Expert 'How To' Curtain Pole Guides

guide to fitting curtain poles

You will find all the information required for you to choose your curtain poles, as well as detailed instructions on measuring and fitting.

If you need any help or further information please use the Live Help button above or call us and one of our support team will be happy to assist you.

Handy Hints on Fitting Curtain Poles

Fitting Tips

Use a pencil to mark your fitting positions on the wall as this will be easier to remove.
Be careful when you take the pole and fittings out of the packaging, avoid using a sharp instrument which may damage the contents. To ensure you have all the fittings, set them out and check them against the fitting guide you will find in the box.
Before you start, clear the window sill of any ornaments and protect your furniture and carpets from any brick dust that may arise from the drill.
For drilling through tiles, it is recommended that a tile drill bit is used without the hammer setting to safeguard against cracking them.
When you have fitted the brackets, it is a good idea to position the pole without the curtains and stand back to check everything looks visually correct. This is important to have uneven ceilings or floors.
Cleaning the area with a vacuum cleaner as soon as you have fitted the brackets will keep your curtains from becoming marked when you hang them.
If you are fitting the pole into wood, you will not need to use the drill or rawl plugs, just make a small hole with a bradawl and then use wood screws to fit the brackets.
If you are fitting your pole across the front of the window and this measurement is not pre-determined by your curtains, then fit your pole about 8-12 cms above the window frame. This is generally the most common position as it will ensure that the header tape of the curtains is not on show from the outside, but also helps to reduce light seepage when the curtains are drawn during daylight hours.
If you do have your curtains, then you will need to bear their length in mind as at this point, adjusting the position you fit the pole above the window opening may save a lot of time having to re-hem the bottom of the curtains.
Pole lengths may be shortened using a hacksaw.
Check if you are unsure about the location of pipes or cables with a detector.

General Fitting Instructions for Curtain PolesBack to top

How to fit a curtain pole

This is a standard guide for installing a curtain pole, your specific pole type will be supplied with full relevant instructions.

You Will Need

Tools for fitting curtain poles

A metal tape measure
A pencil (a pencil is better than a pen as you can remove the marks more easily) and paper
A pair of steps
An electric drill or a cordless drill (preferably with a hammer option)
A screw driver
A spirit level. This is not essential but is helpful to check your track is being fitted level. Alternatively, you can always measure down from the ceiling or up from the floor or window sill to the holes as a double check, but this is not a guarantee as the ceiling may be slightly sloping. The most important thing is to make sure it visually looks right.
It is useful to have a length of string and a couple of nails (we use a pair of bradawls in our videos). This may be used to stretch between the bracket holes to check the level before the brackets are fitted.

General Guide for Curtain Pole Bracket Location

1. Curtain pole bracket height

If you already have your curtains, then to determine the height of the position of the curtain pole above the window (A). You will need to measure the drop of the curtains and add the measurement from the top inside of a curtain ring to the bottom outer edge for heading, which will hang from the curtain rings.

For eyelet curtains your drop measurement should be taken from the top inside of the eyelet ring to the bottom of the curtain, adding an extra 1cm for full length curtains to allow for floor clearance.

For a short curtain use the drop length to measure from approx.12cms below the sill to mark the height (B) for the bracket location above the window recess, for curtains to sit on the sill measure from here instead, plus 0.5cm for clearance.

For a full length curtain use the drop measurement from the floor plus 1cm to mark the height (C) for the bracket location.

If you do not yet have your curtains, you may choose a bracket height of 5-10cm above the window recess. This will give the best visual appearance, but your final choice may be determined by the height of your ceiling.

Measure for bracket using a spirit level

Use a spirit level to mark the top line of your brackets from your measurements above the window recess.

Measurement for curtain pole fixing bracket

Mark the position of the bracket, using your pencil, a minimum of 10cm or your calculated measurement according to the length of your curtain pole, from the side of the window recess. Do this for the rest of the brackets, usually just one either side of the window.

Centre bracket for extra long pole

If you have an extra long pole you must fit a central bracket at the mid-point of the window shown in the diagram.

Fitting Your Curtain Pole in Easy Steps

1. Now you have your bracket positions marked on the wall. Use your pencil to mark the fixing holes (shown in the diagram on the left). If your bracket has a key hole fixing, then fit the top screw (top of the key hole ) first, ensuring you have the bracket the right way up. Then you may fit the key hole bracket so that it drops down on this screw and then drill and fit the bottom screw to hold it in position.

2. If fixing to a wooden batten, drill 2mm pilot holes first. If fitting directly to a masonry or studded wall drill with the right size masonry bit, the instructions for your curtain pole will include this information. If you are unsure about electric cables or pipes in the wall, you can double check with a detector, although it is very unlikely that these will be placed close to the top of the window recess.

3. Insert rawl plugs into the holes you have drilled. You may need different plugs depending on your wall type, if you have a stud wall with plasterboard for instance.

Fix the bracket in position with the screws

4. Fix the bracket securely to the wall using the correct screws. Use wood screws if fixing directly to a wooden batten.

5. Repeat the fixing process for all the brackets required.

6. Ensure you have measured correctly the length of the pole needed to fit your window. The required length is usually the width between the brackets with an additional 5 - 6cms either end of the pole so that there is enough room for one curtain ring between the bracket and the finial.

7. If it is necessary to cut the pole to the correct length, then remove the finials first, using the allen key supplied and cut with a hacksaw for a metal pole or a wood saw for a wooden pole. Remember to check your measurement on your pole twice before cutting. If you are cutting down a two-piece pole, the join will be in the middle so always cut an equal length from finial of each pole.

8. You can now assemble your pole.

9. Slide the correct number of curtain rings onto the pole, remembering to leave two rings to place at either end between the brackets and the finials.

10. Place your pole on the brackets, you may need help with an extra long pole. Measure so you have an equal length of pole protruding from each end bracket, which will ensure that the pole will be centred.

11. Secure the pole to the brackets with the locking screws provided. The finials can now be fitted on the ends of the poles after placing a curtain ring between the curtain bracket and the finial, using the fixing screws provided.

12. You may now fit your curtains by slipping curtain hooks through the eyelets on the curtain pole rings.