DIY Tutorial: Acrylic Drapery Rods

July 20, 2012 in Decor, DIY, Inspiration, Living Room, My Home, Projects, Tutorials with 48 Comments

I have loved acrylic curtain rods for years (name is interchangeable with lucite drapery rods). They add a bit of sparkle to a room, and I think they are so simple and beautiful. An elegance is effortlessly ushered into a room with their presence. Take a look at these inspiration photos. Love the square rod! And the brass hardware? Swoon.

: Gretchen Everett Hardware & Home

Mary Anne Smiley Interiors

Sarah 101, "Contemporary Living"

DHome

http://stitchdrapery.blogspot.com

However, they have always been something I put out of my mind because of budget. A quick visit to this site, and your mind reels at the cost: 8 foot 2″ acrylic rod $550 + pair of endcaps $195 = $745 FOR ONE ROD!! Eek.

Well, I dismissed the idea until I had an epiphany one day…why not find out if there is a plastic company that will supply the rods for me? Maybe I could save money by not going through a fancy curtain rod company? After calling around for pricing, I finally landed on Nationwide Plastics based in Dallas, Texas. I have to give credit to their A+ employee, Kip, who sat with me on the phone a long time and answered my questions. He taught me quite a lot about acrylic, valuable information I can now share with you! Side Note: Not in the DFW area? No problem, Kip will ship to you!

Basically, there are two different types of acrylic: cellcast and extruded. Extruded acrylic is the lower end type – it is more like plastic, may have imperfections, yellows over time, and scratches easily. It is much cheaper than cellcast if you just want the look and are willing to take the chance it may not look great very long. Extruded acrylic is not as strong either so you might need a center support if you use this as your rod. Per Nationwide Plastics pricing for one six foot rod length, see table below for cost of rods by thickness.

Extruded Acrylic Rod (six foot length)

½ inch	$3.26
¾ inch	$7.63
1 inch	$12.50
1 ½ inches	$31.63
2 inches	$72.86

Cellcast acrylic rods come in eight foot lengths. Compared to extruded acrylic, it is much much stronger, more clear, is similar to glass in weight and feel, does not yellow over time, and gives off more sparkle. In my opinion, it is a superior product for this type of application, and therefore, what I chose for my home. See table below for pricing by thickness.

Cellcast Acrylic Rod (eight foot length)

½ inch	$20.31
¾ inch	$24.00
1 inch	$31.26
1 ½ inches	$58.22
2 inches	$105.23

Now, you may be wondering…what if I want cellcast acrylic, but I need it to be five and a half feet wide? No problem, says Kip, he will cut it to the length you need for free, but you have to purchase by the rod. You will still be buying the rods in eight feet lengths for cellcast, and six feet lengths in the extruded. If you need two four foot lengths of cellcast, you are good because you just have to purchase one rod. But if you require two five foot rods, you will have to buy two lengths. Side note on curtain rods: I always make sure my curtain rods extend six to ten inches past my frame to give more width to my windows, and to ensure the drapes will frame the windows nicely.

I also thought you should know that 1/2 inch is tiny for a curtain rod thickness, but I thought some of you may desire that if you have a light project so I am including it. However, for regular drapes, I would recommend at least a 1″ thickness. As for me and my house? 1 1/2″ rods.

Image by Kat Phillips, TheGrayAttic.com

On to end caps… You may decide you don’t want end caps as shown below. The thing is, you have to make sure you get the ends of your rods polished which Kip will do for an extra $7.50 per rod.

designreduxx.blogspot.com

When I first began this project, I thought, “Okay, so I will get my rods for a totally awesome price, and then I will be home free!” Well, not so much. Since I wanted end caps, I had to add those on, plus wall brackets, and rings. For my end caps, I was hoping to find simple ones in an antique brass color to tie in with the darkened bronze on the wedding cake chandelier in my living room. Some of the cheaper end caps I found online were at least $20 EACH. Bad news for me, so I had to come up with a different plan.

