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fit a blind

A brief guide. Skill rating: easy

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This guide shows you how to select and fit new blinds to your windows.

This is a fairly easy DIY task and shouldn't take much more than an hour or so. Please read the manufacturer's instructions before fitting your blinds.

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  1. Choosing the right blind
  2. Where to fit your roller blind
  3. Measuring up
  4. Fixing the brackets
  5. Cutting a roller blind to the right width
  1. Hanging the blind

1: Choosing the right blind

ROLLER BLINDS

  • Roller blinds are ideal if you want a soft fabric look, rather than metal or wooden blinds.
  • A wide range of sizes are available, and if the blind is slightly too wide it can be adjusted to fit.
  • Spring-loaded blinds can be temperamental, so most are now cord operated (fig. 1). You can fit the pull cord on the left or the right to suit your needs.
  • Opt for blackout roller blinds if you want total darkness at night and better insulation.

VENETIAN BLINDS

  • A Venetian blind has the advantage that you can choose to either exclude the light entirely, direct it upwards for a soft diffused light effect, or direct it downwards.
  • A wide selection of aluminium, PVC and wooden Venetian blinds are available in widths from 60cm to 1.8m.

VERTICAL BLINDS

  • Vertical blinds are suitable for most windows, but they are particularly well suited to large windows and patio doors.
  • Blinds are available in a wide range of fabrics, colours and sizes to fit any window from 1.2cm to 1.8m.

helpful hint...

When planning how you are going to hang your blinds, always look out for things like window handles or tiles. You will need to take their position into account to ensure a perfect fit and work out the easiest and most secure position for the brackets.

 

fig. 1 (fig. 1) The pull cord can be fitted left or right to suit.

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Points 2 to 6 below give you step-by-step instructions on how to install your blinds. These instructions apply specifically to roller blinds but the methods are similar for Venetian and vertical blinds. Please make sure you always follow the manufacturer's instructions when installing any type of blinds.

2: Where to fit your roller blind

  • If you want to fit your blind inside a window recess (fig. 2) then it will have to be cut to the correct width (see step 5).
  • Alternatively, you can hang it outside the window recess (fig.3), which overcomes the problems caused by projecting window handles, plants and ornaments on your window sill.

fig. 2 (fig. 2) A blind can be fitted within a window recess.

fig. 3 (fig. 3) Hanging a blind outside the recess can change the appearance of your window.

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Tools for the job...

Stock Check

Don't forget you can stock check these items online

Hammer drill

Hammer drill

Wood drill bit set

Wood drill bit set

Rawl plug

Rawl plug

Pipe and wire detector

Pipe and wire detector

Tape measure

Tape measure

Steel+rule

Steel rule

Set of screwdrivers

Set of screwdrivers

Bradawl

Bradawl

Hacksaw

Hacksaw

Craft knife

Craft knife

Spirit level

Spirit level

Round file

Round file

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3: Measuring up

  • When you have decided how your blind is going to be hung i.e. inside or outside the recess, measure the width and the drop (length needed to cover the window). If you are hanging a blind outside the recess, add at least 25mm to either side of the recess to give the minimum width of your ideal blind (fig.3).
  • If you can't find a blind to fit the exact width of your window, just buy the next width up and trim it to size (see step 5).

 

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4: Fixing the brackets

  • Brackets can be fixed on either the face of the window surround or at the top - the brackets that come with your blind are drilled to allow you to fix them in either manner (fig. 4a and 4b).

FIXING THE BRACKETS IN A WINDOW RECESS

  • The brackets can be screwed to either the window frame, the adjacent walls or the underside of the top of the window. NOTE: it is not recommended to screw the brackets into PVC window frames.
  • Place the brackets exactly where you want to fix them and mark the screw positions with a bradawl or pencil.
  • Then drill some small guide holes and screw the brackets into place using rawl plugs and the screws provided.

FIXING THE BRACKETS INTO MASONRY

  • Mark the exact position for your screw holes. Don't go too close to any edges or corners or you may get chipped bricks or flaking plaster and spoil the wall. Allow a minimum of 50mm clearance.
  • Drill your holes and fit rawl plugs to give the screws grip.
  • Screw the brackets into the wall.

FIXING THE BRACKETS ABOVE A WINDOW (OUTSIDE THE REVEAL)

  • Lintels (which support the wall above a window) are very hard and fixing the brackets to the lintel will require the use of the correct drill bit.
  • It may be tempting to hang the blind above the lintel, but for the best results this should be avoided (fig.5).
  • Mark and drill the screw holes in the lintel using a heavy-duty masonry drill bit. Then screw the brackets in place using rawl plugs.

FIXING THE BRACKETS TO THE CEILING

  • Hopefully, there will be a ceiling joist that you can screw into.
  • If the joists run at 90 degrees to the wall, find the position of the joists and mark them using a joist finder.
  • If the joists are conveniently placed, screw the brackets into these using the appropriate rawl plugs.

fig. 4(fig. 4a/4b) Brackets can be fixed on the face of the window or at the top. The brackets are drilled so you can do either.

fig. 5(fig. 5) Although lintels are hard to drill into, your blind will look strange if you hang it above the lintel.

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5: Cutting a roller blind to the right width

CUTTING THE ROLLER

  • If you're hanging your blind inside the reveal of your window you may have to cut it to the correct width before fitting it.
  • Firstly, carefully measure the exact width of the window space inside the reveal.
  • To allow for the brackets and the cord winder, cut the roller 38mm less than the width of the space you've just measured.
  • Use a hacksaw to cut the roller (fig. 6) and then smooth the end with a round file.

CUTTING THE BLIND FABRIC

  • Using the cut roller as your guide, use a pencil to mark the fabric 1.5mm in from the end of the roller in a number of places down the length of the fabric (fig. 7).
  • If you are trimming both sides of the fabric then mark 1.5mm in from each side.
  • Use a straight batten/ruler to join the marks along the entire length of the fabric.
  • Use a craft knife to cut the fabric against the edge of your batten (you can use scissors but they might not be so accurate).
  • Trim the plastic bar at the bottom of the blind. Cut this 12.5mm less than the width of the fabric and insert the end caps into each end.
  • Finally, fit the cord winder and you are ready to hang your blind.

helpful hint...

If your roller blind has an equally distributed pattern, make sure you trim the same amount of material from both sides of the blind so that the pattern stays centred.

 

fig. 6(fig. 6) Use a hacksaw to cut the roller to the correct width.

fig. 7(fig. 7) Mark the roller fabric 1.5mm in from the cut end of the roller. If both sides of the fabric are being cut, mark 1.5mm in on both sides.

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6: Hanging the blind

  • Start by inserting the cord winder end of the blind into the bracket (the square peg into the square hole). At the opposite end, the dummy pin goes into the other bracket.
  • You're ready to go! To operate your blind, just pull the cord winder. The back cord lowers the blind and the front cord raises it.

helpful hint...

When cutting the roller, cover the area to be cut with masking tape to help prevent the hacksaw slipping.

 

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