Curtain pole on thin plasterboard over lintel

[Mike Faithfull]

The "Subject" pretty much says it ...

My Daughter wants to fix a curtain pole over a big window and has discovered
that the "wall" over the window is actually a bit of plasterboard covering a
metal lintel. A friend trying to help attempted to drill into the lintel
and only succeeded in blunting his drill bit. This must be a very common
problem - suggestions how to solve it would be very welcome.

Many thanks.

[Phil L]

"Mike Faithfull" <mouse_...@surfmail.com> wrote in message
news:53c545d0$0$28631$5b6a...@news.zen.co.uk...

Use a HSS dril bit and self tapping screws.
Probably best to affix a piece of 3X1 timber to the lintel, then that can be
used to affix poles, rails or whatever in the future

[Bob Minchin]

Almost certainly a Catnic or similar lintel which are covered with a
matrix of holes. Originally would have been fitted with spring clips to
take a batten prior to plastering but most builders can't be arsed to
fit them.
Select a suitable sized batten deep enough to rest on the lintel and
finish level ish with the plasterboard.
Cut a slot in the plaster board to fit the batten and then use the
existing holes to attach the batten direct to the lintel.
Fix curtain pole to the batten after painting/filling as desired.

[Mike Faithfull]

"Mike Faithfull" <mouse_...@surfmail.com> wrote in message
news:53c545d0$0$28631$5b6a...@news.zen.co.uk...

Thanks both for very helpful replies. Phil L, that was kinda the original
plan but the drill bit (Friend assured me it was a suitable HSS drill)
wouldn't touch the lintel, it just got blunt without making a hole! Bob,
that's a comprehensive and very useful reply. The scope of the work is
rather beyond our ability (I am disabled and the afore-mentioned Friend is
but a well-meaning amateur, as am I). Time to call in a professional I
fear.

[Rick Hughes]

agree with this ... fix timber to lintol then pole brackets to timber.

Buy a sharp drill :-)



--
UK SelfBuild: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/UK_Selfbuild/

[stuart noble]

I used a Dewalt Extreme bit, allegedly designed for metal. A joy to use
and completely different to the standard HSS bit. Don't give up till
you've tried a decent drill bit

[Jonathan]

Can you fix a board at each end beyond the lintel? It might mean bigger curtains but it has worked for me in the past.

Jonathan

[Scott M]

stuart noble wrote:
> On 15/07/2014 17:54, Mike Faithfull wrote:

>> Thanks both for very helpful replies. Phil L, that was kinda the
>> original
>> plan but the drill bit (Friend assured me it was a suitable HSS drill)
>> wouldn't touch the lintel, it just got blunt without making a hole!

> I used a Dewalt Extreme bit, allegedly designed for metal. A joy to use
> and completely different to the standard HSS bit. Don't give up till
> you've tried a decent drill bit

I often find that people lack the technique to drilling in steel, ie
really quite slowly and with a lot of axial force. It's worse when
they're using a mains drill as they spin the bit against the surface as
fast as possible to heat it up and ensure it loses its hardening.

A better bit would just take longer to wreck ;-)

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

[DerbyBorn]

Scott M <no_one@no_where.net> wrote in news:lq3sid$2si$1...@speranza.aioe.org:

+1 Well put. Rubbed metal is hard to cut

[F Murtz]

Learn how to drill steel, it is common for home handymen to burn drill
in steel,all my apprentices used to.
You have to use the correct pressure and speed, most inexperienced are
too timid and use insufficient pressure and burn drills..

[The Medway Handyman]

Fix a batten to the wall, fixed securely at each end, past the lintel.
Apply grab adhesive all along the batten prior to fixing. Fix the pole
to that.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[Tim Watts]

You need a very sharp metal drill - eg DeWalt:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/x/x/d80/sd1250/p70067

Those bad boys will go through anything metallic. Of course you can buy
the single bits.

The steel is tough but only about 2mm thick.


Use a plug like this should hold round the back of the steel:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/x/x/x/d90/sd2060/p23574
or
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/x/x/x/d90/sd2060/p40219

[Roger Mills]

Are you absolutely sure that it's metal? Could it be concrete? If so,
you'd need an SDS drill.

