DIY Corrugated Metal Window Awning

I wanted something different over the windows in my son’s room, and these DIY corrugated metal awnings ended up being exactly what the space needed. I built the wood frames from inexpensive 2×3 boards, covered them with corrugated metal, and spent about $10 per awning at the time.

The idea actually came from my hairstylist’s salon. She had the cutest metal awnings made from scrap wood and metal, and as soon as I saw them, I knew I wanted to figure out a version for my son’s room. I snapped a picture, went home, and got busy designing!

Rustic corrugated metal window awning installed above a bedroom window.

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Table of Contents

Why I Love These DIY Metal Awnings

These added so much character to his room without needing a traditional curtain or valance.

The size can be adjusted to fit your own window.
The basic frame is built with inexpensive 2×3 boards.
One sheet of corrugated metal was enough for both of my awnings.
The metal gives the room a fun industrial look.
You can leave the metal new and shiny or choose a weathered finish made specifically for metal.

Everything else in this room was DIY too, so the awnings fit right in with his DIY planked headboard and DIY platform bed.

Metal window awning in a salon that inspired the DIY project.

Key Supplies I Used

2×3 boards. These make up the entire wood frame. They give the awning enough substance without making it look too bulky over the window.

Corrugated metal roofing. I found mine at Home Depot for around $10 per sheet at the time, and one sheet made both awnings.

Pocket hole screws and wood glue. I used 1 1/2″ pocket holes with 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws to assemble several parts of the frame.

2″ wood screws. These attach the angled supports and cross braces. I used Spax screws because they didn’t require predrilling for this project.

Tin snips and gloves. Tin snips make cutting the corrugated metal pretty simple. The cut edges can be sharp, so gloves are important.

1″ multi-material construction screws. I used these to attach the metal to the wood frame.

How to Build a DIY Corrugated Metal Awning

I’ll walk you through the whole build below. The size of the main frame depends on your window, so measure yours before making the long cut.

Cut the Back and Side Pieces

I built the frame from 2×3 boards.

Start by cutting the long back piece that will eventually attach to the wall above the window. I made this board about 6″ wider than the window.

Cut two side pieces at 19″ long.

Cut 2x3 boards showing the 19-inch side pieces and 45-degree angled ends.

Make a 45° decorative cut on one end of each side piece. You are only cutting away half of the end rather than making the entire end a standard 45° miter.

I made these cuts with my miter saw. If you don’t have one, a hand saw and miter box can work for these cuts too.

Miter saw adjusted to 45 degrees for cutting the wooden awning frame.

Drill the Pocket Holes

Drill 1 1/2″ pocket holes into the square end of each 19″ side piece.

These go on the end opposite the decorative angle.

Make sure the pocket holes are drilled on the face of the board where they will be hidden once the awning is assembled.

Drilling pocket holes in a 2x3 board using a Kreg pocket hole jig.

Attach the Side Pieces

Attach one side piece to each end of the long back board using wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.

This gives you the back and two sides of the awning frame.

Wooden back and side pieces connected with pocket holes to form the awning frame.

Cut the Angled Awning Supports

Next, cut two more 2×3 pieces at 21″ long point to long point.

These pieces have a 45° angle on one end and a 45° decorative cut on the other end.

Pay attention to the direction of the cuts here. They are not parallel.

These are the supports that extend out from the wall and create the slope for the corrugated metal.

Angled 21-inch wood supports with decorative 45-degree cuts at opposite ends.

Attach the Angled Supports

Attach the angled supports to the long top piece using wood glue and 2″ wood screws.

I used Spax screws here so I didn’t need to predrill.

At this point, you’ll start to see the basic awning shape coming together.

Driving wood screws into the angled supports of the awning frame.

Add the Front Support

Measure the distance between the two front angled pieces before cutting this board. I like measuring this opening rather than relying on a predetermined measurement so I know the piece fits my actual frame.

Close-up of the angled wood support attached to the frame with screws.

Cut another 2×3 to fit.

Drill 1 1/2″ pocket holes into each end and attach it with wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.

Position this board about 2″ up from the front ends.

Keep the pocket holes facing upward. The corrugated metal will cover them once the awning is finished.

Wooden awning frame with the front support board and pocket hole locations marked.

Add the Cross Braces

Cut two 2×3 pieces at 11″ long, with a 45° angle on one end.

Two 11-inch wooden cross braces cut with 45-degree angled ends.

Attach one brace to each side of the frame using wood glue and 2″ wood screws.

I positioned mine 7″ up from the back of the 19″ side pieces.

Triangular side supports attached to the wooden awning frame.

They should run level with the front support you installed in the previous step.

Now the wood frame is assembled and ready for the metal.

Completed wooden awning frame with angled supports ready for corrugated metal.

Cut the Corrugated Metal

I used a sheet of corrugated metal from Home Depot and was able to get both awnings out of one sheet.

Sheet of shiny corrugated metal roofing before cutting and finishing.

You only need a pair of tin snips to cut it, but definitely wear gloves because the metal edges can be sharp.

Tin snips and protective work gloves used for cutting corrugated metal.

Mark your cut line first, then work slowly across the corrugations one section at a time.

I cut my metal 20″ wide.

If your window is wider than your sheet of metal, that’s okay. You can overlap two pieces when attaching them to the frame.

Corrugated metal sheet resting on the wooden awning frame with an overlapping section.

