curtain rod

I posted the reveal of my new curtains and new curtain rod on Monday.

Today I’m going to show you how I made the curtain rod.

Before deciding to make my own curtain rod, I looked high and low for something ‘different.’ I didn’t want a standard cookie-cutter rod. I thought about just using a branch, but decided I wanted something a little more sturdy and something that mixed a few different elements/textures and had a bit more character.

Then I came across this curtain rod on BHG.

I loved the mix of the shiny metal with the rusty knob. I believe the rod in this image was made to be used outdoors. But, who said you couldn’t use it inside as well? So using this as my inspiration, I set out to re-create my own.

The actual rod itself is electrical conduit that I got at Lowe’s. The lengths vary, but since I only have a single window in my room, the length I got was a little too long. So the first thing I had to do was to cut it down. I asked the guy at Lowe’s if they did that in house and they said no. So, they suggested I get a metal copper tube cutter {shown in the above image} to cut it down to the size I needed.

For mounting, I bought two of these brackets to secure the rod to the wall {they are called ceiling flanges}.

And then attached split ring hanger plumbing fittings to hold the rod and attach to the brackets.

The piece that fits between the plumbing fitting and the bracket is all thread. It comes in all different sizes. Just be sure to get the size that will fit the fittings you are using.

Based on how far I wanted my curtains to stick out from my window, I needed to cut the all thread down to two 1.5 inch pieces. I attempted to cut it down myself with a hack saw, but let’s just say I wasn’t too successful.

But, with the help of some guys at work, I was able to get the pieces I needed cut from it.

I wanted to find some cool knobs to attach to the ends of the rod. It took me a while to find ones I liked, but I finally scored these two at an awesome antique store that I’ll be blogging about soon.

The white chippy look matches perfectly with my white chippy door that I have leaning against the wall in my room.

I tried to decide the best way to attach the knobs to the conduit. Ultimately I resorted to my go to resource, super glue. I just added a bit of glue around the inside rim of the knob and applied pressure until it felt secure {I realize this may not be the best way for attaching, but I knew I really wouldn’t be tugging on the knobs at all so I felt it was ok to go with the super glue option}.

The total cost for all the rod materials came to $37.22.

Here’s the breakdown::

- Electrical Conduit: $3

- Plumbing Fittings & Brackets: $3.22

-Metal Tube Cutter: $10

-All Thread: $6

-Knobs: $15

Cost wise, that’s probably what I would have paid for a standard rod.

I have to say I absolutely love how it turned out!

So glad I didn’t ‘settle’ on a rod I felt so-so about. For me, it was worth the extra effort and time to make something that really fit with my vision.

So, what do you think? Have you ever made a curtain rod yourself instead of going out and buying one?

Linking this up on: Home Stories A to Z, Beneath My Heart, Uncommon, Debbiedoo’s, Shabby Creek Cottage, Liz Marie, Serenity Now, Creative Kristi