That led me to a local hardware store to find something that maybe wasn’t an end cap but looked like an end cap. Something affordable. After walking through the hardware section with no luck, I meandered over to the plumbing section. And there, there in the land of PVC pipes, I found my end caps.

They actually are called plumbing caps, and you have two options – PVC or copper.

Here is a picture for sizing and shape of the PVC end caps. They start at 1/2″ and go up to 2″. You can see they have a bit of a rounded top which I did not want. You have to use the 2″ to get the flat top, and that would have been too big for my rod.

½ inch	.36
¾ inch	.46
1 inch	.66
1 ½ inches	.97
2 inches	$2.26

Therefore, I opted for the copper. It is a little more expensive, but I liked the weight and the thickness better. I wanted my rods to be sleek, and the PVC caps are more bulky. Only the 1/2″, 3/4″, and 1″ copper caps are pictured.

½ inch	.74
¾ inch	$1.19
1 inch	$2.62
1 ½ inches	$3.87
2 inches	$5.63

I also preferred the copper because I felt it fit the rod better. PVC pipe is hollow so the inside diameter of the 1″ rod is 1″. Therefore, the cap is a bit thicker to make up for this. You can see the contrast between a 1″ copper cap and a 1″ PVC cap. It is pretty different!

Obviously, copper is not an antique brass color, it is copper color. A quick spray with some trusty metallic Rustoleum in “Antique Brass”, and we were good to go.

Surprisingly, it was difficult to find some affordable wall brackets to hold the rods in the 1 1/2″ size. I ended up using these from West Elm and also painted them in the Rustoleum antique brass color.

In order to slip the rod through the bracket and secure the end caps, I hot glued white velcro squares to the inside of the end cap and the end of the rod. I used hot glue to ensure the velcro would stay on.

For rings, I found these antique brass rings at Cutting Corners that are a perfect match with the paint color. I don’t remember how much they were, around $5-$6 – very affordable.

I took the little clips off and used drapery hooks instead. Designers Tip: when you are using drapery hooks, always turn the last drapery hook in to get a nice curved edge to your drape. So on the right side, push the tip of the hook through the ring to the left, and visa versa.

Ready for the big reveal? I have some more work to do on my living room, so I am not ready to show the whole space to you quite yet. For now, enjoy some shots of the windows with my lovely rods.

Image by Kat Phillips, TheGrayAttic.com

As keen as I am on my acrylic drapery rods, I had to show you two other ideas I love.

Closet rods!

Sarah Richardson

Staircase railing! Love it!

La Dolce Vita

All in all, my rod and end caps cost around $65. Nice savings, huh?

How will you use this idea?

48 Responses to “DIY Tutorial: Acrylic Drapery Rods”

Kimberly July 20, 2012 at 8:18 am #

I love the idea. I also love the fabric you chose for your drapes. I am using that same fabric for pillows and love it. I am wondering about the panels behind the blue chest. Is that fabric covering the panels or wall paper?
Grace July 20, 2012 at 8:32 am #

Hi Kimberly! So glad you like it! I’m sure your pillows will look great, the linen texture of that fabric is so great. That vintage screen is my most favorite piece in the whole house. It is fabric on the panels, deliciously beautiful vintage fabric. It is one of Kristen’s awesome finds (check out the “Available Pieces” tab on the blog), and I love it!
Kelly July 20, 2012 at 9:11 am #

FABULOUS post! Love the light and shine the lucite brings to the room, reflecting the natural window light. Lovely. Well done!
Grace July 20, 2012 at 10:10 am #

Thanks Kelly Kay! This would look great in your house somewhere with all of your pretty windows!
Jan Tobey July 20, 2012 at 3:01 pm #

Hi Grace! I am having so much reading your posts! You are just so talented! BTW…I am also totally obsessed with the Mora clocks!
Grace July 20, 2012 at 7:22 pm #

Hey Jan! So glad you are enjoying the blog! I know, there is one on Ebay right now. It’s only like…eight thousand dollars.
Shalene July 22, 2012 at 4:34 pm #

