I'm trying to hang curtains for a floor-to-ceiling window by using drywall anchors to hold up the curtain rod. However, the plastic screw gets stuck about halfway anywhere I attempt to drill. When I attempt to push the plastic screw further in while drilling, it just expands the hole outward rather than becoming flush with the wall. How can I do this correctly so as to install the curtain rod?
Drywall – Problem Using Wall Anchors for Curtain Rod
drilldrywall-anchorhangingscrewswindows
Related Solutions
Use a masonary bit (easier to get hold of)
Put a cross of masking tape on the tile to stop the bit slipping sideways when you start
Go easy, don't put too much pressure on the bit.
Tip: try on an old bit of broken tile ( or a broken mug/teacup from goodwill) before starting on the expensive tiles.
No, this isn't normal. Your anchors don't fit to your screws. What is happening is that the tip of the screw reached the concrete, and, of course, you can't force a screw into concrete - not even with a drill or a electric screwdriver, and certainly not by hand.
This picture shows how anchor and screw should fit into the hole. The hole definitely needs to be longer than the screw. The screw should be a bit longer than the anchor, but not as long. Maybe the clerk saw that you have picked an wood screw and gave you anchors suited for the second situation. It doesn't hurt to use wood screws with anchors in a concrete wall, you'll just have the cap jutting out a bit. But the length of the screw should be only a bit longer than that of the anchor (the surplus should equal the length of the tip + the length of the attached thing), and your cap will stick out a bit if the thing you are attaching isn't soft enough for the cap to sink in.
The table shows how to determine the correct hole depth. It also tells you what diameter of anchor and drill to choose for a given screw. As for the length of the screw, it is determined by the weight it will have to carry. Vertical screws are more problematic than screws in walls, because gravity is pulling in the direction of the hole, not at 90° to it. Light curtains will be OK with your size screw, but don't put any molton on them.
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Best Answer
You may be able to run the screw right into the framing with out using the anchors. It will hold much better if it is framing and not wood lath or masonry. if the brackets are directly over the window, you may have found the header.