How To Install Blinds Outside Window Frame

How to Install Blinds on Windows

Installing window blinds is a simple projection near DIYers can do in an hour or so. Before getting started, still, acquire how to select the right blinds and measure out for the correct fit.

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To filter the light that enters your home and control your level of privacy, blinds are oftentimes a upkeep-friendly and style-friendly selection. Easy to conform, these slatted window treatments can be pulled out of the way for an unobstructed view, partially closed to filter light, or closed completely to ensconce you lot.

Since blinds are available in a host of sizes, materials, and price points, it's helpful to know how to determine the best choice for your habitation—and how to install vertical blinds or horizontal blinds on just about whatever blazon of window.

What to Consider Before Hanging Blinds

While hanging blinds is a DIY project that can be completed adequately chop-chop, there are crucial considerations to ensure you purchase the right size and manner then installation goes smoothly. It's important that measurements are taken accurately and the blazon of blinds selected work with the window. Keep reading to find out more about the dissimilar types of blinds.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Blinds

There are many styles of blinds available, only at that place are merely ii master types: horizontal blinds and vertical blinds. A few factors tin can help yous decide betwixt the 2 kinds.

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Horizontal blinds work well on small, narrow windows to add visual appeal while decision-making light and providing privacy. These blinds look best on pocket-size- to average-size windows, because wider spans tin sag in the middle. Horizontal blinds have private slats that overlap when the blind is fully airtight. By twisting the attached wand that controls a series of connected cords, you tin can accommodate the slats to allow in as much or as little lite as you choose. Horizontal blinds can also exist raised or lowered as desired.

These blinds tin can be purchased in a diversity of materials, sizes, and thicknesses. Mini blinds slats are approximately ½-inch broad, while retro-fashion slats can be up to 3 inches wide. Personal preference dictates the installed width for exterior-mounted blinds. Blinds installed inside the window frame can be equally wide every bit the infinite allows without protruding past the opening. Basic horizontal blinds price as little as $xv for a small set. Custom blinds or those sized for big windows can run $200 or more, depending on the quality of the product and the materials used.

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Vertical blinds feature a top rails from which private vanes (or slats) hang, and while they won't sag, they do tend to sway with air motion. They're frequently used on sliding drinking glass patio doors and wide windows. Many vertical blinds can be slid aside using a wand; the wand can as well be twisted to rotate the individual vanes, adjusting the amount of light immune into the room. Some vertical blinds operate by pull cords located on one side of the window. Like horizontal blinds, vertical versions come up in a wide range of fabric choices and prices. A no-frills set of blinds might run about $50, only you could spend $400 or so on custom blinds made with college-quality materials.

Prophylactic warning: Long pull cords pose a known run a risk of strangulation to pets and small children. Many blind manufacturers have voluntarily done away with cords, but some pull-cord models remain on the market and in older homes. Families with young children should opt for cordless blinds that operate via an culling method, such as a button-push elevator mechanism in the bottom rail.

Window Blind Materials

Blinds are available in a host of materials to conform a diversity of tastes, needs, and budgets.

• Vinyl is i of the nearly pop materials considering it'due south inexpensive and easy to clean, and there is a choice of a variety of colors and sizes. Vinyl blinds are the most economical, ranging from $xv for calorie-free-gauge vinyl for a pocket-size window to more than than $100 for larger sizes or heavier-gauge vinyl.
• Woods blinds add together a warm, natural wait to a room and come up in many pop finishes, including oak, walnut, ruby-red, and mahogany to lucifer existing trim or furniture. Prices range from $35 to more than than $200, depending on window size and wood type.
• Faux wood blinds, made from PVC or a composite material, closely mimic the real thing, but they resist humidity better than wood, making them a smart choice for steamy bathrooms. Prices range from $xv to $100 and up.
• Sleek aluminum blinds requite windows a contemporary look. Expect to pay between $20 to $100 and up, depending on size.
• Specialty blinds offer optional material features, such equally fabric-wrapped slats or increased light-blocking ability. Prices get-go at $20 simply vary widely and tin can price upward of $400 for fabric-covered custom slats or vanes to match defunction or upholstery.