If it *is* metal, it could be a Catnic type (hollow mild-steel box
section) which would be easy enough to drill with a decent HSS drill
bit, or it could be an RSJ or a length of heavy duty angle iron. Either
of these would be tougher, but can still be drilled if you push hard and
don't run the drill too fast.

When drilling through a mixture of materials multi-purpose drill bits
(as often demonstrated at trade shows) can sometimes be useful.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

[sm_jamieson]

I always use a small diameter sharp drill first - slowly with lots of pressure - it has to bite not spin.
Then use successively larger drills. If you select the correct size drill it will bite due to the previous hole, but if the size is too close, it can jam in the hole.
Used this method to drill through RSJs using ordinary cheap HSS drills.
Simon.

[JimK]

/ always use a small diameter sharp drill first - slowly with lots of pressure -/q
Snip

What diameter to start? Vs how much pressure?

Jim K

[sm_jamieson]

I had to do several 12mm holes in an RSJ to bolt timber into the web.
I think I started with a 4mm drill, then 8mm, then 12mm. A new HSS drill from Toolstation, it was.

Enough pressure for the drill bit to wobble slightly - any more and I worried I'd break it. Or as much pressure as I could apply whilst pushing the drill horizontally. You get a feel for the right amount - the aim is to get the drill to bite into the steel.
For the successive drills, less pressure is required as the drill will bite into the edges of the previous hole.
Oh, and keep stopping to prevent the drill bit overheating.
To do it "properly" some cutting / cooling fluid is probably required.
Simon.

[The Natural Philosopher]

apprentices are taught to cut steel slow, with lube. And pressure.

too fast and you destroy drill temper.


--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll

[Bob Minchin]

Use the cheapest sized (NOT cheapest quality!) drill from the range -
usually 3 to 3.5mm as if you are going to break it, then the cost is
minimised.
Thereafter the width of the chisel end of the next drill should be
narrower than the current hole size until you get to final size.

[F Murtz]

You may have to break a couple in the beginning, it is a learning curve,
the trick is to use as much pressure as you can without breaking the
drill.It is possible to use more speed if you can supply enough
pressure.This is with hand held drills.With bench drills it is easier to
controll

[Tricky Dicky]

If as you say the plasterboard is directly attached to the lintel then the chances are that there are wooden noggins either wedged of screwed to the lintel onto which the PB is attached. Have you tried tapping along the lintel? A solid sound at intervals will indicate noggins, if so you will be able to screw directly into them.

Richard

[Phil L]

"Tricky Dicky" <tricky...@sky.com> wrote in message
news:aa7f0092-a574-4c81...@googlegroups.com...

unfortunately that is rarely the case these days.
plasterboard is usually stuck on, either with drywall adhesive or sometimes
pu foam

[PeterC]

Had a similar problem in a gite in France. Done loads of drilling to put up
cabinets, mirrors etc. in the house, then trying to find studs in the gite
was hopless. Discoverd that the partitions were on metal (should have known
as there were spare lengths on the roof of the gite - it was built in about
40% of a barn and was about 1000 sq. ft.). Had a good drill and bits, but
that thin metal (22 ga. at most) was finhard, just couldn't get into it. Did
have an idea or two but had leave before trying them. Phew!
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

[DerbyBorn]

Don't like poles - the weight of the curtains is taken on 2 (or 3) small
faced things. With a rail you can add as many fixings as you need and it
doesn't matter about their spacings.

[Mike Faithfull]

"Roger Mills" <watt....@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:c2muck...@mid.individual.net...

> On 15/07/2014 16:16, Mike Faithfull wrote:
>> The "Subject" pretty much says it ...
>>
>> My Daughter wants to fix a curtain pole over a big window and has
>> discovered
>> that the "wall" over the window is actually a bit of plasterboard
>> covering a
>> metal lintel. A friend trying to help attempted to drill into the lintel
>> and only succeeded in blunting his drill bit. This must be a very common
>> problem - suggestions how to solve it would be very welcome.
>>
>> Many thanks.
>>
>>

