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

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

The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:


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. :-)


Thanks! That's an interesting variation. It would make fitting different
track (with variations on spacing of fittings) a doddle in the future.

I would point out that this would be about 6" below the ceiling, but I don't
see why that wouldn't work all the same. Would need to stick some PB
adhesive or somesuch goop behind the wood too.

Cheers
Tim

In message , Tim S
writes
Well, the family's away for a few weeks visiting the in-laws
5000 miles away,


That's far too far away for the M-i-L to keep an eye on you


--
geoff

On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 22:57:18 GMT, raden wrote:

In message , Tim S
writes
Well, the family's away for a few weeks visiting the in-laws
5000 miles away,


That's far too far away for the M-i-L to keep an eye on you

Shaddup, and enjoy yer footy!

(snork!)

raden wrote:

In message , Tim S
writes
Well, the family's away for a few weeks visiting the in-laws
5000 miles away,


That's far too far away for the M-i-L to keep an eye on you



Yeah

Only I'm supposed to do all these jobs whilst I'm excused sproglet duties...

But I do get to buy toys without debate - new drill's in the shop ready for
collection tomorrow

Cheers

Tim

"Tim S" wrote in message
...
raden wrote:

In message , Tim S
writes
Well, the family's away for a few weeks visiting the in-laws
5000 miles away,


That's far too far away for the M-i-L to keep an eye on you



Yeah

Only I'm supposed to do all these jobs whilst I'm excused sproglet
duties...

But I do get to buy toys without debate - new drill's in the shop ready
for
collection tomorrow

Cheers

Tim

And Hey!!!

You can try on all those knickers & bras with no
interuptions! Wow!!!


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.837 / Virus Database: 570 - Release Date: 17/01/2005

Tim S wrote:

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.

Have you tried these:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...18266&ts=03228

They seem to get a very good grip on the plasterboard that does not work
loose.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"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

Could be tricky making sure the dowel is the correct length so that it ends
up flush with the PB, and if it ends up too long then sawing off the excess
might loosen the dowel in the wall. Variation on Sir Benjamin
Middlethwaite's solution, assuming that there is a gap between the PB and
masonry: plane a length of wood to the same thickness as the gap; cut PB
strip away that is the same length and width as the wood; screw wood to
masonry; fix PB to wood; apply filler and paint; screw plastic curtain rail
clips into the PB and hidden wood. This technique can also used to fix heavy
items such as shelves, radiators and sinks to PB walls.

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

IIRC don't those plastic brackets take a size 8 screw? If not, enlarge
the hole a little and use whatever length you need to get an inch into
the hard(er) stuff

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...

I cant think how the clips would prevent you using longer screws.
Drill the hole out bigger if necessary, and use the thinnest long screw
you can. Other option is glue along strip of wood up and use that.
Burying wood in PB I wouldnt try, m,ay end up a right mess in time, and
sounds like an unnecessary lot of work. And I wouldnt bother trying any
kind of pb fixing, the pb itself isnt upto it.


NT

John Rumm wrote:

Tim S wrote:

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.

Have you tried these:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...18266&ts=03228

They seem to get a very good grip on the plasterboard that does not work
loose.


Ah, they look better - admittedly the one fixing I never tried.

Cheers

Tim

wrote:

I cant think how the clips would prevent you using longer screws.
Drill the hole out bigger if necessary, and use the thinnest long screw
you can.

I'd need about 2" lenght to get 1" into the block - suspect I gave up before
due to those sort of screws often being No 6's - but I could drill out the
hole and No 8's in 2" are po 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...
ssible...

Other option is glue along strip of wood up and use that.

That was indeed my first idea, but it's probably going to look odd.

Burying wood in PB I wouldnt try, m,ay end up a right mess in time, and
sounds like an unnecessary lot of work.

Hmm. Your probably right - I can see a tendency to get cracks round the edge
as wobbly PB meets immovable wood...

And I wouldnt bother trying any
kind of pb fixing, the pb itself isnt upto it.

Like I've always said, PB is the devil's work - or the work of cheap-arsed
bodging @&$! w*nker housebuilders like Ideal/Barrat/Crest/etc.

Except on ceilings, which is the only place IMO it should ever be used. And
dry walls, but use of them in residential should be minimal.

Cheers

Tim

Tim S wrote:

snip

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...


snip

Cheers

Tim

Thanks to anyone whom I haven't personally acknowledged - got some ideas.
Maybe I'll dry-run a couple before the landlord gets here.

[OT wibblings]

Need an excuse to try me new drill. Although 800W of blue Bosch will
probably reduce this place to fine dust. Wonder if it comes with a
"cheap-arsed gay house" setting...

It's one of these:

http://ukptocs.bosch-pt.com/boptocs-...0&prod_id=7752

And if that doesn't work due to some fool who had to write their website in
JSP with session handling (why FFS, it's a sodding stateless site?!)

Try http://www.bosch-pt.com/uk/en/start/index_flash.htm and look for
Impact Drill (corded) GSB 20-2 RE

It's about right as a general purpose drill for me, and the metal gearbox
and collar swung it over it's immediate siblings

Cheers

Tim

The message
from Tim S contains these words:

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

Glue a batten to the wall. Full length glue patch will carry a heck of a
weight.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

The message
from John Rumm contains these words:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...18266&ts=03228

They seem to get a very good grip on the plasterboard that does not work
loose.

They're what hold most of my radiators up - those that don't screw
straight into the studs, that is.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

In rented houses, we fit a 4" wide strip of timber with rounded edges
(routed) above each window, painted to match the walls, then allow the
tenants to fit anything to it. It looks fine and is easy to change the
rail etc. It could be fitted securely to plasterboard with a
combination of glue and screws throught o the block. I usually use 4"
pencil round MDF skirting, cut to length and round of the other 3 sides
to match.

Andrew