Sometimes we make a mistake in ordering home decor items that do not fit properly, roller blinds can be expensive so instead of placing another order have you thought about trimming your existing blinds so they fit exactly how you want them?
Roller blinds are window blinds that make use of a single fabric sheet to cover the windows. It’s easy to cut roller blinds as the process is quite simple. Often, the materials for making the product are thin, you can easily use a hacksaw or knife to get rid of the unwanted section.
If you get accurate measurements and work carefully, you can easily trim your roller blinds. The idea is to use the right tools and be careful. Let’s find out more.
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Can You Trim Down Roller Shades at Home?
The short answer is, yes. Roller blinds are easy to trim or shorten. In fact, they don’t have pulleys or strings. Therefore, you can trim the fabric where it connects to the roller. For instance, when the shed is excessively long, it’s easy to shorten it.
Some homeowners go for shades that cover the top half of the windows when pulled down. In short, even if you are just a beginner, you can do the trimming using basic tools.
Can You Shorten a Roller Blind?
If you have ended up buying long roller blinds, you can reduce them to the desired size to meet your needs. All you need to do is use the right set of tools and do the job carefully. This will help you get the job done.
What is the Best Way to Cut Roller Blinds?
As far as buying a ready-made roller blind is concerned, know that they are made for regular window sizes. But the problem is that there is nothing like a regular window. Typically, homes are constructed based on specific specifications based on different needs.
Unless you are lucky, you may need to opt for a roller blind that is a little bigger than your home or office windows. Afterward, you can make necessary adjustments to meet your needs. You can do quite easily. Therefore, if you want money, this option can work great for you.
However, if you can’t do the trimming yourself, you may end up running the finish of your blinds. So, you should do it carefully. Let’s take a look at the best way of cutting roller blinds.
Take Accurate Measurements
First of all, you should measure the width of the frame of the window. It’s better to get the measurement of the top of the window. However, you should take this measurement at many heights, especially if the case is wonky.
If the blind will go into the recess of your home window, you can take one centimeter off the measurement for the best fit. Aside from this, you should consider the space needed for the brackets.
Once you know the amount of space you have, you can apply these measurement tricks to mark the fabric using pencil marks. However, make sure you unravel the fabric and put it on an even, flat surface first. You may want to adjust the blind fabric or you may end up cutting the fabric the wrong way.
Remember: you should trim the roller blind on a cordless side. Also, you should also trim the headrail with a hacksaw. If you trim the wrong side, you will have to cut the controlling system as well. And this will make the blind useless for you.
You should put the unrolled blind on a square, flat surface like a dining table. Then you should perform the alignment of the edge of the roller blind fabric with the table edge. This will help you have an edge that won’t fold or move under stress.
With the table edge to hold the tape measure, extend the measurement tool across the blind width and leave a pencil mark to cut at the right spot. While doing so, make sure that the tape measure tool is parallel to the bottom or top of the table. And this will help create a straight line. You may want to repeat this process at more than one point along with the fabric height.
Next, you should join the dots with a long ruler or straight edge by marking a line along the blind fabric using a pencil.
Cut the Blind Fabric
If your roller blind is made with a PVC-like material, you can use a craft knife to cut the fabric. In this case, you need to insert a sheet of cardboard underneath the fabric to make sure no damage is done to the table.
If you have thicker material, you can use a pair of scissors designed to cut hard fabric. Once you are all set, you can go ahead and cut the fabric to make it the right size for your window.
Trim the Top and Bottom Rails
Now, you may be left with a top header and bottom rail system that may be too long on aside. Also, you have a blind fabric cut to the right size. Now, all you need to do is saw through the protruding rails of the blind. Make sure you saw carefully through the rail in order to avoid crushing or deforming the cardboard components or the plastic.
As soon as you have done this, you will have a pair of loose pieces. You can remove them by hand and put them back on the top header and bottom rail mechanism. Then you can get rid of the remaining pieces of the rail.
Finally, you will have an adjusted roller blind, which can be fit in your window. So, if you take your time and follow the guidelines given in this article, you will be able to do the job perfectly. All the cuts will be straight and smooth. Plus, the roller blind will look like it was designed for your own window.
Long story short, if you have a roller blind that doesn’t fit your window, we suggest that you follow the instructions given above. This will help you cut the roller bind to resize it based on your needs. Hopefully, this article will make your job much easier and solve the “how to trim roller blinds?” conundrum that will also save you a little money at the same time.