Problem with Drilling Into Condo Wall

[DefiniteNovice]

I am trying to hang a curtain rod on an outside wall of my townhouse. There is about an 1/4" of drywall and then a gap and then either cement or metal which the drill cannot go through. I have bought several kinds of screws to use but the types that expand inside the wall need more room and the screws built for concrete still will not go through the wall. The spot that I am drilling is not close to the window so it has nothing to do with the window frame. Has anyone else ever had this issue?

[HayZee518]

Have you tried "TAP-CON" fasteners? You use a masonry drill a bit smaller than the fastener

[MQN82]

same problem kind of

I'm sort of having the same problem. I am trying to install shades on a few of my windows and I cannot drill through the surface of the wall. At one point the drill bit even broke in half from the force we applied and it didn't even make the hole any deeper.

The building was made in the 1920s or 30s. Does this situation call for TapCon fasteners as suggested? I have a friend who does construction and home repair work but I can't get a hold of him. Or else I'd just leave it to the pros who know what they're doing.

I can also provide any images you think might be useful such as the window area. I really need the help, these shades cost me 650 bucks and thats a lot of money for a guy like me.

Any help is much appreciated. Thank you.

- MQN

PS - Worse part was I paid another 50 to have the window measured correctly by a contractor who was suppose to answer my questions as well...he spent 3mins measuring and told me he was parked illegally and didn't have time to answer questions. Nice way to make a living, he didn't do any better of a job then I did measuring. If anything I did a more thorough job.

[kactuskid]

What is the material that your wall is made of? Are they wood framed interior walls with plaster and lathe over them or are they concrete or brick interior walls? A masonary bit with a carbide tip should be used to penetrate the brick or the plaster. If lathe is benethe the plaster then after drilling through the plaster you can use a twist bit made for wood.

If the walls are solid concrete then you can use the tapcon screws to secure your shades but you need to also buy the specificate size bit for the specific screw you are going to use. If the walls are plaster and lathe then you'll want to install a plastic wall anchor through the lathe for your regular screw to secure to. You use a masonary bit to drill the appropriate sized hole though the plaster, then a wood bit to continue the hole and insert the anchor. Start out drilling a smaller hole and work your way up to a bigger hole to accomidate the anchor.