Step One: What You Need You’ll need screws, a screwdriv […]
Step One: What You Need
You’ll need screws, a screwdriver, a level, a power drill, a stud finder, and your curtain rod which should come with corresponding brackets.
Also, if your curtains are very heavy, or the Curtain bracket is longer than 48 inches, you will need a center bracket for additional support.
You may need to also purchase some universal, self-drilling hollow wall fasteners which will help you if you can’t find the studs in your wall.
Step Two: Plan Your Enhancements
Decide where you want to hang your Curtain bracket by holding the rod up to the wall or window casing. Keep in mind that placing the rod close to the ceiling will make your ceiling appear higher. Then, take your level and place it flat against the wall to mark a straight line with your pencil. If you live in a new construction, the level should do the trick. If however your home is a bit older, you need to keep in mind that it may have settled and walls and ceilings might not be in perfect balance. In this case, don’t worry if the level tells you that you’re a little off – the most important thing is to keep the curtain rod in line with the rest of the room.
Next, decide where you want to place your brackets. If you want to create the illusion of wider windows, place the brackets from 3 to 6 inches away from the side edges of the window frame.
Step Three: Choose Your Spot
Once you've decided on the placement of the brackets, use the pencil to lightly mark the top of the bracket and the screw holes on the chosen site. Next, use the stud finder to locate the wall studs.
Step Four: Secure the Brackets
If you find studs where your brackets are to go, take the power drill and using a very small drill bit (smaller than the diameter of screw you will use to secure the brackets) drill a pilot hole or initial hole straight into the wall. The purpose here is just to create a path for your screw to go, so make sure when you are doing this that the drill is very balanced and your hole is very straight in. After you have done this, attach the bracket with the screw that came with it directly into the pilot hole that you made. Repeat these steps for each screw and for each bracket.
If you can’t find a stud in the wall or the positioning you want does not match up with one, you need to use a universal self-drilling hollow wall fastener. These are great items that allow you to avoid the daunting task of having to first insert individual anchors into each screwhole. Drill these fasteners directly into the wall. Then take the bracket and attach as if you were going straight into a stud. You can repeat this process for each screw and each bracket.
So you’ve given your windows a facelift, and you did it yourself. For more fix-it advice, read my book “Room for Improvement.” Whatever your project, AOL Coaches are here to help, so check out what else we have to offer.