OK, it’s official! You need to come over, let me serve you lunch while our kiddos play and collaborate with me regarding design ideas for the house!
Mommy Chic July 22, 2012 at 11:13 pm #

I’m obsessed w that home in DMag. So much that when it was on the market recently, I wanted to buy it with everything in it! I’m currently on the hunt for acrylic tables.I’ll have to see of Nationwide (and Kip) have what I want! Great post w wonderful info! Keep it up!
Grace July 23, 2012 at 2:47 am #

Shalene, you are so sweet! I would love to see you! Collaborating on ideas is fun, too. Let’s work it out!
Grace July 23, 2012 at 2:48 am #

Hi Mommy Chic! I know, so gorgeous! Kip is awesome, he can totally help you!
Tiffany July 23, 2012 at 9:12 pm #

Grace – I read a bazillion blogs and this is on my “top five” for best posts ever. You’re really rocking it with this blog, keep up the good work!
Grace July 23, 2012 at 11:02 pm #

Oh wow, thanks Tiffany! I really appreciate the encouragement! I actually just got some better pictures taken by my super talented friend Kat Phillips so I am going to replace my mediocre ones. Thanks for reading!
Extruded Acrylic October 22, 2012 at 3:35 am #

Regal Plastic supplies a wide assortment of engineered and industrial plastics to machine shops and OEM’s. Other Industrial products that are used by machine shops includes ABS, UHMW, HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene), Polypropylene, and PVC.
Patsy December 5, 2012 at 8:29 pm #

I love, love love the acrylic drapery rods! I live in FL and don’t want the outside view through the doors obstructed so I just want a drapery panel on each end of the sliding glass doors. The sliding glass door goes right up against the wall. Can you tell lme what hardware to use to put the rod in on the end that butts up against the wall? On the other end of the rod I want to use one of the Restoration Hardware Finials. How does that attach to the rod? Thanks so much! Love your blog.
Grace December 19, 2012 at 11:06 am #

Hi Patsy, thank you so much for your comment. I try so hard to answer each one within 48 hours, but sometimes, one slips through the cracks. Okay, on the end of the rod that goes against the wall, you need to get a rod socket set. (Think the circular pieces that attach to the walls inside your closet that you set your rod into.) I would do a google search if you are trying to find a specific metal or finish for this. I don’t know that you can attach a Restoration Hardware finial to the other end unless you can somehow take the screw off and glue it to the end. (which may be possible). The finial will not screw in like it would into a RH rod, but I would imagine you can figure out some way to finagle it. Hope that helps! G
Susan I January 3, 2013 at 9:24 pm #

My youngest daughter has a small room (approximately 9 x 11) so I am planning on taking her bi-fold closet doors off and using curtains as the “doors” instead. So I was thinking that acrylic drapery rods would be perfect so as to not add a lot more “clutter” to her room since she also has two windows that I have drapery on already. I’m thinking that I’m going to go whole hog with the acrylic drapery rods and use acrylic brackets and ends. But I’m kind of digging the copper plumbing caps that you used in case the acrylic ends are too costly for my budget.
Grace January 4, 2013 at 9:51 pm #

Hi Susan, sounds like a great plan! If you decide the extra fabric in the room is too much, you might consider adding mirror to the bifold doors. The mirror would help make your room look bigger also. Just a thought…But of course, I LOVE acrylic rods so I think that would be beautiful, too! Acrylic ends are pricey, and I’m not sure how they would fit onto the rods, but it is worth a try! In my dining room, I used the same acrylic rods as my living room, but left the ends open. (I had the ends polished) They look awesome! You can check it out here:

http://www.astoriedstyle.com/index.php/2012/11/my-dining-room/

Hope that helps, Susan! Send me some photos of your finished product! xx G
jess@hillcountryhomebody@blogspot.com January 17, 2013 at 2:24 pm #

Love this! Thanks for all of the great information! I’m about to have a ton of windows to cover and due to budget we are forgoing any blinds and going straight to drapes for the look and privacy. Cutting any corners we can will be a hug help!
Grace January 18, 2013 at 9:55 am #