Age the Corrugated Metal

The corrugated metal was really shiny when I bought it, but I wanted mine to look like it had been sitting out in the elements for years!

When I originally made these awnings, I researched ways to age metal and found a technique using acidic toilet bowl cleaner. I used Zep brand from Home Depot.

Zep acidic toilet bowl cleaner and steel wool used in the original metal aging project.

I started by sanding the metal with 80-grit sandpaper to rough up the shiny surface.

Sanding the shiny corrugated metal surface with 80-grit sandpaper.

Then, pour the toilet bowl cleaner over the metal. Be generous with this part and make sure not to do this in the grass if you don’t want your grass to die 😉 Rub the cleaner all over the metal with steel wool and gloves! Gloves are a MUST!

Steel wool being used on corrugated metal during the original aging process.

The result was exactly the rustic, aged look I wanted for my son’s room!

Close-up of corrugated metal with an aged gray and silver finish.

Important Safety Note About The Metal Finish

This is the method I used when I originally built these awnings, but acidic toilet bowl cleaners are not designed for treating galvanized metal. Some contain hydrochloric acid, which can cause serious skin and eye burns and react with the zinc coating, releasing flammable hydrogen gas.

Gloves, eye protection, and working outdoors do not eliminate these risks. I recommend using a metal-aging product specifically approved for your material and following its safety instructions instead. I’m keeping these original photos to show how I achieved the finish on my awnings.

Attach the Metal to the Frame

Once the metal is cut to fit and aged, place it over the wood frame.

I attached mine with 1″ multi-material construction screws.

Package of one-inch Spax construction screws used to attach metal to wood.

Start at the corners and drive the screws through the metal and into the wood frame.

Drill fastening corrugated metal roofing to the wooden awning frame.

Continue adding screws every few corrugations along the top, bottom, and sides.

Close-up of screws securing the corrugated metal along the edge of the frame.

If you are overlapping two pieces of metal, add screws through the overlap as well so everything stays securely in place.

And that’s the awning built!

Completed corrugated metal awning resting on the ground before installation.

Installing the Awning Over the Window

I found it easier to temporarily remove the corrugated metal before installing the frame.

Technically, you could wait and add the metal after the wood frame is mounted, but lining everything up while working over your head can be frustrating. Attaching the metal first creates the screw holes, so it’s much easier to remove it, hang the frame, and put the metal right back in the same position.

The awning needs to be secured into framing, not just drywall.

There should typically be framing above and along the sides of the window, but verify the framing location in your own wall rather than assuming where the studs or header are located.

Secure the long back piece into structural framing with appropriate wood screws. If you’re also fastening through the side pieces, make sure those screws are going into framing as well.

Because wall construction can vary, use fasteners appropriate for your wall and installation.

Wooden awning frame mounted above a window before reattaching the metal.

Once the wood frame is securely installed, reattach the corrugated metal using the holes you already made.

And that’s it!

Weathered corrugated metal awning installed over a white-trimmed bedroom window.

My son has two windows in his room and I LOVE the awnings over both of them! It’s such a great look for his little study area!

Side view of the rustic metal window awning showing its wooden support frame.

Bedroom study area with custom corrugated metal window awnings.

Expert Tips

A couple of details will make this project much easier.

Measure your actual window first. The long back board should be about 6″ wider than the window, so this isn’t a project where every reader will use the same dimensions.
Cut the front board to fit. Small differences during assembly can change that opening slightly.
Watch the direction of your 45° cuts. The two cuts on the 21″ supports aren’t parallel.
Wear gloves when handling the metal. Freshly cut corrugated metal edges can be extremely sharp.
Mark your metal before removing it for installation. That makes it much easier to put it back exactly where it was.

Close-up of a weathered metal awning mounted above a window with white trim.

Ways to Customize the Awning

You can change the look quite a bit without changing the basic construction.

Paint or stain the wood frame to match your room, leave the corrugated metal bright for a cleaner industrial look, or use a manufacturer-approved metal finish if you want something darker or more weathered.

You can also adjust the overall width to fit a different window. Just remember that changing the width means the long back board, front support, and metal will all need to change together.

DIY corrugated metal window awning with angled wooden side supports.

Frequently Asked Questions

How wide should the awning be?

I made the long back board about 6″ wider than my window, which gives you roughly 3″ of overhang on each side if the awning is centered.

Can I cut corrugated metal without power tools?

Yes. I used tin snips. Mark the cut first and work slowly across each corrugation.

What size pocket holes did you use?

I drilled 1 1/2″ pocket holes in the 2×3 boards and used 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.

Can I leave the corrugated metal shiny?

Absolutely. Aging the metal is completely optional.

Can I install the awning directly into drywall?

I wouldn’t. This project sticks out from the wall and needs a secure attachment. Locate structural framing and use fasteners appropriate for your wall construction.

Wide view of a gray bedroom with a rustic wooden bed and matching metal window awning.

Now I’m tempted to put metal awning all over my house…. I’m sure that will pass but all to say – I am LOVING them!

More DIY Projects From This Room

My son ended up with such a fun room, and almost everything in it was something we built. Along with the planked headboard and platform bed, I also built a board and batten hat rack and these DIY trophy shelves.

The awnings ended up being one of my favorite details in the whole room. They gave those plain windows so much character, and I love that I was able to make them myself for very little money.

Happy Building!

If you build one, we’d love to see it! Tag @shanty2chic on Instagram and use #shanty2chic so we can check it out.

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