Installing Vertical Blinds By Yourself
Vertical blinds, like horizontal ones, are fairly simple to install, and come in many different colors and finishes; they are a great way to touch up any room. The type of blind, you choose, is 100% based on your preference and what you are trying to do to a specific area of your home or office. It is more common to see vertical blinds on large window areas, like sliding glass doors, but that does not mean you cannot hang them in a standard size window. Before moving forward, you need to choose where you are hanging the window blinds on the inside or outside of the window frame; this is not a step that can be skipped.
Your first step will be to measure your selected window frame area. You need to ensure that your measurements are precise; it only takes a centimeter to throw the entire project off. So, if you are hanging your blinds on the inside of the frame that is exactly where you will measure – side to side and top to bottom. Put these numbers somewhere useful, buying the wrong size blinds will force you to make another trip to the store.
Now you are ready to buy your blinds. You will need to make sure that you have a few tools, on hand. Check before you go to the store, this way you can buy whatever you may be missing while you are out. You already have a tape measure, or you wouldn’t be at this step in the process. You will need a good marking pencil, flat and Phillips screwdriver (just in case), hammer, finishing nails, drill, hex head and drill bits, level, scissors, and wall anchors.
On top of these tools, there are a few things that do come with your window blinds that make installation much easier. Most window blinds will come with a head rail, vanes or louvers, mounting clips, brackets and screws, and valance pieces. Again, you should have to have any of this on hand; they should be in the box.
The first thing you need to do, once you get home, is open the box and take everything out. Look through all of the pieces that came with the blinds, and make sure nothing is missing. It is also suggested, while tedious steps, to skim over the instructions once before starting your project (you never know, you may never have to look at them again).
So, now it’s time to mark up your walls. This is where your pencil, measuring tape, and level will be used. You need to ensure that the mounting brackets are perfectly level. If they are not, your window blinds will be off balance and you will have to start all over again.
Move forward with securing the mounting brackets to the wall. Once these are securely fastened, you can secure the head rail. The head rail usually just snaps into place, but the locking mechanism may be a bit tricky. Reading the instructions will tell you exactly how to lock the head rail securely.
Finally, you can start installing the individual louvers – window blinds – onto the head rail. Again, each set of blinds may vary for locking positions, read the directions carefully. You will install these one by one until you have completely installed your vertical blinds. Finishing touches, like cords, will come easy to you at this point. Before you know it you will have functional blinds that added a bit of character to your room.
Many readers may wish to find out more about vertical blinds, and may visit Jesita Jerik’s web store to choose the best window blinds for their needs and save money at the same time.