How To Drill Holes For Hanging New Curtains
Curtains are among the most common window treatments used in Australian homes today. A new set of curtains could be a tasteful addition to your living space(s). Hanging new curtains is a relatively straightforward activity and you don't necessarily need professional help.
As long as you're able to drill perfect holes through the existing window frame, everything else should be a breeze. The discussion below provides valuable insights in relation to the drilling exercise.
Material Matters
Residential window frames are commonly made of wood or metal. The process of drilling holes through the two materials differs thanks to the physical and structural differences between them.
At the very least, you'll need to use a twist drill bit in order to drill through the window frame irrespective of the material. Twist drill bits often drift away from their original path when used on a flat surface. The drifting action has the potential to leave you with a distorted hole. In order to reduce this likelihood, you'd rather use a lip and spur drill bit instead of a twist drill bit.
A typical twist drill bit is designed with a straight chisel-shaped centre while lip and spur bits feature a sharp-pointed centre. The sharp-pointed centre allows the bit to maintain its original position as the drill forces its way through the wooden frame. As a result, involuntary drifting is controlled, and the likelihood of distortion is reduced by a significant margin.
Annular Cutters Help
You could expect the same problem described above when using twist drill bits on a metallic window frame. An annular cutter would be a better alternative if you're to drill holes through a metallic frame.
Annular cutters are specialized bits designed for cutting through metal. They offer a higher degree of accuracy, greater efficiency and a faster drilling process. Annular cutters are preferred over twist drill bits because they can be used to drill holes of varying diameter without the need for pre-drilling and/or step drilling.
An annular cutter is designed with a pilot pin that looks like a nail. This pin runs through the centre of the bit and it's used to locate the centre of the hole being drilled. The pilot pin also holds the cutter in place such that chances of the bit drifting away from its original position are more or less eliminated.
With the right drilling tool in hand, hanging your new set of curtains could be the easiest of DIY activities.
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