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How to Mountain Blinds

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Installing new blinds is a job that tin be completed in an afternoon. The post-obit steps outline how to mount nearly types of blinds to windows.

SUPPLIES
– Window blinds (blinds come up packaged with the necessary hardware, including mounting brackets and screws)
– Tape measure
– Stud finder
– Drill

STEP 1: Select the desired way of blinds.

When selecting new window blinds, consider which material, thickness, and mounting way would work best to complement and coordinate with the existing features in the room, like the window frame material, wall paneling, lighting style, and furniture.

Blinds are made from "hard" materials, such as vinyl or wood, as opposed to roller shades, which are constructed from textile. As discussed in the higher up section, horizontal blinds characteristic private slats, while vertical blinds take "vanes," which are slats that hang vertically. Both horizontal and vertical blinds can be stand-alone window treatments for a minimalist modern look, or paired with defunction for a softer, more traditional upshot.

After deciding on the type and material of your blinds, the last stylistic decision to make is whether to mount them within the window frame, or on the wall around the window. (You'll need to know your window frame's depth when yous social club inside-mount window blinds for them to fit correctly.)

When layering window treatments, an inside mount tin can make for a cleaner wait. It is possible to layer window treatments on the wall, however, as long as the window blinds and drapery brackets are spaced farther from the window with each additional layer.

Stride 2: Measure the window frame to determine the size of blinds you demand.

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Precise measuring is crucial if your blinds are to operate smoothly and block sunlight effectively. Non only will you lot need to know the width and length of the window or doorframe, but you lot'll likewise need to adjust your figures as directed beneath for proper fit and function. Rounding upward will give yous a size that's too big and will create a big problem if you're installing inside-mount blinds.

Use a tape measure to determine the depth of your inside window frame, and check the bullheaded'southward minimum depth requirement (listed on the product specifications) to ensure a proper fit.

If you're ordering custom blinds, the manufacturer can cut them to your specs; DIY stores will too oft cut blinds to fit your window's measurements.

Measuring for Inside-Mount Blinds

• Measure the inside width of the window frame at iii unlike spots: the top, the bottom, and in the heart. It's important to measure all iii areas because window framing tin easily be out of square, fifty-fifty if you can't see it with the naked eye. Record the shortest measurement to ensure that you won't end upwardly with a bullheaded that's too wide to fit in the tightest spot of the window frame.
• Measure the peak of the inside window frame in the aforementioned style, from top to bottom on the left, then on the correct, and again in the heart. This time, record the longest measurement to make sure that the bottom track on your new blind will be long enough to reach the windowsill fifty-fifty if at that place is a discrepancy in the window framing. If you're choosing horizontal blinds and at that place is a large departure in the lengths, consider choosing a thinner blind that will brand the difference less obvious than thicker blinds.
• Round both measurements down to the nearest ⅛-inch increment. Rounding downwards the width measurements allows for a small space on both sides of the installed blind—only enough to pull information technology upward without rubbing the window frame while notwithstanding offer maximum privacy and light control. The precise length measurement will ensure that the bottom runway will rest a hair above the windowsill, without laying on the sill itself, when lowered to its lowest position. Examples:
  • If the width measurement is xviii 15/16 inches, round it down to 18 ⅞ inches.
  • If the length is 30 3/sixteen inches, round it down to 30 ⅛ inches.

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Measuring for Outside-Mountain Horizontal Blinds

1. Measure the hanging width at the tiptop, from exterior edge to outside border. Then add 3 inches.
2. Measure the hanging length of the blinds from the center of the window. And so add another iii inches to ensure sufficient sunlight blockage and privacy around the edges of the blinds.

