This is a sturdy rod. The hardware is not flimsy either. The marble end balls are larger than I’d expected, but this is actually better for the space where the curtain is hung. We have a small octagonal window in an upstairs hallway that needed coverage to block some of the heat from the afternoon sun. Couldn’t find a small curtain, so used a single valance instead. We hung the rod  lower than the top of the window frame so there is still a bit of an outside view, and since the majority of the heat was coming in at the bottom it worked out fine. Problem solved!