Fixing Troublesome Battens Across Windows

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Hi all

I'm having a bit of difficulty putting up battens over my windows, to fix curtain poles to.

The plaster is 1/4" thick, straight on to an 'unknown' metal RSJ.

At the moment I can just about get half a rawl plug in, and just enough screw to hold it in place (2.5m battens, screws at 15cm apart), unfortunately, due to the weight of the curtains and a bit of house movement with the weather, the battens are coming away from the wall


What can I do, to get a firm fixing in the wall? I've made the hole smaller than needed, filled in with no nails, rawl plug in (letting it dry), then matchstick in rawl plug and screw in. It's over the top, but not even that stays in

 

[23vc]

Use a metal drill bit to drill into the lintel, should drill pretty easily, then a screw straight into it without a plug

 

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Thanks matey, I have no idea what the thickness is of the RSJ, will the drill bit go through it like butter, or will it give a bit of a fight?

Use a metal drill bit to drill into the lintel, should drill pretty easily, then a screw straight into it without a plug

 

[23vc]

I’d just try it using a small ish bit first like 3mm or whatever you’ve got. Kinda assuming it’s more a metal lintel than an actual “rsj” I beam as you wouldn’t be hitting that after 1/4 inch of plaster because of the shape. Normally metal lintels over windows are easy to drill through and screw into.

 

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Fantastic, thankyou for your help - I'll add it on my list of things to do this week!

I’d just try it using a small ish bit first like 3mm or whatever you’ve got. Kinda assuming it’s more a metal lintel than an actual “rsj” I beam as you wouldn’t be hitting that after 1/4 inch of plaster because of the shape. Normally metal lintels over windows are easy to drill through and screw into.

 

[cwhaley]

Make sure you use a decent metal drill bit as well. I'm lucky in our house in that we have wooden lintels the screws go straight into. My MiL though has metal ones in her new(er) build -- if it's a large span as hers' was then drilling repeatedly into a metal lintel will take its toll.