Legos and crooked screws....

Can't get a good pic of the diagonal end bracket

He's right about drilling a new hole very close to an old one. But, you can always patch an old hole with Bondo, do a paint touchup, then drill a new hole. Kind of a pain, though. But if you want to start over, it sounds like that is what you'll have to do.

Use a chalk line to snap a straight line of chalk from one end to the other. This will give you a straight, level plane so you'll know where to drill and the rod will be level. Of course, also use a level, checking the chalk line to make sure it's level, before drilling.

Don't worry too much about crooked screws. Won't they be hidden by the curtain? Or, get a small handled screw driver and use a wrench to turn it by 1/2 turns until the screw is all the way in.

Btw, Bondo dries REALLY quickly, so you have to work pretty quickly with it. But it's strong as heck, and you'll be able to re-drill. Sand the Bondo so it's as smooth against the wall as possible; prime it, then paint.

I feel your pain..I never could work those well..
If you are up for fixing the wall search out the 2 pc type.

Like the one attached.
There are many more to choose from.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.dhgate.com/product/new-25mm-generally-use-curtain-rod-single/162235067.html

He needs to get an extra long drill bit. The body of the drill is what's in the way. With a drill bit longer than the bracket, he'll be able to drive the screw straight in.

It also may be well worth the investment in marital harmony to have them professionally hung. It's not very expensive.

It can drive me to a meltdown. Last time I got my contractor to do it.

Btw, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using Legos as shims! Legos: the next duct tape!

Ha Ha Tibbrix ~ Good one !

Hey, we're thrifty New England Yankees here. If duct tape and Legos don't work, AND someone lands in a hospital, THEN, and only then, do you go shopping!

Nobody around here can do anything.

I resorted to the brackets you see on mcleodnine.com, which are easy but out of stock, and readyhang.com which appears not to be secure right now so I can't link to it. Both are easy and sturdy.

Use a sheet of cardboard and make a template of where the screws go on one side, flip it over to find the position of the other side.

Like on the link, from Miss Mustardseed.

Here is a link that might be useful: Curtain rod template- Miss Mustardseed

Don't feel bad, even the professionals screw up. The workroom that did my drapes is pretty big and they have 2-3 guys that do installations. The one guy ended up drilling twice on 2 of my windows ... which reminds me I need to fill and touch up the holes left behind.

My husband says a longer drill bit won't fix the fact that the round ring the rod goes through causes the drill to need to be diagonal, not perpendicular, to the wall and, therefore, the screws will go in out of flush. Ugh.

i have used folded up cardboard instead of a lego in previous house!!! drywall is a pain to redrill/patch when using an anchor!

at least your husband chose a clear lego!!! a much better choice than red or blue!! :)

Busybeeâ¦or a little man with a hardhat!

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Wed, Feb 12, 14 at 21:17

My rod-hanging AND picture-hanging ratio is 2:1. For every 2 screws, I get 1 right. Now that I know the secret of long drill bits, I might improve to 1.5:1.

Yes there is!

We use these anchors for installing rod brackets, mirrors, shelves, etc. in drywall. No stud needed. ;) All my curtain rods are installed with these right into the drywall. One rod is 16 feet with 5 brackets across. Plus all our heavy mirrors are hanging on these. For anything with a "D" ring, you add a round washer next to the screw head so it won't slip off.

Steps to install:

Put the bracket where you want to install it and level. Mark the holes with a pencil. Then use an awl and hammer to tap the placement hole.

Put the phillips driver on your drill and then start the white anchor into the hole that you started with the awl. Drive the anchor until it is flush with wall. Ease up on the drill as the anchor get close to wall.

Hold your bracket up to the white anchor and then insert the screw. You will need a short stubby screw driver to get behind that round part of the rod holder. For straight items you can usually just use the drill with phillips driver.

These come in 50# and 75# for hanging really heavy items. It will take a little bit to get the feel of installing the anchors. But you can do it. I seldom have to ask DH for help with hanging stuff anymore. :)

Let me know if you have questions. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Use these to help you with the brackets

Thanks, everyone.

We have thousands of Legos in the house (our son is quite the builder). I think I'll replace the clear legos with cardboard because the Legos catch the light from the door and glimmer in the sun. Haha.

lol tibbrix!

or, just put a dab of antique gold paint on either side of the lego if that is the correct ht... it's amazing what a dab of craft paint can do and there are tons of colors...!

My first time to post on this forum...Hello!

