7 Tips for Accurate Measurements

If you want a professional installation, you must start by measuring like a professional. Dimensions can vary by several inches from window to window even though they appear to be the same size. Always measure every window!

7 Tips for Accurate Measurements

via Install-Window-Blinds.com by blindsInstaller on 3/16/09

1. Measure Every Window

If you want a professional installation, you must start by measuring like a professional. Dimensions can vary by several inches from window to window even though they appear to be the same size. Always measure every window!

Use the Right Measuring Tool

A tape with a wide blade (1" or more) is easy to work with because it is rigid enough to span the window without bending or kinking and it can stand up on it's own for an easy vertical measurement. If you have trouble reading the divisions on a tape you may want to consider one with a fractional blade or scale. A fractional scale reads directly in fractions of an inch making it easy to interpret the division marks. A laser measure is even easier to work with and very accurate.

Choose Your Window Treatment Before You Measure

Each type of window covering has it's own unique set of measuring requirements. None of it is rocket science, but you can't know what to do or what to look out for if you haven't decided which type of blind or shade you want to buy. Select the type of product that you want before you measure.

Check Each Dimension in (at least) 3 Places

Window opening dimensions often vary from side to side and top to bottom within the same window. As the installer, it is your job to identify the largest and smallest dimension in each direction. Depending upon your choice of blind or shade you will need this information to make an informed decision about which dimensions you should use when ordering.

Be Consistent When You Write Down Your Measurements - (part1)

It is the standard in the industry to record window covering dimensions as width followed by height. If you are such a rebel that you just can't conform to this standard, be sure to label your dimensions so you'll remember which is which when it comes time to place your order (if the retailer doesn't insist upon using the standard notation, you may want to consider using a different retailer).

Be Consistent When You Write Down Your Measurements - (part 2)

Use a measurement worksheet and label each window. When measuring a room with more than one window, go around the room in a clockwise direction (or whatever - the main thing is to be consistent). Label each window as you go around the room. For example, in the dining room you might label them as "din1", "din2", etc. Keep your worksheet where you can find it so you can use it as a reference to lay out the job for installation.

Do a Reality Check

Be sure to scan the completed worksheet for dimensions that seem out of place. For instance, if all of the windows in the breakfast nook measure out at approximately 36" x 48" except for one oddball at 36" x 45", you would probably want to check your work again.

 

Replace the Cord Stop on Your Cell Shade

Each brand of shade uses a slightly different style of stop, but they are all intended to connect the individual lift cords at one single tie-off point so that the shade goes up and down evenly and hangs level. The stop also prevents the small cords from being accidentally pulled back up inside the headrail.

Replace the Cord Stop on Your Cell Shade

via RepairWindowBlinds.com by Dave on 5/27/10

Did your dog or cat eat the tassel on the end of your cell shade pull cord?

Broken or missing cord stops and tassels are a common problem in almost every home. Sometimes they have been damaged by a pet. More often they just get brittle with age and break. When this happens it is always unsightly and it can prevent the shade from working properly.

The repair is inexpensive and something you can easily do for yourself.

Each brand of shade uses a slightly different style of stop, but they are all intended to connect the individual lift cords at one single tie-off point so that the shade goes up and down evenly and hangs level. The stop also prevents the small cords from being accidentally pulled back up inside the headrail.

Here is a good video about how to install a replacement cord stop assembly for a Hunter Douglas Duette cell shade. You may also want to watch the companion video about How to Replace a Broken Window Blind Cord.

How to disassemble the old parts.

Unless the old parts are so brittle as to be broken and useless, you may be able to take the old cord stop assembly apart and reuse whatever is salvageable. This isn't always as easy as you might think. After a few years in the sun, the old parts will often seem to be welded together. In theory, you should be able to pull them apart by holding the cover in one hand and pulling the heavy cord with the other hand. If that isn't working for you, then you will need to pry them apart. You can do that by inserting a small screwdriver into the slot and prying the pieces apart with a gentle levering action. Just be careful and don't stab yourself with the screwdriver.

Insert a small screwdriver into the cord stop assembly Click to Enlarge

   Using a gentle levering action pry the pieces apart Click to Enlarge

 

Tips for when you reassemble the cord stop.

• As the video shows, the narrow end of the equalizer goes towards the shade.

