Installing a shower curtain rod: tension mount or screw mount, step by step

Result: a shower curtain rod that sits level across your tub or shower opening. Time: a few minutes for a tension rod; plan about 45 minutes for a screw-mounted rod with drilling. Difficulty: tension mount needs no tools; screw mount needs a drill, the right bits and some care with what lies behind the wall.

Step 1: decide on the mount

If you rent, have two flat tiled walls and hang a normal curtain and liner, start with a tension rod. If a tension rod keeps slipping, or one wall is not suitable, the screw mount is the step up. Our comparison of tension and fixed shower curtain rods weighs the two in detail.

Tension mount in short

The full guide with height, tile preparation and checks is in how to install a tension shower rod. The core steps, as the makers describe them:

• Twist rod. Moen's sheet for the TR1000 series: place one side at the desired height in the tub enclosure or wall, expand the rod to the other side until it stops, then hold the larger tube and twist the smaller one clockwise three full turns until it is firmly locked.
• Spring rod. Kenney's buying guide: extend the rod 1 to 1.5 inches beyond the width of the opening, compress the ends together and release it into place.
• Camlock rod. Kenney: extend against both walls at an angle, twist to lock, and level the rod.

Set each end cap on a flat, clean, dry tile face, not a grout line or caulk bead; tension rods on tile explains why.

Moen's spec sheet gives the TR1000 as 44 to 72 inches with a 1-inch rod of type 201 stainless steel and covers of type 430 stainless steel. Moen states no load rating.

Screw mount step by step

The steps follow Moen's instructions for its adjustable-length curved shower rod with pivoting mounting posts (INS10680). Other rods differ in detail – always use the sheet that came with yours.

1. Choose the height and check the width

   Work out the height from your curtain and hooks; the shower curtain rod height guide has the sum. Moen calls the height personal preference and gives an example: a rod at 78 inches with a 72-inch curtain leaves the curtain about 6 inches above the floor. Measure wall to wall at that height.

2. Disassemble the rod

   Take the rod apart and remove the protective plastic cover.

3. Mark the mounting plates

   Hold each plate at the chosen spot and mark the holes. Use a level so both plates end up at the same height, and run a stud finder over each spot. Moen notes that you may need both the stud and the hollow-wall method on one rod, depending on where the studs are.

4. Drill for studs or anchors

   Wood stud: drill 1/16-inch pilot holes. Hollow wall: drill 5/16-inch holes, push in the center of each drywall anchor and fold its ends together, tap it flush with a hammer, then tap the red pin until its lower part engages the anchor. Moen's tool list includes a masonry drill bit.

5. Thread covers and plates onto the rod

   Slide the decorative covers and mounting plates on from the small end of the rod in the order the sheet shows, and insert a pin into both ends.

6. Fix the first plate

   Slide the mounting plate over the pin, then drive the screws through the plate into the studs or anchors until you feel increased resistance. Do not keep turning past that point.

7. Extend the rod and fix the second plate

   Expand the rod to the opposite wall and fix the second plate the same way.

8. Fit the covers and hang the curtain

   Install the covers over the plates. Hang the curtain outside and the liner inside the tub.

Typical mistakes

• Choosing the mount after buying the rod. A tension rod cannot be screwed in unless its maker offers that; a screw-mount rod has no tension mechanism.
• Ignoring the studs. Moen's sheet treats stud and hollow wall differently; a wood screw in a hollow wall has nothing to hold.
• Marking without a level. Tile rows are not always level, so do not rely on grout lines for the height.
• Over-tightening. Moen says to tighten the screws until you feel increased resistance – not as far as they go.
• Using the rod as a towel bar. Neither mount turns a curtain rod into a towel bar; Moen's TR1000 states no load rating at all.

Safety notes

Moen's instructions say not to install the rod into non-recommended substrates or substrate thicknesses, or into substrates that are weakened or damaged; not to install it on a curved surface; and to consult a professional if the area to be drilled contains electrical, plumbing or other obstructions. Shower walls often hide supply pipes. If you are unsure what is behind the tile, or how to drill through it with the bit your rod's maker lists, ask a handyman.

A tension rod has no screws and holds only by friction, so a rod that slips can fall on someone in the tub. Check it after the first day; if it keeps coming down, why your tension rod keeps falling goes through the causes. Fiberglass and acrylic surrounds have their own rules, covered in tension rods on fiberglass tub surrounds. All tension shower options are on the tension shower curtain rod overview.