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How do you put up a curtain pole?

To put up a curtain pole, decide the width and height, mark the bracket positions level, check for hidden cables and pipes, then drill and fix the brackets with plugs or fixings that suit the wall. Slide on the rings, fit the finials, and hang the curtains once the pole sits firm.

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By the QuoteZila editorial team. Editorial policy.

What do you need to put up a curtain pole?

Before you start, unpack the pole and check every part is there. A typical curtain pole kit has the pole, two end brackets, sometimes a centre bracket, rings, and two finials for the ends. Some kits include screws and wall plugs, but these are often basic, so it is worth having better fixings to hand.

You will also need:

  • a tape measure and a pencil
  • a spirit level, ideally long enough to span the window
  • a drill with bits for your wall
  • a screwdriver or drill driver
  • wall plugs or cavity fixings that suit the wall
  • a cable and pipe detector
  • a stable stepladder

Ask someone to help hold the pole and check from across the room. It is easier with two people.

How do you decide the width and height?

Width. A pole that only just covers the window will leave the open curtains bunched over the glass, blocking light. Let the pole run past the frame on each side, so the curtains can be drawn back clear of the window. Measure the curtains when gathered to see how much space they need.

Height. Fitting the pole a little above the top of the window frame lets the curtains hide the frame and the rings. Fitting it higher still can make a window look taller and a room feel bigger. Think about where the curtain hem will fall, especially if the curtains are already made to a set drop.

What is above the window. Most windows have a lintel above them, carrying the wall. It may be concrete, steel or timber. Drilling straight into it may be hard or impossible. A bracket fixed a little above or to the side of the lintel, or a top-fix bracket into the ceiling, can avoid it.

How do you check where it is safe to drill?

Drilling into a hidden cable or pipe is the main risk when putting up a curtain pole. Electrical Safety First says a common error is accidentally drilling, nailing or screwing into cables hidden inside walls [S1]. It says a quality cable detector can help track buried cables before you start work [S1]. It also says cables buried in walls are required to be installed either horizontally or vertically from electrical accessories like socket-outlets or switches [S1].

Around a window, look for switches, wall lights and sockets nearby, and avoid the lines running straight up, down and across from them. Also check for pipes, particularly if there is a radiator under the window. Use a detector at each mark, but treat it as a guide, not as proof the wall is clear.

If you are unsure, ask an electrician or a handyman to check before you drill. Do not take light switches or sockets apart to look.

Which fixings suit your wall?

  • Brick or block. Use a masonry bit and solid wall plugs, with screws long enough to pass through the plaster and into the masonry.
  • Concrete lintel. Use a sharp masonry bit and a hammer setting, and take your time. Expect it to be slow.
  • Steel lintel. Hard to drill with standard tools. Fix to the wall either side or above, use a ceiling bracket, or use a specialist fixing.
  • Plasterboard. Use cavity fixings made for the weight, or fix into the timber or metal studs behind. Heavy, lined curtains put a lot of load on plasterboard over time.
  • Timber, such as a window board or batten. Use wood screws and drill a small pilot hole first.

If the original wall plugs keep spinning in the hole, the hole has been drilled too big or the plaster is crumbling. Use a larger plug, or move the bracket slightly.

How do you fit the brackets and the pole?

  1. Mark the first bracket. Measure from the top of the window frame to the height you want and mark it on one side.
  2. Mark the second bracket. Use the spirit level to carry the line across to the other side. Measure the same distance from the frame edge on each side, so the pole is centred.
  3. Mark a centre bracket if needed. Put it in the middle of the line.
  4. Check for cables and pipes at each mark.
  5. Drill the holes with the right bit for the wall, to the depth the fixing needs.
  6. Fix the brackets. Insert the plugs and screw the brackets to the wall. Check each is level and firm.
  7. Fit the pole. Slide the rings onto the pole, putting the right number either side of any centre bracket. Keep one ring outside each end bracket to hold the curtain edge in place.
  8. Add the finials and tighten any grub screws on the brackets to stop the pole sliding.
  9. Hang the curtains and check they open and close smoothly.

Work from a stable stepladder set on a flat floor. Do not lean out sideways to reach. Move the ladder instead.

What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?

  • The pole bows in the middle. It needs a centre bracket, or a thicker pole for heavy curtains.
  • The pole is not level. One bracket hole was marked wrong. Fill the hole and redrill a little above or below.
  • The brackets pull out. The fixings do not suit the wall. Use better plugs or cavity fixings, or fix into a stud.
  • The curtains will not draw past the bracket. On a wide window with a centre bracket, the rings cannot pass it. Use passing rings or a track designed for it.
  • The rings stick. Wipe the pole clean, and check there is no paint or dust on it.

When is it worth getting a handyman?

A single pole on a brick wall is a manageable DIY job. It can be worth asking a handyman when the wall is plasterboard or lath and plaster, there is a steel lintel, you have bay windows or many windows to do, or the curtains are very heavy. Putting up poles fits well alongside other small jobs on one visit.

Citizens Advice says a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is a rough guess, so you might end up paying more [S2]. It suggests trying to get written quotes from at least 3 different traders before you decide [S2]. For what changes the price, see the handyman cost guide.

Jobs you might post

These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Please put up three curtain poles in the bedrooms. Poles bought and ready. Brick walls." Or: "Curtain pole above a wide lounge window, with a centre bracket. Not sure what is above the window." Or: "Fit a bay window curtain track and two blinds in the kitchen."

Get quotes for curtain pole fitting

Describe how many poles, the window sizes and the walls, and add photos. QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].

Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.

Posting a job is not open yet

See the handymen page or the carpenters page. If you are also mounting a TV, see the TV wall mount installation guide.

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Questions about putting up a curtain pole

How far above the window should a curtain pole go?

There is no fixed rule. Many people fit the pole a little above the top of the window frame, so the curtains cover the frame and the rings do not show from outside. Fitting it higher can make a window look taller. Check what is above the window before you drill, because a lintel can be hard to fix into.

How much wider than the window should the pole be?

Wide enough that the curtains can be pulled clear of the glass when open. Many people let the pole run past the frame on each side for that reason. Measure how bulky your curtains are when gathered, and allow for that space at each end.

Why will the drill not go into the wall above my window?

There is often a lintel above a window, which can be concrete or steel. A sharp masonry bit and a hammer setting help with concrete. Steel lintels need a different approach, such as fixing into the wall either side, a top-fix bracket into the ceiling, or a specialist fixing.

How many brackets does a curtain pole need?

Follow the pole's instructions. Wider poles and heavy, lined curtains need a centre bracket as well as one at each end, so the pole does not bow. Rings must be placed either side of a centre bracket before the finials go on.

Can a handyman put up curtain poles?

Yes. Putting up curtain poles, blinds and tracks is common handyman work, and it fits well with other small jobs on one visit. Have the poles unpacked, say what the walls are made of, and point out anything above the window.

Does QuoteZila check the businesses who quote?

No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.

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Sources

  1. QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
  2. QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila terms and matching notes.
  3. S1: Electrical safety advice for DIY-ers, Electrical Safety First. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/safety-advice/home-and-people/diy-ers/
  4. S2: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/