You may have heard of curtains over brick walls. However, it may seem like an odd design, but learning how to hang curtains on brick walls actually has its own perks. It may not be effortless at first, but installing them would be a breeze once you know which tools to use.
An exposed brick wall can bring a lot of character to a particular space. It is a fantastic way to add a bit of texture and life to the design. However, some practical occasions like the presence of a window might call for some hole-drilling duties.
Choosing the right fastener
One of the most prominent issues when dealing with brick walls is that it can be quite tricky to find a fastener or anchor that sticks to the walls. Some types of metal anchors can damage the brick wall.
Fortunately, there are brick anchor fasteners that can help you hang an item to any brick or mortar joints in a brick wall. Since brick has hollow spaces, you need an anchor with an appropriate holding value even in these small spaces.
Once you have the suitable anchors to use, we can start installing the curtain brackets and rods.
Step 1: Measuring
Take your measuring tape and determine where you want your brackets to go. You may want to place your rod brackets at one to three inches above the window’s edge. You can always go for a higher placement, but it may not look too good in specific spaces.
When covering an exposed wall, you can use the top of the brick walls as a guide to figure out where to mount your curtain rod. Make sure that you have a rod long enough to cover the entire thing.
Step 2: Drilling
Use a marker to mark the positions of the screw holes on the brick walls. Position your brackets at the top of the brick wall or the desired height above the window. Use a 5/32 inch carbide-tipped drill bit and attach it to your drill.
Create the pilot holes at each mark and ensure that it runs at least ¼ inch further than the length of your masonry screws. Be careful not to puncture all the way through.
Step 3: Mounting
Take your mounting bracket and position its screw holes over the pilot holes on the brick wall. Using a Phillips head drill bit, drive a 3/16 inch flat head masonry screw through the brick wall and secure the bracket in place. Do the same until you have mounted all the brackets.
Step 4: Hang your curtains
Get your curtains and prop them onto the rod. Place the final pieces and position the rod on top of the brackets. Adjust the curtain as much as you like until you are satisfied with its results. You can use the same drilling instructions to install metal holdbacks at the window sides.
Tips
- When drilling through the brick, make sure to apply more pressure than you would when drilling through wooden walls.
- Don’t forget to wear your safety glasses and earplugs since it can be a noisy and messy job.
- If you are unsure of the straightness of the bracket’s alignment with each other, you can use a laser level or just a regular level. Do this while marking the positions of the screw to ensure that you don’t hang crooked curtain rods.
- After drilling the pilot holes, vacuum the dust to help the screws hold their place.
What curtains go on brick walls?
Now that we know how to hang curtains on brick walls, we can look at some curtain options to choose from. Although brick walls may look fantastic, let’s admit that they definitely fit a particular type of style. You can’t just pair brick walls with any colored curtain.
When you hear the term “brick,” you might automatically visualize a classic combination of white and red or light gray and red. However, interior design innovations have reinvented brick colors to suit modern-day designs.
In fact, lighter-colored bricks are a part of modern interior designs. You can easily compliment them with light color palettes such as salmon and pale pink. Painted brick walls are much easier to work with since you can customize the wall’s color to go with pretty much any colored curtain.
When hanging curtains on brick walls, make sure that you follow a color scheme that matches the other furniture, such as the sofa, table, and cabinets. Look for bold color and select a curtain that integrates the brick wall into the room.
If you have classic dark red brick walls, try hanging a set of bright white curtains to lighten up those darker elements. Using complementing colors can also help pull the room together and create a harmonious, unified look.
Summary
You can’t deny the fact that brick walls definitely bring a little something to the table. It adds texture to a dull and boring room and even gives it character. Even though hanging a painting or curtain can be quite tricky, the result is undoubtedly worth the effort.
Besides, once you know how to hang curtains on brick walls, you can pretty much apply the same basic concepts to suspend different kinds of items. Just know which types of fasteners to use and the kind of equipment that can penetrate through the material.