Measuring for Outside-Mountain Vertical Blinds

1. Decide the length by measuring from the height of the window or doorframe to the floor. If installing the track at a standard 4 inches higher up the tiptop of the doorframe, add 3½ inches to the measurement. This three½ inches allows sufficient room while keeping the lesser of the vanes ½ inch above the flooring, so they won't drag when y'all slide the blinds. Many vertical blinds require 4 inches above the doorframe to accommodate the track.
2. Measure the width of the door from exterior edge to outside border and add iv inches. The extra width will help block unwanted lite from the sides of the blinds.

STEP three: Attach the brackets.

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Earlier you begin installation, read your model's specialized set of instructions on how to put blinds up and check that the hardware is included.

Blinds can either exist installed inside the window frame (for within-mount blinds) or on the wall on either side of the window (for exterior-mount blinds). Horizontal blinds that are longer than a single standard-size window will ofttimes come with an additional centre back up bracket to keep the middle of the blinds from sagging.

Mensurate and mark with a pencil where the support bracket will go. For heavy exterior-mount blinds, employ a stud finder to make sure the brackets volition be attached to a stud behind the drywall. Use the included fasteners and a drill to secure the brackets to the wall.

Footstep 4: Install the upper rail or vanes.

Once brackets are in identify, fit the upper runway of the blind into the brackets (for horizontal blinds) or hang the vanes on the upper track (for vertical blinds). Typically, blinds will just clip into place with a little bit of force per unit area.

The method for how to clip brackets into place depends on the production, and so be sure to review the production's installation data for specifics. Tools are not usually required for this step.

STEP 5: Snap the finishing valance into place.

Both horizontal and vertical blinds usually come with a finished front slice, called a valance, that snaps in identify over the top rail to comprehend the brackets and give the blind a finished await. This piece usually complements the await of the blinds, and no tools are required for this pace.

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Tips for Keeping Blinds Clean

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Blinds do collect dust, and so intendance for them regularly to keep them looking new.

• Swipe all blinds periodically with a microfiber duster or a blind-dusting tool designed with "fingers" that fit between individual slats.
• For occasional deeper cleaning of vinyl, composite, or PVC blinds, lift them from their brackets and take them outdoors. Spray with all-purpose household cleaner and wipe the slats with a damp cloth. Rinse with a fine spray from your garden hose, and allow them to dry out completely earlier rehanging.
• For wood blinds, lightly mist with furniture shine and wipe each slat or vane make clean with a soft dusting cloth.
• Vacuum fabric-covered blinds with the brush zipper to banish dust, merely leave spot removal and deep cleaning to a professional cleaner.

Terminal Thoughts

Installing blinds can be an easy DIY project that requires just a few tools. While at that place are seemingly endless choices of material, size, and style, choosing the right size blinds is essential for stress-free quick installation. Larn how to measure for horizontal and vertical blinds before selecting blinds for a window or patio door, and and then learn how to hang window blinds with this easy stride-by-pace guide.

FAQs Nigh How to Mount Window Blinds

Now that you are familiar with how to mount blinds, you may accept a few lingering questions about your specific situation. Below are answers to some of the most common questions almost how to mount window blinds.

Q. Can you install blinds without a drill?

Yep, you can mountain blinds without a drill. Information technology will take a little longer, but you can use a boom with a slimmer diameter to create a pilot hole. Then, utilize a screwdriver to spike the screws through the brackets and the pilot pigsty.

Q. How practise you hang blinds without brackets?

If you are wondering how to hang blinds without brackets, it's possible to use adhesive hooks or blinds with adhesive built in to hang blinds. While these might work temporarily, using brackets is recommended for long-term use.

Q. Is it like shooting fish in a barrel to install blinds yourself?

Depending on the mounting height, bullheaded size, and weight of the bullheaded, it is easy to install blinds without assistance. If mounting blinds requires the utilize of a ladder or the blinds are difficult to maneuver, information technology is recommended to work with a helper.

Q. How long does information technology take to install window blinds?

Information technology takes less than an hour to install a set of window blinds on a standard-size window.

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Source: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-install-blinds/

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