 

   Hunter Douglas Cord Stop Equalizer - Click to Enlarge

 

The wedge has a small ridge on one side. The side with the ridge goes against the lift cords and pinches them to keep them from slipping.

 

Hunter Douglas Cord Stop Wedge - Click to Enlarge

 

Trim the heavier pull cord close to the knot before you insert it into the housing. If you leave too much excess cord, you will have trouble getting the cover to fit tightly on the housing.

Hunter Douglas Cord Stop Housing Untrimmed Knot Click to Enlarge

   Hunter Douglas Cord Stop Housing Trimmed Knot Click to Enlarge

 

Adjust the shade to hang even and level before you assemble the cord stop housing.

 

Tie the tassel onto the other end of the fat pull cord and you're done.

Where to find replacement parts.

If you need parts you can order them from the shade manufacturer or they are available online at the following websites:

FixMyBlinds.com (Colorado Springs, CO) for Hunter Douglas Duette tassels and Hunter Douglas Duette Cord Stop Assemblies.

Or you can try DiscountBlindParts.com (Chicago, IL area) for the Hunter Douglas Duette cord stop assembly. They call it part NP-42 - you'll find it about 2/3 of the way down the page.

And finally there is BlindsParts.com (Tucson, AZ). This site sells the Hunter Douglas Duette tassel and cord stop assembly and some pull cord all in one kit.

Solar Shades are Great for Light Control

solar screen shades offer good protection against sun damage to flooring, artwork, woodwork, furniture and other furnishings

Solar Shades are Great for Light Control

via Install-Window-Blinds.com by blindsInstaller on 7/16/09

As this picture shows, solar shades can make a room more livable by reducing glare and radiant heat from a sunny window without blocking the view or making you feel like a cave dweller.

Click the photo to see a better quality image

Solar shades are made from open weave synthetic fabrics with numerous patterns and colors and levels of transparency to choose from.

• solar shades give a clean, modern look
• these shades offer good protection against sun damage to flooring, artwork, woodwork, furniture and other furnishings
• they are an excellent choice for high traffic areas that receive a lot of active use
• solar shades are easy to keep clean - just wipe with a damp cloth
• they stand up well to humid environments like spas and greenhouses
• the moving parts are uncomplicated, durable and reliable
• installation is easy

Here's another photo, this one has a lighter colored fabric.

Now for the down side - you knew there had to be one didn't you? In areas of the house where privacy is a concern, solar shades may not be your best choice. As these photos clearly show, unless you make them wider than the window and mount them on the outside, you will be able to see around them at the edges. At night, when the lights are on inside, you can see right in from the outside.

I live in the high desert of western Nevada. The sun here can be brutal. Most of the upscale residences and vacation homes in the nearby Lake Tahoe area have rooms full of windows situated so as to take advantage of spectacular mountain or lake views. Solar screens have proven to be a workable solution to the problem of how to protect from the high altitude sun without losing the high dollar views. I recommend them without hesitation.

By the way, the first picture was shared by a staff member from The Westside Local Restaurant and Beer Garden in Kansas City, MO. They just had their grand opening this past Tuesday so if you are in the Kansas City area be sure to stop in to check out their shades. While you're there you might as well have a cold one - have one for me too.

 

How to Replace a Broken Window Blind Cord

How to replace a broken pull cord in a cell shade.

How to Replace a Broken Window Blind Cord

via RepairWindowBlinds.com by Dave on 8/29/10

The replacement of cord for blinds is one of the most common repairs.

Cords often break as the result of normal wear and tear or from exposure to the sun. They can also be damaged through repeated contact with a damaged or defective part on the blind or shade itself.

The repair is easy and inexpensive.

It's likely that your blind or shade still has a lot of miles left in it and you can save quite a bit of money by taking the time to do this simple repair.

There are some differences between brands, but the basic procedures remain pretty much the same. If you pay attention when you take the blind or shade apart, you won't have any trouble putting it back together again.

This video shows you how to restring a Hunter Douglas Duette honeycomb shade.

Inspect the cord guides and cord lock for excessive wear.

This is one topic that deserves much more emphasis than it receives in the video.

If your shade has defective or damaged parts that come into contact with your new replacement cords it won't be long before the cords are broken again. You won't be happy when that happens.

Now is the time to perform a thorough inspection of the old parts to identify and replace all of the bad ones while you already have the shade taken apart. Here are some things to look for....

