JustAnswer > Home Improvement
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Home Improvement

Ask a Home Improvement Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Home Improvement question?

7 Home Improvement Experts are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Home Improvement Question?

Related Home Improvement Topics:

  • Man
  • ,
  • Low
  • ,
  • Run
  • ,
  • Two
  • ,
  • Bolt
  • ,
  • Fill
  • ,
  • Live
  • ,
  • Part
  • ,
  • Sand
  • ,
  • Tape
Bookmark and Share

Question

I am trying to install a drapery rod over my windows in my apartment and have been having lots of trouble. I live in NYC & I believe the building was built in the 60's. my walls are plaster and since we are adding this over the window of an exterior wall, we are hitting reinforced steel. we cant drill through the steel, so the screws and anchors that came with the rod does not go all the way into the wall. We tried nails and shorter screws & anchors. we almost had it up with shorter screws & anchors but then it came crashing down and since the walls are plaster, the walls are crumbling around the holes. at this point, my walls look terrible and we are not sure what else to try. we did get an adhesive, but it didnt stick & just took off the paint. My super recommended either liquid nails or adding wood blocks and attaching the rod to the wood, but this seems ugly. any suggestions? what about an epoxy putty? keep seeing infomercials for mighty putty, would this work?

Submitted: 790 days and 2 hours ago.
Category: Home Improvement
Value: $9
Status: CLOSED
+
Read More

Accepted Answer

Hi PureWater;

There is a product called FixAll that you can use to make this work. What you will want to do is figure out exactly where you want the curtain mounts to be and then place some small bolts with washers behind the FixAll to hold the curtain rods. Once the FixAll has hardened you can sand, paint, and hang the curtains up.

I have made a drawing that will illustrate what Im talking about. You can also use some double backed tape to hold the bolts in place till the fixall hadens. you will want to do the fixall in stages. Dont try to put all the fixall in at one time. Do enough to secure the bolt (mix this thick like thin cookie dough), and let it harden well. Then do a second coat to fill the rest of the area removed. Leave it just a bit low. Mix the fixall so that it stays on the wall without sagging, but not too thick. Let this harden well and sand off any high places. Next do a skim coat to bring the surface level. Mix this like pancake batter. Maybe just a bit thicker so it doesnt run or sag. This layer shouldn't be any thicker than 1/8".

Paint to match and your done.

Oh yea almost forgot. The area you break out needs to go all the way to the steel and be at least 6" around. Wire brush the steel so the fixall gets a good bite on it .Otherwise you might just pull a hunk of fixall off when you hang the curtains.

You can get the fixall at any hardware store.

graphic
View Full Image

If this answer satisfies your question please click on the accept button. If it does not, please tell me so. You are not expected to accept any answer that you are not happy with. I do expect you to let me know if you are not satisfied, and what I can do to put a smile on your face.

Thank you for using Just Answer. Please tell someone about us.
Best regards; The Home Smithy
After you have accepted it is important that you leave positive feedback.

The Home Smithy39469.5772994213

Picture
Expert: The Home Smithy
Pos. Feedback: 98.4 %
Accepts: 1600
Answered: 1/22/2008

Jack of all trades Master of a few.

#1 Home Improvement Expert. Over 30 years experience in construction, and home repairs

790 days ago.

Reply

Hi, are there any other options? this seems like a lot of work for me, and the area above the window with the steel behind it is very small. not sure i can do this with out replacing the wall. is the epoxy putty an option or will this not hold up the rod?

Posted by The Home Smithy 789 days and 23 hours ago.

Answer

The repair is really not all that hard. The hardest part would be mixing the fixall. After that it is only a matter of applying it to the wall with a putty knife.. An area big enough to do this with is easily knocked out with a small hammer. The plaster will break off easily with a couple whacks.

If you still feel that you can not do this you might want to ask around for a young man to do the job for you. If i were there I would charge you a whopping $20.00 to do it. If anything you can contact a local college. They always have students that could use some spare pocket money. Or maybe a good home cooked meal or two.

As for using an epoxy putty you would still need to get to enough of the steel to adhear it to. You can not just apply it to the existing plaster as it would just break off a bigger chunk of it.

+
Read More

Related Home Improvement Questions

  • my hotpoint washing machine is not draining the water what d...
  • I have a white stove (8years old - minimal use) that I want ...
  • I have a large open space that is designed to be used as a ....
  • I have a stripped outdoor faucet knob, how doI i fix that?
  • I just got a portable dishwasher and I have a Wolverine ...
  • If you wanted to protect a circuit carrying 1 amp, what ...
  • What is labor union?
  • how do you fix a hole in a wall in an hour or less



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2010 JustAnswer Corp.