The Beautiful DIY Curtain Rod You Can Make For Under $20

Let's face it: The curtain rods available in stores are rarely exactly what you're looking for. Usually, they come in a limited number of finishes. They are often flimsy, overpriced, or both. And your aesthetic options generally amount to elegant metallic, contemporary metallic, industrial metallic, and so on. Enter TikTok with a DIY option you can undertake for less than $20 per standard window. All you need is a 1-inch diameter wooden dowel rod 12-20 inches longer than your window is wide, two ceiling mount curtain brackets, and enough curtain rings to put one every 4 to 8 inches along the panel.

Assembling this yourself leaves you free to lean into whatever style suits you and your current decor best. The TikTok tutorial features a gorgeous rustic decor vibe of stained oak and wrought iron accents, but you can play around here as much as your imagination and creativity will allow. Since the dowel rod is pre-sanded wood and ready for finishing, it can be stained in anything from a distressed antique look to a rich ebony walnut, with each different shade portraying a different personality. Or it could be painted any color across the spectrum to stand out or blend in with hardware. This plan takes your interior design options beyond the basic and into the bold, the nuanced, and the specific.

The width of your curtain rod should be wider than you think, because curtains should create a frame for your windows. When fully open, your curtains should not obscure the window or the light it lets in. To make sure your curtain rod is the correct width, mount your brackets to the ceiling at least 6-10 inches beyond each side of your window if space allows. This is where ceiling-mounted brackets are ideal, because they already lift the bar above the top of the window, so you don't need to worry about that part.

If necessary, cut your rod and sand the ends, then stain or paint it as you like. Take the curtain rings and clip them to your panels or insert them if the panels require. The number of rings required will depend on the weight of the curtains. Sheers won't need more than one every 8 inches, while heavy damask or brocade could need a ring every 4 inches or less. (If you have tab top or grommet curtains, you can skip this step.) Once the rings are secured, slide them onto your finished dowel rod, and slide it through the ceiling brackets. There's a small screw you will need to tighten to secure the rod into place so it doesn't shift and fall. If you feel the rod dropping in the middle, you can take it down and mount an additional bracket or two at the center point of the window's width to steady it.