When a curtain pole ends up crooked, too short or working loose, it is usually for one of two reasons: it was positioned to the window frame rather than to how the curtains will hang, or the fixings met the lintel above the window and were not suited to it. Careful curtain pole installation deals with both before the first hole is drilled.
Voltify Contractors fits curtain poles and brackets in homes, rental properties and commercial buildings across East and South-East London, from single bedroom windows to wide patio doors and bay windows. It is one of the fitting jobs covered by our handyman and property maintenance service.
Measuring for the Curtains, Not Just the Window
A pole that matches the width of the frame leaves the curtains bunched over the glass when they are open, which blocks light and makes the window look smaller. The measurements are worked out in this order:
- Width. The pole normally extends beyond the frame on each side, so open curtains can stack against the wall rather than over the window. Heavy or full curtains need more stacking space than light ones.
- Curtain drop. If the curtains are already bought, their length decides the pole height. The aim is for them to finish where you want, whether just above the floor, on the sill or just below it.
- Height above the frame. Fitting the pole higher can make a window look taller, but only if the curtains are long enough and there is solid wall to fix into below the ceiling or coving.
- Projection. The brackets must hold the curtains far enough from the wall to clear window handles, a deep sill, a blind in the recess or a radiator below.
Having the curtains (or at least their measurements) available on the day avoids fitting a pole at a height that suits the window but not the fabric.
The Lintel Above Your Window
Directly above most windows is a lintel, the beam that carries the wall over the opening. In many London homes it is concrete or steel, hidden under plaster, and it sits exactly where curtain pole brackets want to go.
Concrete lintels can be very hard to drill, and steel lintels can cause a drill bit to skid or stop altogether. Fixings pushed into the wrong material, or into loose plaster in front of it, are a common reason poles pull away over time. Where a lintel is found, the options include:
- using drill bits and fixings suited to the lintel material;
- adjusting the bracket positions to fix into sound masonry beyond the ends of the lintel, where the pole length allows;
- fixing a timber batten across the wall above the window and mounting the brackets onto that;
- using ceiling brackets instead of wall brackets, where the ceiling allows a secure fixing.
What is behind the plaster only becomes clear once the wall is checked on the day, so the approach is confirmed on site before any fixing goes in.
Heavy Curtains, Wide Windows and Bay Windows
The weight and shape of the window treatment decide what kind of pole or track is needed.
| Situation | What it usually needs |
|---|---|
| Lined, blackout or velvet curtains | A thicker pole and closer bracket spacing, so the pole does not bow in the middle |
| Wide windows and patio doors | One or more centre support brackets, with passing rings or a track so curtains can travel past them |
| Bay windows | A bay pole with angled joints, or a bendable track, set out to the exact angles of the bay |
| Window inside a recess | Recess (end) brackets fixed to the side walls, or ceiling brackets |
| Voiles behind main curtains | A double bracket holding two poles, with the voile pole at the back |
| Eyelet curtains | Enough clearance between the wall and the pole for the eyelets to slide, and the curtains threaded on before the end finials go on |
Replacing an Old Pole or Track
Taking down an old pole or track usually reveals holes, old plugs and sometimes crumbling plaster. The new brackets rarely line up with the old holes, and drilling right next to an old hole is a common reason for weak fixings. Old plugs are removed, holes are filled, and the new brackets are set out in sound wall. Larger damage can be put right through our drywall and wall repair service. If the room is being redecorated, it is usually best to fit the new pole once painting is finished.
Curtains and Blinds on the Same Window
Many windows have a blind inside the recess and curtains on a pole in front. In that case the pole brackets need enough projection for the curtains to clear the blind when it is down, and the blind needs to be fitted so its controls can still be reached with the curtains closed. Both can be planned and fitted together on one visit.
Curtain Pole Installation Cost and Booking
The documented minimum call-out is £80 for the first hour. The total depends on the number of windows, pole length, whether a lintel or ceiling fixing is involved, bay windows, centre supports for heavy curtains, and whether old poles need removing first.
When you get in touch, a photo of each window showing the wall above it, the window width, the pole you have (or plan to buy) and the type of curtains help confirm the right brackets and fixings in advance. Curtain poles are often fitted with shelves, pictures or other small jobs as part of a single handyman visit.
Landlords dressing a property between tenancies can combine pole fitting with other work through our landlord property maintenance service, and offices, schools and managed blocks can arrange it as part of our commercial property maintenance work.
Standard visits run 7am–5pm, Monday to Friday. Contact Voltify Contractors to arrange your curtain pole installation, or check the areas we cover across East and South-East London.
