adding curtain rails to stud walls

[what..the?]

I have internally insulated my exterior walls with a layer of insulated stud. But when the builders leave and I have to put up curtains my worry is that I don't know where the vertical battens are in the wall and therefore where to screw to.

Where I live now in rented the landlord has place above every window a strip of wood longer than the window, this is screwed onto the wall and the curtain rail screws to that, the wood strip is painted the same colour as the walls.

I wondered is this would be my solution as a long strip would hold better on the wall of uneven strength and rigidity and it would allow me to attach the curtain without worry of hitting a soft part of the wall.

I wondered what people think and if they think it could look right, and if other people do this?

[scotman]

If you are going to look for studs you could try one of these.

http://www.screwfix.c...rs-4.1/&company=ae235

If you use the wooden strip method you still have to fix that to the wall/studs but it is the way that I would go.

[what..the?]

most the battens are metal if that makes a difference

[old-wos-is-name]

you can buy expanding anchors. you make a hole large enough to push the gubbins through, it opens out behind the plaster board, you tighten the screw and it spreads itself open and grips the plasterboard, but best if you use a wooden beam and fix it with these then fix your curtain track to that, that way you can use as many as you want and no holes will be shown.

[The Builder]

I think that's the way to go Mrs What. For a 4' window I would use a 5' batten, then fix to that.
Mark on the wall the position of the batten, then keep drilling small holes (3 or 4mm) until you find a stud. Measure 400mm from that one each time, to find the other studs. The batten covers up all the holes.

[bigbadmarty]

why not ask the buildrs to put up a batten before they leave ?

[AlBags]

Personally .. for neatness .. and to keep the curtain near to the wall face, I would find the studs.