I was searching everywhere for short (15 inch) curtain rods to use on either side of a large window (instead of having a large rod that would remain bare in the middle). I had seen them in model homes and on TV decorating shows, but they just don't seem to exist! I went to my local home improvement store, took a 1 1/4 inch dowel, cut it down myself (at the store) into my 2 rods (plus, I got a great rolling pin from the remainder piece!).
Once home, I drilled holes for the finials and installed everything. My cost for the 2 poles was about $16.00 including the brackets. Custom made ones at my local home decorating store start at 50.00 each!
Source: My own invention!
By Ginny from South Carolina
This page contains the following solutions.
We could not afford a curtain rod or curtains, so I chose a copper pipe cut to length with gold brackets, two nicely finished table cloths as curtains hung by metal circles with clips and small floral arrangements taped into the pipe's ends as the finials.
Using electrical conduit to hang your curtains is super inexpensive and it has that industrial look. It can be purchased at your home improvement store in 10 foot lengths for a little more than a dollar for the entire piece.
I used the round tube from a fabric bolt for a curtain rod once and it worked wonderfully! I had some contact paper in the wood-look pattern and covered the tube with it and on the ends I poofed up some fabric and covered the ends with it and rubberbands.
I needed spring rods for my sheers at several windows, but they were more expensive than I could afford. When we go to home fairs or safety fairs, we often get yardsticks.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I has an extra wide sliding glass door for which I'm wanting to make a curtain rod to hang sheers or light weight grommet type curtains. I don't want a traverse rod. The width of the window is 144 inches plus 8 inches (4 on each side). The curtains will be drawn from the middle; therefore I will only be able to use supports on each end and one in the middle. My question is: What would hold up (PVC pipe, electrical conduit, etc.) and not bow considering I'll be installing only 3 brackets? Have you made a wide curtain rod with these or any other type materials?
By weinerdog41 from Ft. Worth, TX
You can make it with PVC for looks, then put a smaller wooden dowel inside. You just have to make sure they aren't exactly the same width and you are good to go.
Rebar...cheap, won't bend and as long as you like.
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I have a bayside window and instead of paying too much for custom curtain rods, I made my own, using 1/2 inch flexible black plastic tubing, 1/2 inch electrical wire clips.
