"You're making what?!" -Galvanized Curtain Rods from Plumbing Parts

I wish I had a dollar every time someone at the home improvement store asks me, "What are planning to do with all that stuff?". What I really wish is that a had a camera the day the cashier asked me the same thing about all the plumbing parts in my cart. When I told her I was making curtain rods, all she could utter is, "oh". By the look on her face, it was not an interested "oh", but an utterly confused "oh".

I'm definitely not the first to make these, and after this tutorial, I'm hoping there will be some of you who will also tackle this DIY project.

Here are the supplies that you will need:

1. Galvanized floor flanges with a 1/2" opening
2. Galvanized Steel Pipe Nipple 1/2" diameter x 2" long (these are threaded on both ends)
3. 1/2" Galvanized 90 degree elbow
4. Metal conduit pipe 
5. Screws
6. Curtain ring clips (you'll thank me later when you have to take the curtains down to wash them) 
7. A handsome man (sorry, not pictured) in Home Depot or Lowes to cut the conduit. These are in very short supply ;)

First and foremost, don't have a heart attack when you see the prices of the floor flanges at the home improvement stores. They are so much cheaper through Amazon.com! I saved $5/flange this way. Here is the link. You might be able to find the parts cheaper at a plumbing supply store, but I didn't check.

First, you will need to order your 1/2" galvanized flanges from Amazon since it takes about a week for them to be shipped. Here's another money saver. Use metal conduit from the electrical section instead of galvanized plumbing pipe. The length of metal conduit should be the distance between the elbows plus a 1/2" on each side so your conduit will fit inside the elbows. 

To make things easier, pre-drill your holes for the flanges and install one side of the assembled rod holders. I chose to install my flanges into the studs. Have the other rod holder assembled and slip the pipe on both sides.  Have a 2nd person hold things up while you screw in the other side. This is where is helps to have a 6'1" son. Learn from my mistake...put your curtain ring clips on the pipe before you proceed to hang it! *hits palm to forehead*

For the closet rods, you can hang them this way.

 For our back porch, I used the real plumbing pipe in black that had to be threaded. They can do this for you in the store, also. Here is a close up of how it is put together.

I had to hang the rods this way because of the string lights. If you would like the link to the string lights, just leave a comment. I adore them! 

This picture gives you a better idea of what I had to work around.

The galvanized flanges, elbows and nipples on the porch had to be primed and spray painted with Rust-oleum's Hammered Metal in black to match the black pipe. This also has kept it from rusting. By the way, the curtains are drop cloths and have really held up well during this summer's humidity. I've had to wash them once, so far.

Leave me a comment if you have made or are planning on making any projects from galvanized plumbing parts!

Check out the curtain rods that Maple Leaves and Sycamore Trees shared with me!

I'm linking this up to: