Tim S wrote:
Well, the family's away for a few weeks visiting the in-laws
5000 miles away, so I suggested to the Landlord now was a good time
to be fixing his house... He buys the parts and I help him do some of
the jobs...

I've never had much luck mounting curtain track to PB, and I've tried
enough times in my old flat... Fiddly little wall-mount plastic clips
don't let you use a decent length screw to get beyond the PB into the
block - and in my current house, the block work has the consistency
of plaster of paris...

The problem is the action of pulling on the curtains causes almost
all types of PB fixings to grind loose, even metal spirals. Butterfly
fixings aren't possible in this location...

Fibre RawlPlugs (real ones) with a bit of PVA and an undersized hole
has been the best yet, and even they work loose in time.

So I though of screwing a bit of wood on, with big screws and fixing
to that - but it's ugly.

This idea turned into the following - but I've never actually done it,
wondered if any of you have: I'd like it to work first time if
possible...

Drill 10mm (or so) holes in PB, and go in about 1.5", thus slightly
into the blockwork. Insert 10mm (or so) softwood dowell covered in
glue (PVA?). Knock in flush with PB, smidgin of filler to smooth off
and paint to match wall. Fix screw into this.

Or is there a better way (apart from knocking the house down and
building it properly)...?

Cheers

Tim

Piece of wood 2" wide and same thickness as plasterboard, put wood flush
with ceiling and cut through plaster board,take remains of plasterboard
away,plug& screw wood batten to brickwork,fill any gaps/imperfections,paint
wood,fix curtain track in position,job done. :-)

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite