Numptie question: What screws for a (possibly) brick wall?

[Chris71]

Hi,

I've been volunteered to fit the office's new blinds. These need to be screwed into the wall. I'm obviously attaching them inside, but they're the main exterior walls of the building, not a partition, if that makes sense. I'm not the most practical person around, but I'm hazarding a guess the walls are likely to be brick with plaster on top? All I can see is wall paper!

Anyway, the long and short of it is what sort of drill and screws will I need? Anything to watch out for?

I've already issued a disclaimer to my boss that I'm most definitely not a handy man.

Chris

[sherman]

You will need a hammer action drill with a masonary bit. Then with a hammer lightly tap a rawlplug into the newly created hole and screw the blind to the wall using the rawlplug as your anchoring point.

[Liszt]

Do the blinds come with screws provided?

If not have a look at the side of th hole used to put the screw through. Down to B&Q and get a screw that will fit probably something like a no6 1 1/2" will easily do. You'll need an appropriate rawlplug. Get ones which will take the screw size (No. 6 if the size above fits.) The rawlplug packet should have appropriate drill size, probably 5.5 mm or 6mm.

Get a masonary drill bit of that size. You may need a spirit level if you want it to be truley level. This is optional.

[Chris71]

Cheers gents. I've just noticed the current (knackered) blinds are attached (using a similar fixing) to the wooden window frames rather than the wall, so that's another option. It looks a bit nasty, but so would a couple of vacant holes I guess.

Assuming I stick with the wall, the order of attack would presumably be finding screws to fit the fixings on the blinds, followed by rawlplugs to fit the screws, followed by a masonary bit to fit the rawlplugs?

One of my colleagues is apparently bringing a drill in, dunno if it's going to be a proper hammer drill though.

[sherman]

If its not a hammer drill theres a good chance you could burn out the drills motor if the brick is a bit tough or blunt the drill bit.

[robinhood21]

Probably best to fix to the window frame. Fixing anything to brick/concrete with small enough screws to go through the blind brackets will not be the best of fixings. If the blinds do have to be screwed to the wall, then might I suggest fixing a wooden batten to the wall first and then screw the bracket to the batten.

[911motorsport]

My advice (having just carried out an identical 'project') is to stick with fixing the blinds to the wood. Commercial buildings have a nasty habit of being made of granite hard concrete around the windows

I have the drill bits to prove it!

Edited by 911motorsport on Wednesday 24th February 14:26

[Simpo Two]

You're all under caution:

sherman said:

masonary

Liszt said:

masonary

Chris71 said:

masonary

Masonry!

[Liszt]

Simpo Two said:

You're all under caution:

sherman said:

masonary

Liszt said:

masonary

Chris71 said:

masonary

Masonry!

Luckily, my bits are masonary so are good terms with the local chief of police in an apron and funny handshake way.

[Chris71]

Liszt said:

Simpo Two said:

You're all under caution:

sherman said:

masonary

Liszt said:

masonary

Chris71 said:

masonary

Masonry!

Luckily, my bits are masonary so are good terms with the local chief of police in an apron and funny handshake way.

Damn, beaten to that pun!

[Simpo Two]

Right, you're nicked. The people with aprons and funny handshakes are practicing masonry.

The root is the same - stone carving.




'Masonary' is not a word, goddamit!

[DAVE-W]

Simpo Two said:

Right, you're nicked. The people with aprons and funny handshakes are practicing masonry.

The root is the same - stone carving.




'Masonary' is not a word, goddamit!

one of my pet hates with new members of staff....it's "masonry layout" and if you can't get your head around it, just type "floor plan" lol