People choose wooden curtain rods for a variety of reasons. Often, it’s because they are a more aesthetically pleasing choice for a room’s particular decor. Wooden curtain rods come with issues, though. Sometimes, they break due to the weight of a heavy set of curtains or from people repeatedly pulling on them. Sometimes, it’s from the quality of the wood, exposure to humidity, or temperature changes. Whatever the reason for your broken curtain rod, there’s no need to worry — it can be fixed. 

All you need is a drill, wood glue, two one-handed bar clamps, two large C-clamps, a nail, a hammer, and a wooden dowel. You will drill holes in both broken curtain rod pieces, insert a small, glue-covered wooden dowel, and reconnect the two pieces. For this project, choosing the right size drill bit is critical. It needs to be the same size as the dowel. The dowel you use doesn’t need to be a specific size in diameter, but it should be long enough to extend sufficiently into both pieces of the broken rod.

This genius curtain rod hack is effective not only for curtain rods but also for broken furniture. If you have a chair with a broken leg, this dowel method can save you from having to buy a new one. For any thin, broken wood pieces around your home, it’s great to know that a simple, small dowel can keep you from having to throw them away.

To begin this project, mark the drill hole in the center of one of the broken rod pieces. Drive a nail into the spot you marked, remove it with pliers, and place it back in backwards (with the pointed side sticking out). Line up the edges of both pieces, press them together to leave a nail mark in the second piece, and remove the nail. Then, drill a hole into the mark in both rod pieces, holding them in place with your bar clamps and resting your drill against wood shims to ensure a straight hole, if needed. Next, cover one end of your dowel with wood glue and insert it into the hole of one half of the broken piece. Cover the remainder of the dowel and the ends of both rod pieces with glue and connect them. Position the bar clamps on both sides of the joint and tighten to keep the rod in place. Place the C-clamps on the clamping pads of the bar clamps and tighten. This will push the two bar clamps together, thus tightening and closing the joint. 

While this hack is relatively simple, it’s much easier to prevent your curtain rods from breaking in the first place. To prevent breakage, be sure to choose the right curtain rods — ones made from high-quality wood that’s thick enough to support the weight of your curtains. Rods made from oak or walnut will be sturdy, and if you’re hanging tall or heavy drapes, ensure they are at least 3 inches thick.  It’s also important to space your brackets appropriately during installation to ensure even weight distribution. Lastly, avoid using wooden curtain rods in humid areas to prevent warping and weakening.