Oh yay, Jess! I think you will LOVE these! I just out them in my girls room as closet rods, and they look fab! Send me a picture when you are done! Thanks so much for reading!
Alison January 25, 2013 at 9:06 am #

Thank you so much for this information. I have always adored the lucite rods but was not willing to pay the price. Now, they may be well within my reach.
Julie January 25, 2013 at 9:27 am #

OMG! These look so fabulous! I absolutely LOVE lucite too. Great job -I am goig to pin this Thanks! http://www.JulieLovesHome.wordpress.com
Grace January 27, 2013 at 10:55 pm #

Hi Alison, I hope so! Send me a pic when you get them installed, I would love to see them! Thank you for your comment! G
Grace January 27, 2013 at 10:56 pm #

Yay Julie! I’m so happy you like them – I LOVE me some lucite, too! Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! G
Jessica February 18, 2013 at 10:19 pm #

This blog post is ah-maze-ing. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! Your room looks beautiful!
Grace February 19, 2013 at 7:22 am #

Hi Jessica, you are so kind! Thank you so much! I love a beautiful, budget-friendly DIY as much as the next gal. Hope you can find more posts you love!
Ashley February 19, 2013 at 9:38 pm #

Awesome thanks! After a little perusing, also found ready-made lucite and brass curtain rods on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/124037681/lucite-and-brass-drapery-rods
Grace February 22, 2013 at 1:46 am #

Oh wow, Ashley! So cool! Thank you so much for reading! G
Jie Morris March 6, 2013 at 11:01 am #

I love your blog! I need a 10 foot rod. Do you know a way to connect to rod together?
Thanks!!!
Grace March 8, 2013 at 8:06 am #

Hi Jie, I am doing a post soon on this very problem! But if you can’t wait, email me at submissions@astoriedstyle.com, and I will give you the scoop! Thanks so much for reading!
Jessica March 11, 2013 at 8:21 pm #

Hi Grace! Love your blog and this post! Your room looks awesome! I would love to do this in my little girl’s nursery however I’m trying to figure out the brackets. I was searching for the ones you posted about from West Elm but havent been able to find just brackets. Yours look like those used with the “Oversized Metal Rod”. Is this what you used??
Thanks so much!
Grace March 13, 2013 at 10:39 pm #

Hi Jessica, thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment! Yes, I did use the brackets from West Elm – they used to sell them individually, but I think they only sell them with the rods now – bummer! I would just search Ebay for them or fins another pair you like and order the size of rod accordingly. Hope that helps! G
Melissa Clark March 26, 2013 at 3:40 pm #

Hi Jessica! Your blog is gorgeous! I love this idea and can’t wait to give it a go!!! I have a question for you, I need 14 ft. This means that I will have to join the rod in the middle with a coupling. In your opinion will that look odd? I was thinking that I would spray paint the coupling gold and the end caps gold. I would also need a support in the middle, probably where the coupling is? I’m thinking it will look okay but wanted your opinion!

Thanks so much!
Melissa
Grace March 26, 2013 at 9:51 pm #

Hi Melissa, thank you so much for the kind words. I am working on a DIY right now that will show you how to connect a long rod, but you will definitely need a support bracket that will hold both rods in place. That means it will need to have some thickness. Keep your eye out, and good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions! xoxo, Grace
Tiffany April 1, 2013 at 6:48 pm #

This was such a great post, so informative, honest and helpful! I have loved acrylic rods since Sarah Richardson used them in the episode you pictured above. Nice to know there is an affordable option! Kip sounds like a gem. xo
Grace April 2, 2013 at 12:32 am #

Tiffany, thank you so much! Absolutely, affordability and ease make this project a gem – lots of bang for your buck here. And yes, Kip is awesome. He’s quite the character – I’m actually placing an order with him tomorrow! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. G
Jenn April 16, 2013 at 2:20 pm #

