Adjustable curtain pole brackets

[Steve Maskery]

I have been decorating my living rooms during these past few months and the work is coming along nicely. I hung a pair of curtains in the lounge side and am about to do the same in the dining room side. However, when I installed the first curtain pole I encountered a couple of problems.

The first problem was that these are high windows and there is only about 40mm of wall above the window opening before I encounter the bottom edge of the plaster coving. This means that if I use the supplied brackets, the curtains will not satisfactorily cover the top edge of the window. It would be better if I could get the curtain pole up a bit higher.

The second is that I don't have a very good datum. The floor isn't level, the ceiling isn't level, the reveal isn't level (although it is the best of the three). A spirit level would be the best way to check for level, but it is very difficult to hold up the pole, check for level and mark for drilling, all at the same time. Not so bad if you have some help, but on your own it is not easy.

And even if I do get the marking out exactly right, there is a good chance that the drill bit will wander. This is an old house and just because I start drilling at one point it doesn't mean that that is where the hole ends up!

I solved the first problem quite well, by making a pair of wooden brackets in the shape of a coat hook, so that the pole was lifted up above the top of the window. It worked very well, but the levelling part eluded me. Even after two attempts it is only just acceptable, it's certainly not perfect. So for the second window I have decided to make them adjustable in height, so that even if my drilling is not spot on, I can still move them up or down as necessary.

I started by making a cardboard template of the outline and the hole centre, and laid it out on my stock.

After bandsawing and sanding to shape, it was over to the drill press to drill the holes. The pole hole is 30mm diameter and the fixing holes are 4mm, counterbored for a washer at 12mm.

Using a 6mm roundover bit I softened all the edges, but I did have to be careful in the vicinity of the mounting holes that the bearing did not drop into the hole and cause a ding in the edge profile.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The adjustabilty is created by having a separate back plate. I routed a groove in the back of a length of my oak, wide enough to take a short length of 15mm-wide steel.

The steel is drilled and tapped M6 to take a couple of cap-head screws.

There is a slot down the middle and it is about 18mm longer than the distance between the screws. So when I mount the backplate to the wall and screw the bracket to the backplate, I can move it up and down by about 12mm. That should be enough adjustment, even for a ham-fisted oaf like me.

I'm very pleased with the end result, the only real problem being that the bracket is English oak and the backplate is American oak and they are completely different in colour and character. But once up, they wont be seen, except for the ring part of the bracket, so the colour of the backplate doesn't really matter, it will be covered by the curtain.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Neat solution, Steve. In my experience, fitting curtain poles is seldom straightforward - usually one of those jobs you wish you'd never started.....

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Hot stuff]

I use a laser level for that particular job, set it up at the back of the room and that leaves your hands free to hold/drill/fix etc.

 

[Steve Maskery]

That is a good solution, if your drill doesn't wander. But I no longer have my laser level, have you got it?

S

 

[Homers double]

That's a great solution Steve, I will very shortly poach that design, I have some curtain poles to put up for a client and will face exactly the same issues you've mentioned.
As for a laser level, some where I have a spare one I was given by a friend who was retiring I look for it tomorrow and send you some pics, if you want it I'll gladly post it to you.

 

[Steve Maskery]

That is very generous of you HD, thank you!

 

[Racers]

Nicely done Steve.

Pete

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I had much the same problem - I hung mine from the ceiling. This is only good and easy, of course, if the ceiling isn't running side to side.

 

[nev]

Great solution.
But a tip if I may. If the pole resides close to the un-level ceiling and or coving align the pole with that edge and not dare I say it level.
Better to have a non level pole than one that looks skew at a glance because the ceiling's not level.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I take your point Nev, but here the ceiling isn't even straight let alone straight and level!
It's - characterful. A bit like me.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Of course if you wished to hang them that way, you could always make your brackets to suit the uneven drop. You'll never disguise it completely.

 

[Racers]

Steve, You could steam bend the pole to match the ceiling, if a jobs worth doing....


:wink:


Pete