Drill Bits

lady-in-red | 22:03 Wed 17th Jun 2015 | DIY

13 Answers

Can anyone help im putting curtains rails up in my bedroom and the drill bit dont seem to go all the way through, its old house so i probably hit a concrete lintel ,just wounding what i should do now ,( have tried moving a long and up but still hitting the lintel ....

Rats

Mini Incinerator

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Sam1960

sounds like you are using a wooden drill bit ?
you need to be using masonry drill bit ?

Sam1960

If you are using a masonry drill bit, does your drill have a hammer action ?

Sam1960

It will be a separate switch, beside the on off switch

mastercraft

Unfortunately Lady, you'll not proceed any further without the correct drill and drill bit. Perhaps consider getting someone in.

alavahalf

Don't waste your time and money buying a masonry drill bit. The clue is in the name 'Masonry' that is exactly what it is meant for. They are not made to drill into reinforced concrete (that's what lintels are made of).. also it doesn't matter how far you move along above the window, the lintel will still be there.
When using the hammer action on drill with a masonry drill bit you will find it will bounce around on the lintel as it cant penetrate it and you will end up making a mess.
I fit a lot of curtain tracks and poles and you will find you are not alone with this problem .. the trouble is I usually find the mess after someone else
has had a go (normally hubby).

What is needed is an SDS drill and a 6mm sds bit. This combination will fly through concrete. Mine gets used many times a week and the £400 outlay is acceptable in a commercial environment.
They can be picked up for a lot less .. http://tinyurl.com/qjsl28m .. but is it worth it ?

The other alternative if you are fitting tracks is to fit a batten fitted into the plaster with short screws and plugs.. then remove it to apply a couple of beads of Gripfil to the batten. When re-applied and dried .. you can tie your horse to it !

If this sounds daunting ... As mastercraft say's .. "Perhaps consider getting someone in".

lady-in-red

Question Author

Thanks all for getting back , im using a hammer action drill and steel bits but not going through ,? does anyone no how long and how width , and the depth would the lintel be , could i move it up a few inches .

The Builder

The lintel would extend a minimum of 100mm (4") each side of the opening.
Vertically, probably 150mm (6").

If it's a wide window (6' or more) then possibly 9" vertically.

Borrowing Homer's SDS drill ^^^^ is the best way to go in these situations. :o)

-- answer removed --

lady-in-red

Question Author

alavahalf

I take it you mean the curtain track and not the lintel... Yes you can move it up providing your curtains are long enough !

We don't want a gap where the curtains should cover the windowsill.

lady-in-red

Question Author

Ok thank you both for getting back i move it up a bit .....

lady-in-red

Question Author

Yes i did mean the rail not the lintel alavahalf ,as i don"t have any muscle to move that lintel ....:))