How to Install a Curtain Pole

Adding curtains to any room in your home not only provides you with additional privacy but also complements your room's aesthetic with colour and warmth. Hanging a curtain pole is an easy task anyone can do with the correct know-how and tools for the job.

Whether you're refreshing a bedroom or updating your living space, we'll guide you through the steps to install a curtain rod safely and securely. Read on for our straightforward instructions for putting up curtain rails.

We've also included a helpful how-to video as part of this guide, so you can follow along with the process step-by-step.

Useful links

TOOLS

MATERIALS

Curtain pole
Items below are usually included with the curtain pole (check before you buy)
Allen Key
Wall plugs
Screws

SAFETY

USEFUL LINKS

Hang a curtain pole a minimum of 50mm above the top of the window frame and 50mm wider than the edge of the frame on each side.
Use an SDS power drill with a masonry bit for solid brick or stone walls, and a standard combination drill with a wall bit for other wall types.
Support heavy curtains or wider windows by installing a central bracket at the halfway point above the window to prevent the pole from bowing.

Planning and preparation

Knowing how to choose the right curtain pole for your window is the first step. Think about the style of your room and the weight of your chosen fabric.

When looking at different types of curtain poles and brackets, make sure your walls can support the attachments you choose one. Some curtain attachments may vary, so always check the packaging before you begin.

Safety comes first. Always make sure that your power tools are unplugged while you're setting them up or changing accessories. Keeping the plug in sight acts as a visual reminder to prevent accidents and hazards.

For extra safety when using power tools, be sure to wear protective equipment. This includes goggles, and a dust mask.

Hanging a curtain pole: step-by-step

SDS power drill
Tape measure
Masking tape
Pencil and paper
Spirit level
Philips screwdriver
Curtain pole
Curtain pole fixings (usually come with the pole)
Goggles
Protective gloves

Clear the area of furniture, rugs, and other decorations around your chosen window to create a safe space to work in.

Use a tape measure to measure a minimum of 50mm above your window frame. Make a pencil mark. Then, measure a minimum 50mm marking from the edge of your window frame on each side.

If you have a wider window or are using thicker curtains, you may need to mark a wider measurement to compensate for the width of the gather and add additional height to your marking above the window to account for the curtain drop. You may also need to add a central bracket to support the extra weight.

To do this, measure the length of your window and find the halfway point. Then, use a level to mark a point at the desired height above the window. When hooking the curtain pole to the brackets later, you may want to add another two holes of gather to the end to minimise light leakage.

Use a spirit level to ensure your next markings are straight. Draw a vertical line above your width marking and a horizontal line from your height marking. This should create a cross where the bracket will sit. If your spirit level is long enough, you can now check your markings are even across the whole window.

Depending on the type of wall you have, we recommend using an SDS power drill to ensure you're drilling far enough into a solid wall to avoid stability issues. If you're drilling into a solid wall like brick, concrete, or stone, you'll need a masonry drill bit. Or if you're drilling into any other wall, a standard combination drill with a wall drill bit will work too.

Make sure the drill bit you're using matches the size of your wall plugs for the brackets. We're using a 6mm wide drill bit attached to our drill for this task.

Top tip: we recommend lining the wall plug up on the top of the drill bit, then marking the end of the plug with masking tape on the drill bit. This will show you exactly how deep you need to drill into your walls.

Put on your protective glasses and gloves before using your drill. Take your drill and drill into the crossed marks on both sides of your window frame.

Once you've drilled your holes, push the wall plugs in. Use a Philips screwdriver to loosely turn the screws into the plug and then hang the bracket onto these.

If you're unsure how to get a curtain pole level, simply place your spirit level above each bracket to ensure they're perfectly straight before you continue to screw the brackets tightly in place.

You can now get your chosen curtains and curtain pole ready for installation.

Use the included Allen key to turn the screw holding the finial loose enough to remove it from the pole.

Feed the curtain pole through the curtain holes to attach your curtains and re-attach the finial.

Loosen the screws on the brackets to allow the pole to sit properly in the bracket. Now lift the curtain pole with the curtains attached towards the brackets and rest it on the bracket hooks.

When hooking the curtain pole to the brackets, bring the end of each curtain towards the finial so one hole hangs to the other side of the bracket. Finally, turn the bracket screws to lock the curtain pole into place and you're all done.

Adding curtains is a simple way to bring colour and warmth to your space, as well as giving you some extra privacy. They can make a huge impact despite being a relatively simple DIY job, so it’s definitely worth taking the time to install a curtain pole yourself.

Currently in a DIY mood? Check out our guide on how to put up a shelf next.

FAQs

Make sure the drill bit matches the width of the wall plugs included with your curtain brackets. We recommend using a 6mm drill bit for standard masonry installations.

We suggest measuring a minimum of 50mm above your window frame, and a minimum of 50mm from the edge of your window frame on each side.

Always use a spirit level to check your pencil markings before you drill. Once the brackets are loosely screwed into the wall plugs, place your spirit level across them again to confirm they are straight before tightening.