DIY Curtain Rods [Sliding Glass Door & Bay Window]

Are you guys sick of looking at my new stenciled curtains, yet? There's just one more project I that made these "after" pictures possible.

I knew I wanted curtains in the bay window, but I also knew there was no way I was paying full price for the hardware- this isn't my forever home you know.  So, I made my own instead! It was so simple, I actually couldn't believe I've ever paid for them, serious!

Wanna make some?

First ▻ You need to measure your space...twice! These are not adjustable curtain rods, make sure you know how large you want them to be. Although they are not adjustable, they are not weak in the middle and are really sturdy, i.e. awesome!

Second▻ WHAT TO BUY:

• 1/2 inch Electrical Conduit ▻Found at any home improvement store, quantity 2 rods, *not pictured
• Metallic Paint of your Choice ▻ I chose Rustoleum's Oil Rubbed Bronze▻
• L brackets ▻quantity 5 brackets: 3for the bay window & 2for the Sliding glass doors. 
• Finials ▻ Glass ball Heligt Finial from Ikea, quantity 4 finials *Similar to image above- but not sold online*
• Clear Lacquer ▻ Choose desired shine of lacquer in same brand of paint you used, I chose Rustoleum's Clear Gloss Lacquer, quantity 1
• Also: Hardware to attach the L brackets to the wall- screws, nuts, bolts- if not included & Sandpaper

Third▻ Cut conduit to length. I've heard that some stores cut this conduit for you- I went to Lowe's and they didn't do it there. But it took like 15 seconds to cut through it with a hacksaw. Make sure you sand the edges down where you cut them, they're very sharp.

Fourth▻ Step 4 ONLY for Bay Windows only! ▻ For the bay window, we used leverage and the stair railing to bend the conduit. You don't need a stair railing to bend it- but anything you can use for leverage will be helpful. This "system" did help us to control exactly the angle and place we would bend. 

Measure out where the bend should be, I then used two rings of white tape to mark where the bend needed to go.

▻Bay Windows only! ▻ I made a template of the angle measurement of my wall using  a piece of paper to make sure the angles would match up. Well, I grabbed a piece of used paper off the counter and quickly bent it against the wall to mimic the measure- nothing high tech over here folks! Like most my tutorials, I'm winging it- and you guys get to hear about the successes {and the sometimes failures!}

▻Bay Windows only! ▻ When there were no more gaps in between the paper template and the rod, I knew our angle was correct. Flip it on over and do the other side.

Fifth▻ Paint the rods! A little tip for you, I used spray paint lids to keep the rod off the drop cloth. I also had to paint the L brackets and hardware.
The Lenda curtains I purchased form Ikea didn't come with a rod pocket, instead they had tabs- (ugly!) So I bought Riktig Ogla curtain hooks. They only come in black, white and nickel, so I painted them, first using a plastic primer.

{Remember the tutorial I shared from Lindsay a few weeks ago, about priming plastic then using any spray paint you want over it? I bet you didn't imagine I was envisioning this project!}

The directions call for two light coats, but with all those nooks and crannies was more like 10 coats. They went on very smooth and light though.

The primer worked like a charm and the spray paint got a really good bond, I was really happy with it. It looks legit, like metal.

Sixth▻ Complete the rods by painting them with a sealer in the shine finish of your choice.

Here's a close up of the after. Oil rubbed bronze never photographs as good as it looks in person. The shine and reflectivity doesn't come across. 

The curtain finials I chose are also from Ikea. I am so happy with them! I can't find a link for them online, but they're called Heligt Glass Finial- and for 5 bucks you get 2. Steal of a deal, dontcha know. These Ball Finials were the closest I could find- though they aren't priced nearly as well. But Hobby Lobby is also a good source for finials. 

Before I found them I was planning to  adapt some old glass door knobs- but these were just so close to what I was wanting and the price was right! The glass is mottled, and that texture gives them an aged appearance.

The bay window had three L brackets holding up the rod and my curtains are a medium to heavy weight fabric. 

The long window is actually sliding glass doors, so you know how long that is. For that huge space I have only two brackets holding up the rod. I LOVE how the rod is strong in the center, not flimsy where two rods are stuck together. That used to drive me crazy! I used to have three brackets for this window and some napkins jimmy rigged to keep the rod from sagging in the center. Just one of those small things that drive you nuts! I am thrilled it's fixed now!

Want the cost break down? Electrical conduit, 110" {I think} - $2 ea (4 total) Metallic Paint- $5 Plastic Primer- $5 Glass Finials-$5 ea. (10 total) Paint Sealer- mine L Brackets- mine Hardware- mine
That's it! Less than 20 bucks for both of the rods-- and I have tons of paint and primer left over! Comparable bay window rods sell for at least 50 bucks! And mine is the metallic I want, the gloss finish I want, the size I need, with the finials I choose! Like I said, it was so easy; I can't believe people ever pay full price for them!
I am super in love with the whole outcome: the curtains, the stencil, the color, and my new homemade curtain rods! Yay! Thanks for checking out my latest and greatest!