Nightmare hanging curtains

[Chin85]

evening all

Need some help re fitting curtains - essentially they are a nightmare no matter what window in the house I try to put them up on

The story goes like this - I buy curtains, get the drill out, start drilling through the brick and then bam! The drill hits something that I can only assume is a metal plate and I can’t get through anymore.

This has caused various walls around the window to look like a block of Swiss cheese as I try to find another part of the window where there is no metal plate to get a decent length screw in to hold the rails up!!

So my questions are;

- what the hell is this metal plate that I keep on bumping into within the walls?

- what can I use to drill through it as none of my current drill bits can cut it, even in hammer mode

- is there any way to identify in advance where this metal in the walls are as it’s hit and miss I.E move the hole over a few mm and I can drill through the brickwork fine.

It’s driving me nuts

Thanks!
James

 

[stuart45]

Could be a Catnic lintel if you have just gone through the plaster and hit metal.

 

[Chin85]

Could be a Catnic lintel if you have just gone through the plaster and hit metal.

Thanks. A quick google image search of what you suggested above seems exactly like what’s going on!

How can I drill through it please?

 

[John D v2.0]

Edit ps don't do this
Since curtains aren't structural it might be time for plan b

SStic a batten on the wall then screw into that

 

[^woody^]

Do you live in a metal house? What's the WiFi like? Can you see north on a compass?

 

[noseall]

How can I drill through it please?

With a metal bit? Then buy some baypole screws and a length of 4"x 1" planed, bevel the edges and fix it to the wall.

 

[noseall]

Since curtains aren't structural

I would only ever use an adhesive to supplement the screws in this case. Opening and closing of the curtains will have that batten down, along with a layer of paint, faster than you can say "open the bloody curtains!"

 

[John D v2.0]

Sorry it sounded like a joke in my head but reading it again this morning it got lost before I touched the keyboard

 

[footprints]

Most lintels extend 6 to 9 inches past the window opening use a batten as suggested painted to match the walls extend it enough to get a good fix at either end and then fix up using screws either end and adhesive along the whole length. If the wall is painted or papered strip a strip of paper or score the paint to get a grab with the adhesive on the plaster not just the paint or paper.

 

[pete50]

Sticking a batton to the wall will only be as good as the strength of the paint. that will not work. You will have to drill through the metal lintel using a high speed (HSS) steel drill bit. Good grief no wonder the bluddy new builds are all falling down in this country.

 

[Chin85]

Thanks all.
Have a metal drill bit but it didn’t fancy going through the lintel.
I’ll look at getting a high speed piece.

Also this isn’t a new build! But on the comment re WiFi we do struggle with it in this house!!

 

[tomfe]

Uhmm just put the pole/track a bit higher.....

 

[DIY-AMATEUR]

Ive had 4 previous houses with the same set up as yours. I always put my curtain poles up with these self drilling and tapping screws - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/252491869702

Keep a good firm pressure on the back of your drill/driver (fast speed) and they will drill straight through the plaster and into the steel lintel, no wall plugs required. If the first screw starts struggling swap it for another one and then that will fly through the remainder of the steel. It will feel like its not doing much then all of a sudden fly through the steel so be ready to take the pressure off the drill before you bury the chuck into the plaster!

I seen a guy fitting blinds with them in my first house and I have used them ever since, no more curtain poles falling down with even the heaviest of curtains.

 

[noseall]

I always put my curtain poles up with these self drilling and tapping screws......

So does Noseall........

With a metal bit? Then buy some baypole screws and a length of 4"x 1" planed, bevel the edges and fix it to the wall.