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We have a loft conversion with a dormer and a window in the wall of the dormer. I'd like to put up some curtains, but I'm not sure how to attach the curtain rail. The dormer walls are described as:

  • 12.5mm foil-backed plasterboard
  • 35mm Gyproc Thermaline Plus finish to internal surfaces
  • 50x100mm studwork to cheeks at 600mm c/c
  • 100mm Kingspan Thermawall TW55 between studs
  • breather membrane
  • 18mm WBP plywood
  • 25x38mm treated battens on BS747 1F reinforced felt
  • tile hanging

Can anyone tell me how to attach my curtain rail? If I'm screwing into wood, how do I know where the wooden struts are?

window layout

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  • A photo would be extremely helpful.
    – wallyk
    Aug 20, 2013 at 18:59
  • Thanks for taking an interest; here's a photo: imgur.com/Z0hwhwh
    – Chris
    Aug 20, 2013 at 20:58

1 Answer 1

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Windows need framing around them, to support the hole-in-the-wall the window represents. This means that support framing (IF you have wooden framing) will be immediately to the left, right and above the window, within the first several inches.

Small test nailings can be done in the area in question, just deep enough to prove wood-or-not. Drillings with small bits can accomplish the same thing, as well as making a pilot hole for a screw.

Failing-finding-wood, anchors of various configurations will support the screw(s) in drywall (also known as plasterboard, wallboard, gypsum board, or gyprock), such as: enter image description here

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  • Thanks @HerrBag - is there any way to tell from the specifications what the spacing of the upright wooden struts is? My curtain rail is longer than the window is wide and I'd like to attach to the "next strut out" - is this what a "stud finder" does?
    – Chris
    Aug 21, 2013 at 7:34
  • If you can borrow a stud finder, do that. I've purchased 8 over my lifetime, with varying degrees of success. A knuckle rap test (slowly (1 per second) knock on the wall in a line perpendicular to the structure placement, you should hear a pitch change to the knock over the structure) seems to work at least 75% of the time.
    – HerrBag
    Aug 21, 2013 at 12:52
  • Unless the curtains are very lightweight, I would try to avoid screw in or plastic anchor type fasteners. If a non-stud solution is unavoidable, I would recommend toggle type anchors, especially the newer captive ones like this one:homedepot.com/p/…
    – bib
    Aug 21, 2013 at 13:24
  • Thank you - now all I have to do is explain to my wife why I was looking up "stud finder" on the internet...
    – Chris
    Aug 21, 2013 at 16:45
  • You were looking for pointers, to be a better husband... ;-)
    – HerrBag
    Aug 21, 2013 at 16:53

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