Verlie Feeney
If you’re like me you love natural wood grain, custom-made, repurposing, and thrifting. Such a simple design and they add a ton of charm to any bathroom space without spending a lot of money. Necessity is the mother of invention and I knew I had to find a budget-friendly option.
I searched all the places for DIY curtain rod ideas and finally landed on using long wood dowels. I’m not an interior designer so my first question was, can I actually make a dowel curtain rod look good? This is my brand new DIY Dowel Curtain Rod used in my small guest bathroom.
I’m currently doing a Farmhouse Bathroom Makeover and the curtain and rod are two of the first projects I’ve completed. Watch Me Build and Install the DIY Dowel Curtain Rod
So, just in case I have any more children swinging from the curtains they have to hold up to heavy abuse. So, just in case I have any more children swinging from the curtains they have to hold up to heavy abuse. Simply use a handsaw and a fine sandpaper block as a suitable replacement. Check out my tutorial How to Bleach Drop Cloth for Vintage Vibes.
In my video, you will see I did these steps to build and install my DIY dowel curtain rod somewhat differently. Chances are you will need to use drywall anchors, if you don’t you can skip this step! Note: Before you install the wood pole sockets you may wish to stain and coat them the same as the dowel so they match. Measure on either side of your window or shower and ensure you’re marking the correct height for your curtain length.
For this step, you’ll need a Measuring Tape, Pencil, Dowel Rod, and a Saw. Step Three – Sanding and Staining Your DIY Dowel Curtain Rod
For this step, you’ll need an Orbital Sander & 120 Grit Sanding Pad, or 120 Grit Sanding Sponge, Stain Color of Choice, Lint Free Rags, and Gloves. Using a lint-free rag (I use an old kitchen towel cut up) apply an even coat over the entire dowel rod. Wipe off the excess stain after 10 minutes with a clean lint-free rag.
For this step, you’ll need a protective top coat appropriate to the environment. You’ll also need a brush or a rag depending on your top coat, and gloves. Since the shower has humidity and water I chose to go with a waterproof top coat for maximum protection.
However, rods hanging above a window will not necessarily need that kind of protection. Use a 2″ Angled brush to apply the polyacrylic evenly and quickly over the entire piece.
Using a clean lint-free rag apply the wax evenly on the entire surface.
Come back and wipe off any excess wax and buff it until you’re satisfied with the finish.
Slide the dowel rod through the brackets or into the wood pole sockets. Drill a small hole on one end of the dowel and insert a dowel pin into one end (match your drill bit with the pin size).
Use a small bit of wood glue in the hole and at the tip of the pin and press it firmly in. When the glue is dried you can cut your dowels to length for your window (not the ends with the drilled holes).
And simply stick the pin end into the other dowel with the hole to connect the two together.
To use with windows you will need a bracket that protrudes from the wall or hangs from the ceiling.
There are also other creative ways to hang curtains rods like leather straps. For this application, I chose to use the wooden pole sockets so they would match the wood of the dowel curtain rod.
Very cheap and easy to cut with a pipe cutter to fit custom lengths. You can also spray paint these any color as well (including to make your own DIY copper curtain rod at a portion of the price). Note: All of these options can be purchased at Home Depot or your local hardware store, including wooden dowels. Well, friends, I hope I have given you plenty of inspiration, tools, and resources to complete a DIY Dowel Curtain Rod of your own.
