Fixing curtain rails onto dot dab wall.

[bobmoo79]

Hello,

I have recently moved into a new build property with dot n dab on the external walls, and I need some advice on putting up curtain rails.

none of the walls have a batten above the window frames, so I was wondering whether it is necessary to put up a batten first? Or is it ok to attach curtain rails directly to the wall.

Whether I use a batten or not? What is the best method to secure the object to the wall? As it is dot dab, there are places where the wall sounds solid (i.e. where the plasterboard is attached to the wall) and places where it sounds hollow.

any advice will be greatfully received.


Many thanks!

 

[TicklyT]

Just fixing the mountings into the plasterboard is inviting failure. Generally, you need to fix into something more solid.

Best to get a good solid fixing into the brickwork behind the p/board, but there's usually a lintel there which may take some serious drilling.

Steel lintels can sometimes be drilled with a small twist drill, and a self-tapping screw wound straight into the hole without a wall plug.

You will probably need an SDS impact drill to make much of an impression in a concrete lintel.

Use longer screws to allow for the depth of the plasterboard and void behind it.

Or spread the point loads over a larger area by fixinga batten or board to the p/board, and screw the rail to that.

 

[foxhole]

I would suggest a timber baton , mark out it's outline and cut away plasterboard, slot in timber ans screw and glue to ext wall then you can fix easily to the baton.Will need a little making good around baton but little if cut away is neat.

 

[roughcaster]

Dot and dab is the simplest/crapiest form of wall finish you can get. Sure it's cheap to do, (for the builder),,, but i bet the walls in the "builders" own house "wont" be dot and dab,,, he'll want the job done right. He can afford to have a proper, expensive job done on his walls, paid for by using all the money he's saved, using this cheap and nasty method on other peoples houses.
Sorry Bobmoo,, this is not aimed at you this is just my rant over dot and dab, (yuk), drives me mad,,, especially when i read the problems that can occur over such a simple things, as trying to fix curtain rails, cupboards, towel rails, fitting extra sockets, etc, etc. The method should be banned!!!

 

[ColJack]

1. mark your holes for the screws
2. drill your 5-7mm hole into the brickwork
3. insert your chosen rawlplug into the hole and tap through and into the brick using a long screw..
4. remove the screw
5. using a decent filling adhesive ( such as gripfill etc ), squirt it into the hole angling the nozel so that it spreads out behind the board and fills the gap
6. screw the bracket into the rawlplug using suitably long screws, make it a "snug" tightness, not overight.
7. the following day when the adhesive has set, tighten the screws properly..

job done..

 

[bobmoo79]

Thanks for your advice.
When the builder said it was "dot and dab" (after we had already exchanged) I didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but after a little research I was surprised they can get away with such a dodgy method of plastering a wall. Easy and cheap to install but just about as impractical as you can get!

I stumbled across a couple of fixings yesterday:

http://www.drylinepro.com/

http://www.rigifix.com/index.htm


Have you ever seen these? Any opinion?

 

[foxhole]

Thanks for your advice.
When the builder said it was "dot and dab" (after we had already exchanged) I didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but after a little research I was surprised they can get away with such a dodgy method of plastering a wall. Easy and cheap to install but just about as impractical as you can get!

I stumbled across a couple of fixings yesterday:

http://www.drylinepro.com/

http://www.rigifix.com/index.htm


Have you ever seen these? Any opinion?

They both present the same problem , that is, if over tightened they will distort the surface.

 

[ColJack]

They both present the same problem , that is, if over tightened they will distort the surface.

not if you do it my way.. the gripfill fills any void behind the board and makes it as solid as a plaster coat would be..