curtain pole, hollow wall

[Blown2CV]

curtain pole started falling down the other day, and upon looking i found the screws were pretty much just into plasterboard with solid wall rawlplugs so wholly insufficient. The window is set into the wall about a foot from the inner wall. I set about procuring a suitable batten, stud detector, screws to affix firmly to the joists/studs that doubtlessly run vertical for the plasterboard box above the window. Only issue is that stud detector detects no studs! The only solid it detects is down the sides of the window aperture (which is about a foot deep), and these stop just at the top of the aperture. All along the top of the window aperture i get no beeps at all. Are stud detectors not the right thing? I do not believe that there is a 2.5m gap of board with no wood behind, as you can't get em that size surely... any ideas?

[Gingerbread Man]

Sounds like a dot and dab wall? Solid wall with the plasterboard fixed to it via dots and dabs of adhesive. It gives the impression of a hollow wall because there is an ~1" void.

I live in a house like this which can be a pain in the arse, but I'm pretty sorted with it all now.

Few different types of fixings.

Butterfly bolts.

Hollow wall anchor.

Plasterboard screw fixings:

And a recent find which are spot on. Used to hang my TV off a dot and dab wall. The fixings don't crush the plasterboard when tightening up. Rigifix.

Edited to say that I misunderstood the issue.

Edited by Gingerbread Man on Sunday 23 October 16:21

[Blown2CV]

don't think it is dot and dab, as the house was built in 1970 and some of the other walls are pretty solid, and I have poked a 3inch screw into one of the holes and can't get it to touch anything. It appears that only the area above the window is hollow, like a box. It runs the length of the window and is about a foot tall. It also is approx a foot deep to the window, but is flush with the rest of the wall. I just can't figure out how you could build a plasterboard box without having something to fasten it to!

[Simpo Two]

Are there not verticals in the wall running up from each side of the window?

[Wings]

Try drival fixings

[SeeFive]

If there is nothing to fix to at the depth of a 3 inch screw, you may have an I-beam over the window or something - very unusual but I have hit it once. There are probably two remaining options:

1) Fill the void and then fix the pole. Cut out plasterboard (use a hole cutter and you can put the bit of plasterboard back in the hole afterwards, minimising filling). Get a batten on the other side of the plasterboard longer than the hole is wide and fix into the void by screwing through the plasterboard each side of the hole - sinik the heads a few mill. Screw the bit of plasterboard you cut out onto the batten (after taking a slice off it to give room for a skim of filler) and finish. Or, if you can;t get a batten in, quick drying cement to a depth where you can get a fixing into that with the plasterboard you cut out stuck back in. This will probably mean some decorating afterwards of course.

2) Use a wooden batten along the length of the pole. You should get a fixing into the wall at multiple points somewhere along the batten, and the load will be spread across the length rather than just on the small area of the pole mountings, meaning that the fittings will work under lighter load. Simply fix the curtain pole on to the batten. Not such an elegant finish, but you will not need to decorate afterwards.

Can't really see another way if you can't find suitable fixing hardware to use.

[Blown2CV]

Simpo Two said:

Are there not verticals in the wall running up from each side of the window?

you would think, but the stud detector reckons they only go as high as the window itself, not into the foot above it!

[Simpo Two]

Blown2CV said:

you would think, but the stud detector reckons they only go as high as the window itself, not into the foot above it!

I don't put a great deal of faith in stud detectors (but maybe I bought a cheap one). I prefer the 'knuckle rap' test, or a very small test drill.

Anyway, even if it's only plasterboard, special plasterboard fixings should be OK.




The one sure killer with curtain fixings is if the curtains touch the floor and small children like to roll themselves up in them...

[Wings]

Simpo Two said:

The one sure killer with curtain fixings is if the curtains touch the floor and small children like to roll themselves up in them...

Agree, and therefore if the outer wall can be “reached”, and the curtain pole has just one central screw fixing, then there is no reason why the outer wall couldn’t be drilled, and then the pole fixed with a very long and thin gauge “hammer in” screw fixing into the outer wall.

[jeff m2]

Blown2CV said:

It appears that only the area above the window is hollow, like a box. It runs the length of the window and is about a foot tall. to fasten it to!

Ok I'm not a builder but......I'm sure the section above the window should be solid, it should have a header in it. (to transfer load)
The window should have two studs either side, one stud to the ceiling the other as a support for the header. Where I live the code is 2x8s two off usually filled with a scrap of 1/4 ply for an upper floor, 2x10s etc for lower floor.

I know that doesn't help much as the two studs are only 3.5" if the framing is 2 x 4s. If you are putting up a substantial curtain rail to carry winter type curtains use toggle bolts. I usually only resort to inserting extra lumber for towel rails.
On another note....
Why don't they make towel rails so they match up with stud spacing

[jules_s]

This is a common problem when builders use PB over Catnit/IG lintols.

There isn't enough gap in the lintol recess to get plasterboard/butterfly fixings in there.

The best solution ive found is to but a piece of 125x15mm ish bit of timber about 600mm longer than the opening width. Surface Fix that to the wall either side outside of the lintol bearings and add copious amounts to the timber ground with gripfill osa

Then screw fix the curtain rail to the surface fixed timber ground.

[Simpo Two]

My solution to 'steel lintel just below the surface' syndrome is to drill what I call a 'biting' hole into the lintel and then self-tap the screw straight into it. Works a treat.

[Chrisgr31]

I'd suspect an I beam above the window too, a real pain as you cant get the screws in anywhere. I'd glue a timber batten at the point you want the rail and fix the rail to that, however does also depend on type of rail.