go far enough into the wall behind the plasterboard to have the wall bearing the weight of the curtain pole and curtains, they are the best product I've managed to find to date and believe me I've tried every sort of plug, screw, expansion fixing etc!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B072JYXJL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[spongy]

[MENTION=20792]spongy[/MENTION] Don't use anything that expands butterfly type wings behind the cavity as they might seem attached really firmly but all the weight will be held by the plasterboard. I had exactly the same issue last year and eventually settled on using these fixings which go far enough into the wall behind the plasterboard to have the wall bearing the weight of the curtain pole and curtains, they are the best product I've managed to find to date and believe me I've tried every sort of plug, screw, expansion fixing etc!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B072JYXJL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Those look perfect. Thank you!

 

[Uncle C]

[MENTION=20792]spongy[/MENTION] Don't use anything that expands butterfly type wings behind the cavity as they might seem attached really firmly but all the weight will be held by the plasterboard. I had exactly the same issue last year and eventually settled on using these fixings which go far enough into the wall behind the plasterboard to have the wall bearing the weight of the curtain pole and curtains, they are the best product I've managed to find to date and believe me I've tried every sort of plug, screw, expansion fixing etc!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B072JYXJL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So how do they work when you have a steel lintel sitting 1" behind the plasterboard?

 

[The Fifth Column]

So how do they work when you have a steel lintel sitting 1" behind the plasterboard?

Most steel lintels for simple construction are an inverted T or I shape allowing for at least 1 course of bricks to be laid in front of the central portion of the steel, thats more than enough depth along with the plasterboard to affix these to. You are very unlikely to have a continuous length of steel directly behind the plasterboard.

 

[jackanada]

[MENTION=20792]spongy[/MENTION] Don't use anything that expands butterfly type wings behind the cavity as they might seem attached really firmly but all the weight will be held by the plasterboard. I had exactly the same issue last year and eventually settled on using these fixings which go far enough into the wall behind the plasterboard to have the wall bearing the weight of the curtain pole and curtains, they are the best product I've managed to find to date and believe me I've tried every sort of plug, screw, expansion fixing etc!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B072JYXJL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Amazing a type of fixing I haven't got. Believe me that's rare.
I quite like the concrete/frame fixing screw in these situations.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-countersunk-concrete-screws-7-5-x-80mm-100-pack/8400h

 

[BN9 BHA]

Amazing a type of fixing I haven't got. Believe me that's rare.
I quite like the concrete/frame fixing screw in these situations.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/easydrive-countersunk-concrete-screws-7-5-x-80mm-100-pack/8400h

I struggled to find some fixings that are for dry lined/ dot & dab walls a couple of years ago.
Screwfix and builders merchants didn't seem to stock fixings specifically for dry lined walls.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

I struggled to find some fixings that are for dry lined/ dot & dab walls a couple of years ago.
Screwfix and builders merchants didn't seem to stock fixings specifically for dry lined walls.

12" BOLTS should be considered. If they stick out a bit outside - cut them off

 

[Is it PotG?]

GripIt are great for everything from pictures, rails to TV brackets



Reusable too!

 

[BN9 BHA]

12" BOLTS should be considered. If they stick out a bit outside - cut them off

I worked with someone that fitted a combi boiler with threaded rod that went through the wall and had washers and nuts outside.
It was on an old house near 7 Dials with one of those walls made of flint and horse crap
Boss wasn't impressed, but the boiler wasn't falling off the wall.

 

[Giraffe]

I’m getting fed up with these controversial threads.