How to install a curtain rod

• Tape measure
• Spirit level
• Pencil
• Cordless drill and bits
• Stud finder or cable detector
• Screwdriver

Before you start, lay everything out on a soft surface (the flattened box works) and check it against the parts list in your manual.

• Curtain rod (telescopic or cut to length)
• End brackets and a centre bracket for long rods
• Finials
• Screws and wall plugs
• Curtain rings or hooks

1. 1

   Step 1: Decide the height and width: most people mount the rod above the top of the window frame and let it extend past each side so the open curtains clear the glass.

2. 2

   Step 2: Mark the first bracket position, then use the spirit level to draw a faint line across to the second, so the rod will be level.

3. 3

   Step 3: Scan each mark with a stud or cable detector; avoid any hidden cables or pipes, and move the bracket slightly if needed.

4. 4

   Step 4: Drill pilot holes for screws going into a stud, or drill and push in wall plugs suited to your wall type for plasterboard or masonry.

5. 5

   Step 5: Screw the end brackets on firmly, and add a centre bracket for a long rod so it does not sag in the middle.

6. 6

   Step 6: Extend the rod to length, thread on the curtain rings or curtains, and fit the finials on each end.

7. 7

   Step 7: Lift the rod onto the brackets, tighten any set screws that hold it, and pull the curtains open and closed to check.

• Measuring from the ceiling instead of using a level, so an out-of-true ceiling makes the rod slope.
• Using the small plugs from the box in hollow plasterboard where they cannot hold heavy curtains.
• Leaving out the centre bracket on a long rod.