Battens for curtain poles - yes or no?

[parisdisneyfan]

As we are soon to start decorating we have to decide what to do with the battens that our curtain rails are mounted on to. The lounge didn't have any and the study was replastered so they were removed. All the bedrooms have very narrow rough ones that need to be replaced as even cheap b&Q brackets are too wide for them and they need to be prepped and sanded properly.

Question is do we actually need them? What is the reason for them? If we do need them do we put them up before decorating or paint them separately and then put them up. We didn't have them in our modern houses but this one is proper plaster so is that the reason it has them. Asking on here as not sure of the correct terminology and can't find anything on the internet to help!

[DisneyMadAng]

We've had to put them up in our lounge because the curtains were too heavy. I think because in the interlining. The brackets for the poles wouldn't stay horizontal and in was stressing me out. I like things to be straight 😂

The battens were put up and then painted the same colour as the walls. I wouldn't 'choose' to have them but needs must. I really didn't want to swap the curtains and don't really notice the battens now.

Our house was built in 1998 so not new but nearly modern.

[The Muppets]

Usually no need for battens if you have a skilled curtain fitter using the correct fittings and a quality pole, even with heavy weight fabric and interlining.

12ft drop double width with blackout lining in a traditional house is not a problem. Also look at wave curtain tracks, they don’t work for every window but recently had fitted into concrete with wool curtains and interlining.

[Guest]

I’m off to google. I have never heard of a curtain pole batten and do not have even the faintest idea what it is.

[parisdisneyfan]

Originally Posted by DisneyMadAng

We've had to put them up in our lounge because the curtains were too heavy. I think because in the interlining. The brackets for the poles wouldn't stay horizontal and in was stressing me out. I like things to be straight 😂

The battens were put up and then painted the same colour as the walls. I wouldn't 'choose' to have them but needs must. I really didn't want to swap the curtains and don't really notice the battens now.

Our house was built in 1998 so not new but nearly modern.

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I’ve got really heavy interlined curtains for our room so sounds like I need to have them at least in there. House is 1970’s build.

Originally Posted by The Muppets

Usually no need for battens if you have a skilled curtain fitter using the correct fittings and a quality pole, even with heavy weight fabric and interlining.

12ft drop double width with blackout lining in a traditional house is not a problem. Also look at wave curtain tracks, they don’t work for every window but recently had fitted into concrete with wool curtains and interlining.

See more...

Dh is a competent fitter, but just wondered if we had to have them. Never heard of Wave so off to look at these, thank you.

Originally Posted by Claudette

I’m off to google. I have never heard of a curtain pole batten and do not have even the faintest idea what it is.

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Neither had I 🥴

[Mr Tom Morrow]

I can give you the history of how they came about and why as I have fixed 1000's on.

When pelmets were ditched in the 1960's and curtain tracks came in the public had no means of fixing the tracks to the pre stressed concrete lintels as they hadn't at that stage access to hammer drills.

On the buildings we knew where the wooden blocks were that were embedded in the lintels as they were made so part of each new build was to put up battens. We just nailed them on and they were good for life.

They were always 2" x 1" PSE timber (Planed square edge)

Then for some reason they banned the wooden blocks in the lintels so the only way to put them up was with a Hilti Gun that back in the 1970's was a £500 bit of kit!
Once that method of fixing was used trying to get them off was a nightmare.

Nowadays people can put track directly onto the lintel as they have masonry drills so can drill and plug fine. Even if they have Catnic steel lintels the drilling is easy just a different plug is used.

We have them in our house but we have invested heavily in made to measure corded metal tracks.

NB. Never try and get them to hold with 'sticks like ≈≈≈≈'' adhesive as it may be ok for a while then one day the lot will come down.

[pinkbelle]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

I can give you the history of how they came about and why as I have fixed 1000's on.

When pelmets were ditched in the 1960's and curtain tracks came in the public had no means of fixing the tracks to the pre stressed concrete lintels as they hadn't at that stage access to hammer drills.

On the buildings we knew where the wooden blocks were that were embedded in the lintels as they were made so part of each new build was to put up battens. We just nailed them on and they were good for life.

They were always 2" x 1" PSE timber (Planed square edge)

Then for some reason they banned the wooden blocks in the lintels so the only way to put them up was with a Hilti Gun that back in the 1970's was a £500 bit of kit!
Once that method of fixing was used trying to get them off was a nightmare.

Nowadays people can put track directly onto the lintel as they have masonry drills so can drill and plug fine. Even if they have Catnic steel lintels the drilling is easy just a different plug is used.

We have them in our house but we have invested heavily in made to measure corded metal tracks.

NB. Never try and get them to hold with 'sticks like ≈≈≈≈'' adhesive as it may be ok for a while then one day the lot will come down.

See more...

Thank you, I wondered why they were above the windows in our 1960’s bungalow.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

NB. Never try and get them to hold with 'sticks like ≈≈≈≈'' adhesive as it may be ok for a while then one day the lot will come down.

See more...

as a side note, i always use a line of silicone behind the batten, that little bit of elasticity that silicone has, really does beat " no nails / gripfil / etc etc "

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by Claudette

I’m off to google. I have never heard of a curtain pole batten and do not have even the faintest idea what it is.

See more...

Me neither 😂

[parisdisneyfan]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

I can give you the history of how they came about and why as I have fixed 1000's on.

When pelmets were ditched in the 1960's and curtain tracks came in the public had no means of fixing the tracks to the pre stressed concrete lintels as they hadn't at that stage access to hammer drills.

On the buildings we knew where the wooden blocks were that were embedded in the lintels as they were made so part of each new build was to put up battens. We just nailed them on and they were good for life.

They were always 2" x 1" PSE timber (Planed square edge)

Then for some reason they banned the wooden blocks in the lintels so the only way to put them up was with a Hilti Gun that back in the 1970's was a £500 bit of kit!
Once that method of fixing was used trying to get them off was a nightmare.

Nowadays people can put track directly onto the lintel as they have masonry drills so can drill and plug fine. Even if they have Catnic steel lintels the drilling is easy just a different plug is used.

We have them in our house but we have invested heavily in made to measure corded metal tracks.

NB. Never try and get them to hold with 'sticks like ≈≈≈≈'' adhesive as it may be ok for a while then one day the lot will come down.

See more...

Thank you, so that explains why they are in houses of a certain age. My female mind always thought it was the wrong way round as it is harder to get a good fixing in a modern dry lined house but your explanation solves it all, thank you So if dh uses the right fitting and drill we don't need them is that right? Aside from our bedroom, none of the curtains are that heavy.

BTW I looked at the wave track and think dh may well go for it especially if he can connect it to the smart home stuff we have!