> Wow, what a lot of responses this simple (!) request has generated. I am
> very grateful to all responders ... but here's the thing: while I've been
> busy making use of the Interweb, the aforementioned 'friend' has revealed
> that it's probably not plasterBOARD but mixed plaster which crumbles and
> disintegrates with any attempt to drill/plug/screw into it hence making
> the need to drill into the lintel. Not only has he supplied this
> information, he has had a second go at the job. The result I found today
> is a length of 4 x 2 (approx) attached across the full width of the window
> opening with Wickes solvent-based builders' adhesive (the evidence is
> still in the applicator gun!). There are also two heavy duty steel angles
> screwed to the face of the timber and to the .. er, I don't know what to
> call the surface .. the top of the window opening / the underside of the
> lintel, if you see what I mean. That underside surface - whatever it's
> called - is finished in hardwood that seems to be about 3/4" thick so one
> arm of the bracket is screwed firmly into that. The curtain pole is
> attached to the batten, the curtains are hanging on the pole and Daughter
> is a happy bunny. If the curtain pole is still firmly attached this time
> next year (after a Winter of curtains being open and closed) I guess it
> will be judged a success. Happy DIY-ing people, and many, many thanks for
> the interest and helpful replies.

[Roger Mills]

On 16/07/2014 14:05, F Murtz wrote:

> You may have to break a couple in the beginning, it is a learning curve,
> the trick is to use as much pressure as you can without breaking the
> drill.It is possible to use more speed if you can supply enough
> pressure.This is with hand held drills.With bench drills it is easier to
> controll

You could always bolt a pillar drill to the wall, and use it horizontally.

[I'll get my coat].

[sm_jamieson]

On Wednesday, July 16, 2014 8:54:31 PM UTC+1, Roger Mills wrote:
> On 16/07/2014 14:05, F Murtz wrote:
>
>
>
> > You may have to break a couple in the beginning, it is a learning curve,
>
> > the trick is to use as much pressure as you can without breaking the
>
> > drill.It is possible to use more speed if you can supply enough
>
> > pressure.This is with hand held drills.With bench drills it is easier to
>
> > controll
>
>
>
> You could always bolt a pillar drill to the wall, and use it horizontally.
>
>
>
> [I'll get my coat].
>
> --

http://www.fossewayhire.com/contentok.php?id=1076

Simon.

[Capitol]

Also always coat the drill tip with oil, as heavy as available.
Lidl drill sharpeners are a useful tool to have when drilling steel. A
lot easier than sharpening 3mm bits on a wheel.

[Mike Faithfull]

"Mike Faithfull" <mouse_...@surfmail.com> wrote in message
news:53c545d0$0$28631$5b6a...@news.zen.co.uk...

> The "Subject" pretty much says it ...
>
> My Daughter wants to fix a curtain pole over a big window and has
> discovered that the "wall" over the window is actually a bit of
> plasterboard covering a metal lintel. A friend trying to help attempted
> to drill into the lintel and only succeeded in blunting his drill bit.
> This must be a very common problem - suggestions how to solve it would be
> very welcome.
>
> Many thanks.
Wow, what a lot of responses this simple (!) request has generated. I am
> very grateful to all responders ... but here's the thing: while I've been
> busy making use of the Interweb, the aforementioned 'friend' has revealed
> that it's probably not plasterBOARD but mixed plaster which crumbles and

> disintegrates with any attempt to drill/plug/screw into it hence making it
> necessary to drill into the lintel. Not only has he supplied this

[Adrian C]

On 16/07/14 20:54, Roger Mills wrote:
> On 16/07/2014 14:05, F Murtz wrote:
>
>> You may have to break a couple in the beginning, it is a learning curve,
>> the trick is to use as much pressure as you can without breaking the
>> drill.It is possible to use more speed if you can supply enough
>> pressure.This is with hand held drills.With bench drills it is easier to
>> controll
>
> You could always bolt a pillar drill to the wall, and use it horizontally.
>
> [I'll get my coat].

Ye could just use a large shot gun to make the hole...


Some have tried, didn't go well but the OP might be lucky?

www.connecttristates.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=112401

or perhaps not...


--
Not Me

[Roger Mills]

Slight overkill, perhaps - since the smallest hole it drills is 12mm.
Also, you'd need a few strategically placed vertical beams to attach it
to and react the drilling force. <g>