If you're having trouble drilling straight because the bracket is in the way...mark the spot, then move the bracket. Drill the hole, then but the bracket back up and put the screw in with a hand tool like a screw driver or ratchet driver instead of the drill.

Check the level again before drilling the other side.

You can find ratchet systems with a variety of sizes that are pretty cheap. Also easier on your hands and wrists. They allow you to get in at an angle when the design of the bracket doesn't allow much working room.

If your rod is already up, and the lego is sufficient to keep it in place, I'd be tempted to leave it as a shim unless it's really noticeable. :-)

Jill

Did he drill a pilot hole?

When we go to hang a bracket (into wood that is) hubby picks a drill by holding it up to the light to the screw and finds a drill that is the same size as the "shank" of the screw...without the threads. He then marks and drills a straight hole where the screws are going to go. Because of the size of the hole, the threads will grab into the wood and the shank has a place to go without splitting or breaking the wood. Then when you attach the bracket, you just screw them in...they will go straight where the pre-drilled hole is. If the hole is too big, of course, the screw will fall out. If the hole is too small, the screw will be tight to screw in. Better to err on the side of a smaller hole...it can always be drilled larger.

Of course, if you're into sheet rock, then you need to use mollies...there the drill hole size is usually marked on the package...drill, insert the molly then just screw the screw into the plastic molly.

Ok, I agree this can be tricky for some. First off, yes, there are screw drivers for these type of secnarios.

As far as the drill getting in the way, simply mark the holes with the bracket in place with a pencil, take the bracket down and drill your hole/install anchors.

Now, put brack up and use a right angle screw driver to drive screws, the right angle can fit in places where a straight screw driver cannot, like this one for example, see link.

The idea mentioned above about a card board template works nicely. The chalk line will work, but can be a little messy, I feel a simpler way is to just use a level, if your level isnt long enough, you can get a cheap board that is long enough and sit your level on top of that to get a nice straight line.

Here is a link that might be useful: Right angle Screw Driver Example

Threeapples, you are going to live in that beautiful house for a very long time, and over the course of years things will need to be fixed, touched up, repainted, repotted, rehung, new pads for the rugs, Christmas trees put up, lights changed, new artwork hung and old holes patched and painted....the list is endless. You should start now, while your house is new, interviewing handymen until you find one who is meticulous and versatile. Keep a running list that he can do and pay him hourly. A good handyperson will also walk your property and keep an eye out for maintenance issues that can be repaired before they do damage, things you might never notice. This relationship will help keep your home in tip top order, will save you countless hours of trying to find many different professionals to do each job (he will know people who can do work if it's out of his scope), and give your husband weekends free to enjoy the home instead of maintain it. Our Handy Guy has every tool and can do just about anything, and if he can't do it he can find someone who can. Our first five years living here was difficult because I felt the house owned us. Now I email him a list, he gets what he needs, comes down and takes care of everything from pressure washing in the spring to replacing faucet parts.

Ask everyone for recommendations, but especially realtors who deal in high value propertied, as they will often have the name of a person who does ready work on their listings.

Mark and pre-drill the holes, then use an offset screwdriver to drive the screws. Or socket the screwdriver bit in a wrench. Or use a flexible drill bit extension.

Lots of different ways to do it properly, but you know that guys never ask for directions for anything.

Maybe he needs this right angle screwdriver.

$2.40 right angle screwdriver - don't know if it works or not

You should see some of the wonky curtain rods in my house, and they have nothing to do with not being able to put the screw in straight.

I ended up hiring a drapery installer to come in and redo those rods he got them crooked as well!!!!
Thanks for the info on the right angle screwdriver. I'm glad to know they exist.
I've not had good luck with handymen yet, but perhaps I should keep looking until I find a meticulous one. I need a towel rod hung on a wallpapered wall and am scared of us doubt it after I ruined the other wall measuring and drilling for a mirror. :(

It took us several years to find the right person, that's why you need to start looking now, lol. I sympathize with your frustration with people who cannot do what you hired them to do!

You hold the bracket up to the wall and mark the spot.

Then you remove the bracket and drill the pilot hole without the bracket in place. The pilot hole needs to be level and straight or the screw won't go in straight. You can buy drills with levels on them if you are challenged in this area like I am.

Then you screw in the mounting screw with a manual screw driver, using either a very long one or a very short one.

Personally, I could live with the screws looking like that. I would have chosen something other than a Lego, such as a felt chair leg pad cut to size or a cabinet door bumper, because the Lego might fall out. The two items I mentioned have adhesive that would stick to the bracket.

Oh crap, this thread was from February - why are we still talking about it?