Any advice for those of us who need a length over 8 feet? I called Nationwide plastics and it costs $100+ to have them insert a screw so that you can connect two rods together, plus the cost of two rods (one 6ft. and one 8ft). That makes the cost almost as high as acrylic. I deperately want this look for my dining room and would greatly appreciate any ideas you have!
Grace April 17, 2013 at 1:59 am #

Hi Jenn, thank you so much for inquiring. Solution: since you need 14 feet, how about making both rods seven feet, using a center support bracket that goes all the way around the rod and has some thickness to it, and joining the rods via acrylic glue? Ask Kip at Nationwide Plastics about it. I think if you have good support in the center, you should be fine using the glue. Hope that helps and please let me know if you need anything else! Also, keep your eye out on the blog – I am working on a new acrylic rod tutorial right now where I am joining two rods and making my own brackets! Thank you so much for reading and for your comment, Grace
Nikki April 17, 2013 at 8:53 am #

Oh my goodness… you are an absolute genius! This is so practical yet gorgeous!
Grace April 17, 2013 at 10:32 pm #

Nikki, yay! I’m so glad you like the tutorial, let me know if you need anything else, and I would love to see a pic if you use it in your home! Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment. G
Melissa April 19, 2013 at 4:04 pm #

Love the rods– so excited about using this for my bay window. Only prob is that I need an 11ft rod. Do you know if they cut a rod in that length even if I have to buy 16ft of rod?
Grace April 22, 2013 at 12:52 am #

Hi Melissa, they can only get rods in 8 foot lengths. I would just have them cut two rods 5.5 feet long and join them in the middle using acrylic glue (ask Kip about it) and a center support that is wide enough to cover the seam where the rods come together. On April 29th, I’m updating my tutorial with a new design. Check it out – I think it might help you! Please let me know if you need anything else. Thanks so much for reading! G
Ashley April 24, 2013 at 7:37 pm #

Hi Grace, Thank for sharing this information. I have wanted acrylic rods for quite some time and like you shy away because of the price. Just wondering if the cellcast is completely solid then could you possibly drill a hole to attach drapery rods that are can be twisted on by a screw? Not sure if Kip mentioned anything to you about drilling and if it was recommended? Thanks again for your wonderful post! I am looking forward to the April 29th blog post!
Grace April 25, 2013 at 7:40 am #

Hi Ashley, it is completely solid so I don’t know why that wouldn’t work. I’m assuming you are talking about putting finials in the ends, yes? If you did that, I would just be careful that your screw doesn’t come out too far to where you can see it at the end of the rod since the rod is clear. Does that make sense? Hope that helps! G
Shel May 3, 2013 at 8:56 pm #

SO excited about my new curtain rods, thanks to your genius! One caveat, though…I can’t find any brackets for under $20 each. As far as I can tell, West Elm only sells the ones you feature here as a set with the matching rods. My curtains are ready and I’m driving over to Dallas to pick the rods up next week, so I’m racking my creative, albeit impatient, brain for another option. Any suggestions or should I just bite the bullet on the $40 per window cost since I’m already saving a bundle? (Can you tell that I’m already rehearsing my “justification speech” for the hubs?)
Thanks ever so much, love your blog!
Shel
Grace May 5, 2013 at 6:56 pm #

Hi Shel, I’m so glad you are doing this! Please send me a photo of when they are done! I have been wanting to post a roundup of folks who have used the tutorial. As far as brackets, hmmm….have you tried Bed Bath & Beyond or Target? They may have something you can paint like I did mine if you don’t like the color, or you may even like them as is! I’m so sad West Elm doesn’t sell those brackets separately anymore. Good luck! Thanks so much for your comment, G
Nina May 14, 2013 at 11:09 am #

OMG I am exstatic about finding your blog post. I’ve seen the same expensive curtain rods and thought they were another item on my dream list until now!!! Woohoo! You just don’t know how happy you’ve made me with this discovery. THANKS to the 10th power. lol
Grace May 16, 2013 at 9:42 am #

Nina, you are welcome to the 10th power! I hope you do it and love it! Send me photos! Thanks for reading, G