Damaged shade cord guides.

The video shows a shade cord guide with a small amount of wear where the blinds cord has cut into the plastic of the guide during normal operation. With the shade in the video, rotating the guide so that the cord runs over a smooth, undamaged surface is a good idea. However, sometimes the damage is more severe than that.

Here are some photos of shade cord guide damage from a repair that I did last June. The cord shown is a new one that was installed just for the purpose of taking these photos. The old cord was no longer available.

In this case the cord has cut so far into the guide that the part had to be replaced. The important thing to remember about this is that while the cord was cutting into the guide, the guide was also cutting into the cord and probably had a lot to do with the failure. If you try to reuse a part like this there's a chance that your new blind cord repair job won't last very long.

Damaged Cord Guide - Top View - Click to Enlarge

Damaged Cord Guide - Side View - Click to Enlarge

 

If you look closely at these photos, you will see that the cord had started cutting into the shade fabric too.

On this shade a thin aluminum strip similar to a mini blind slat was used as a stiffener inside the first pleat and the cord cut right through that as well. Even though it is only 0.9 mm in diameter, that nylon blind cord is some tough stuff.

Here are some more photos showing how the cord cut into that thin strip of aluminum. The first photo shows the strip removed from the shade so you can better see what's going on. The second photo shows the bottom side of the stiffener as it came out of the shade.

Damaged Cord Guide & Stiffener - Click to Enlarge

Damaged Fabric Stiffener - Click to Enlarge

 

Damaged cord locks.

The video doesn't really touch on this, but damaged cord locks are much more common than damaged cord guides. Be sure to inspect yours carefully when you have it out on the workbench.

Here are some photos of examples of what you might expect to find. These cord locks are all from Hunter Douglas Duette cell shades, but many brands use this same style of cord lock and experience the same kind of wear. I'm sure you can see that if you were to start dragging your brand new replacement cord through one of these old grooves that it might not last too long.

Undamaged Cord Lock - Click to Enlarge

Damaged Cord Lock - Click to Enlarge

 

And here's one that's really pretty extreme. I only show it because it's so impressive just how strong nylon blind cord really is. All the more reason to protect your children or pets from becoming entangled in it. Be careful with this stuff, it's surprisingly strong and it can be dangerous.

 

Extreme Damage Cord Lock - Click to Enlarge

 

How to Restring a Curtain Rod | Reno Blinds Repair

how to replace the cord in a two-way draw traverse rod

How to Restring a Curtain Rod | Reno Blinds Repair

via Reno Blinds Repair by Dave on 3/17/10

If you have to replace the cord in a two-way draw traverse rod, here's a video that will show you how it's done. This guy has obviously done this before.

And I thought I was the only one who knew about the old paper clip trick!

 

There is one more step in the process that he doesn't cover. When you are ready to rehang your drapery, you will need to anchor the second carrier to keep it from slipping so that the curtain panels will always come together in the center of the window. There is a good article about how to center a two-way draw curtain rod at RepairWindowBlinds.com. Enjoy.

 

 

When You Re-string a Shade – Use Solid Braid Lift Cord | Reno Blinds Repair

Repair a broken window shade by restringing with solid braid blind cord.

When You Re-string a Shade – Use Solid Braid Lift Cord | Reno Blinds Repair

via Reno Blinds Repair by Dave on 3/19/10

Frayed Cell Shade Cord

Can you use a stronger string?

That's a question I hear a lot. I often have customers say that the lift cord in their blind or shade did not hold up very well to normal usage. They want to know if I can use a replacement cord that will be stronger and more durable.

In most cases, it's not possible to use a heavier or larger cord because it just won't fit through the cord guides or the cord lock. Many cell shades are designed to use a cord that is only 0.9 mm in diameter (that's smaller than the thickness of a dime) and there's not enough clearance for anything bigger.

It's all about the type of braid

Solid Braid vs Diamond Braid

Most, if not all, modern day shade cords are made of nylon or polyester. Cording made from these materials are very strong even in small diameters such as what is used in blinds and shades.

One thing that makes a big difference in how well the cording holds up to normal wear and tear is the way the strands of the cord are braided. The photo on the right shows the difference between "solid braid" (top) and "diamond braid" (bottom).

Strength is equal but surface characteristics are very different

As the photo shows, the surface of the solid braid cord is tighter and smoother. Inside the mechanism of a blind or shade the tighter, smoother braid means less friction and less friction means increased durability.

