How To Make DIY Wood Curtain Rod Finials

Tired of looking at your curtain rods without finials? Do your curtain rods need a little more style? Read how to make DIY wood curtain rod finials for cheap!

How To Make DIY Wood Curtain Rod Finials

The best part of this project is that you probably have most of these materials already! If not, you can get all the materials needed relatively inexpensively.

Supplies to make DIY Wood Curtain Rod Finials

For this project you will need:

• Dowels (1 in. or 1 ¼ in. wide)
• Sandpaper
• Hanger bolts (buy via Amazon or Home Depot)
• Pliers
• Pre-stain wood conditioner (optional)
• Stain or paint
• Lint-free towels or foam brush
• Drill and drill bits

How To Make DIY Wood Curtain Rod Finials in 7 Steps

This DIY project is super easy, inexpensive, and beginner friendly. Overall, this project took me two hours to complete, including dry times.

Step 1: Decide the size of your finials

First, you need to determine how big of a finial that you will have. Match up the hanger bolt to your dowel to see at least how deep or how long your finial needs to be. 

I rounded up my numbers to make my cuts easier.

For the wider dowels, I cut them to be an inch and a half long. For the thinner dowels, I cut them to be 1 inch long.

Step 2: Cut to size

Now it’s time to make cuts. Cut off the end of the dowels to have a flush cut to start with. 

Then, carefully cut the dowels with a saw. Cut slowly so your newly cut piece doesn’t go flying in the air! Now you have your new wood finial.

If you don’t have a saw at home, that’s okay. When you go to your home supply store, like Home Depot, they already have a small sawing station where you can hand saw dowels. As a result, you can cut (and pay) as much as you need. 

I just so happened to have left over dowels in my garage from previous projects!

Step 3: Sand

Next, sand the wood until it’s smooth and even. Sanding allows stain to get into the grain of the wood so that it soaks it up much better. Any sandpaper between 150-220 grit will work.

Furthermore, my dowels had a little bit of dye left on them from a previous project. So, I needed to sand off that previous finish before staining.

Step 4: Add hanger bolts

Drill a pilot hole

Mark approximately the middle of the finial. Afterwards, drill a hole for your hanger bolt. 

Start with a drill bit slightly smaller than the hanger bolt. Then, use a drill bit about the same size as the hanger bolt.

I used a hanger bolt that was 5/16 ” wide to fit into my IKEA curtain rods.

Screw in the hanger bolt

After you drill a hole in your finial, use pliers to thread the hanger bolt into the pilot hole.

Remember, the pointy side goes into the wood while the flat side will go into the curtain rod. 

The best part about this project? The hanger bolt was the only thing I had to buy and it cost me a little bit over $1.

Step 5: Apply wood conditioner (optional)

For a more even look, apply pre-stain wood conditioner. That allows for an even and non-blotchy look after you stain. If you plan to paint your new finials, skip this step.

After stirring, apply a generous amount of wood conditioner to the dowels using a rag or a paper towel. The instructions say it’s better to use a non-lint towel like a shop towel. I only had paper towels on hand, so that’s what I used. 

Generously apply the wood conditioner and add extra on the end grain. Allow the wood conditioner to sit for 30 minutes.

Particularly, the dowels I used for this DIY curtain finials project are pine. Pine is known to look kind of blotchy when stained. So, to get an even look, I use a wood conditioner. 

Step 6: Stain or paint

At last, it’s time to stain or paint for new finials. 

Staining

To stain, dip a lint-free rag in the stain and wipe directly onto the wood (again, I used paper towels). 

Let it sit for 3 minutes. Then, wipe away the excess stain from your finials. Afterwards, let the finials dry for at least 1 hour.

I used my favorite color of stain, Dark Walnut. It makes the mid-century modern furniture lover in me rejoice! 

Painting

To paint, stand up your finials in styrofoam. Then, spray paint your finials in your desired color. Let it dry for at least 1 hour.

Bonus tip! For added finish protection, spray water-based polyurethane on your painted or stained DIY curtain finials.

Step 7: Conclusion

Finally, it’s time to thread in the dowels to your curtain rods and admire your new DIY curtain finials! Step back and enjoy!

Why make your own DIY curtain finials?

Originally, I thought that I would stretch my double curtain rods from wall to wall. Therefore, I would not need any finials for my curtain rods. However, I changed my mind (as usual). 

You want more options

My curtain rods are from IKEA. Of course, IKEA has a limited assortment of curtain finials that fit their curtain rods. I have a pair in my living room already, so I wanted something a little bit different for my bedroom. 

Unfortunately, none of IKEA’s finials really fit the mood that I was trying to go for in my bedroom. So, I thought I should make something myself. Plus, it could save me a whole lot of money. 

Other curtain rod finials didn’t fit

I started shopping around for other possible solutions that would fit my IKEA curtain rods. However, all of the bolts in the finials I bought in stores were too big for my double curtain rods.

You have materials already

Lastly, I had most of the materials on hand already! So, I challenged myself to figure out how to make DIY wood curtain rod finials with what I had already.

---

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you would try this project on your own. Do you have many of the materials already? Sound off in the comments.

Looking for more bedroom decor inspiration? Check out how I upgraded my bed with big, fluffy pillows.

Sincerely,

Felicia.

This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase something.