How do I ensure that a wooden curtain pole is strongly enough fixed to take the weight of four metre heavy curtains. This pole has come down in the past under the weight of the curtains and I now want to replace them with even heavier ones so need to strenghthen. The poles have a bracket in the middle and at each end

Lynn Froggett, December 2009

I have had this problem with a shorter run of pole - using regular wall plugs into the plaster/brickwork is seldom good enough - within a short time it all gets loose and dangerous...

I fix a planed wooden batten (in your case two lengths if it's 4m length) to the wall with Frame Fixings...

http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/webbig/61889.jpg

Drill clearance holes in battens (10mm) - mark walls - Masonry drill walls (10mm) - bash in frame fixings with a hammer good and hard - decorate - screw pole brackets to the wooden batten with regular wood screws - fit pole - hang curtains - job done.

I would use a batten 20mmx75mm and frame fixings 10mmx120mm giving a good 4" hold into the brickwork.

With any luck you will be able to swing on the curtains like a wild jungle creature!

Good luck...

Peccavi, December 2009