The solid braid cord is slightly more expensive than diamond braid due to higher manufacturing (braiding) costs but compared to the price of a new blind or shade it's no big deal and the improvement in durability it provides makes it worth it.

So, the next time you replace your window blind cord (or are shopping for a new blind or shade), be sure to specify solid braid shade cord. I wouldn't use anything else.

 

 

How to Repair Vertical Blind Vanes | Reno Blinds Repair

Vertical blind vane repair with vane saver vertical blind repair clips.

How to Repair Vertical Blind Vanes | Reno Blinds Repair

via Reno Blinds Repair by Dave on 3/30/10

If you have a vertical blind on the sliding door in your home, I'll bet this has happened to you........

The plastic material of the vertical slat gets old and brittle and eventually breaks just above the hole where it clips on to the track. Replacement vertical blinds vanes are available but the trick is to match the pattern or color of your existing slats.

When you can't match your color or pattern, what can you do?

Maybe you've decided that it's time for a change, in that case check out these vertical blind alternatives. If new blinds aren't in the budget this year, then you'll want to watch this video about vane repair with vane savers. These little vertical blind repair clips are inexpensive and will allow you to get some more years of use out of that old vertical blind.

 

 

 

Frayed Lift Cords on a 2″ Wood Blind | Reno Blinds Repair

Defective parts on a 2 inch wood blind headrail can cause the pull cord to fray and eventually break.

Frayed Lift Cords on a 2″ Wood Blind | Reno Blinds Repair

via Reno Blinds Repair by Dave on 2/6/10

Yesterday, I replaced the lift cords on a 2" wood blind that had one broken string and another that was badly frayed and probably would have broken soon.
Restringing a wood blind is usually a bit of a yawner, but this one was kind of interesting because it illustrates a problem that is common with wood blinds and faux wood blinds.

Three blinds on one headrail.
This particular blind was from a large window that was almost 8 ft. wide. It was actually 3 wood blinds all on the same headrail.

You've probably seen windows like this. They usually have two smaller panes of glass on either end that can be opened or closed and one larger fixed pane in the center. A typical treatment involves 3 separate blinds, one for each pane. Breaking a big blind up into 3 smaller blinds reduces the size and weight of each individual blind making them more reliable and easier to operate.

The frayed and broken strings were all on the larger blind in the middle.
Even though the window covering had been split up into three smaller blinds, the larger of the 3 was still big enough to cause trouble.

These two photos show lift cords as they are routed through the holes in the bottom of the headrail. You can see the clear plastic inserts that are intended to protect the cords from the unfinished edges of the "route holes" that have been punched through the metal headrail.

Lift Cord on the Smaller Blind

This photo shows the lift cord for one of the smaller blinds. The cord is shown passing through the small round hole in the center of the headrail. The plastic insert is intact and doing its job of protecting the cord from the metal edge.

Lift Cord on the Larger Blind

This photo shows one of the lift cords for the larger center blind. You can see how normal daily usage and the weight of the blind has caused the cord to cut through the plastic insert. The lift cord is now rubbing against the metal edge of the route hole. This photo was taken after the frayed cord was replaced so you don't see any fraying - yet.

Why restring if the weakness is in the design?
The obvious solution would seem to be to replace that plastic insert, but it's usually not that easy. Parts availability is often an issue. Even if a replacement part is available it is likely to fail again for the same reason.

Though restringing is only a temporary fix, it does allow you to continue to use the blind while you plan for replacement. The cost of a repair is not prohibitive - $35 in this case - but it's probably not something that you would want to have to do every six months.

Choose a blind that has a metal insert with a finished edge.
The cord won't cut a metal insert. And if the edges of the metal insert are smooth and finished, the metal won't cut or fray the cord.

Metal Insert with a Finished Edge

This photo shows a metal insert with smooth, finished edges for the cord guides. The photo is taken from inside the headrail. The black piece in the foreground is a built-in roller that the cord passes over as it enters the headrail. The roller minimizes contact between the cord and the insert and reduces friction on the cord as it moves in and out of the headrail. Also, the roller extends to the full width of the headrail, reducing the likelihood that the cord will "jump the track" and get jammed up somewhere.

This is definitely a superior design and something you should look for the next time you are shopping for new wood blinds or faux wood blinds.