How to choose the width of a roller blind for a window, do-it-yourself cutting methods

• Types and sizes of roller blinds
• The size doesn't fit. How to trim a roller blind with your own hands? How to shorten the length
• How to cut a roller blind to width

Roller blinds are one of the most common options for decorating a window opening. They perform both decorative and practical functions. This compact and stylish sun protection system fits perfectly into almost any room, reliably protects from sunlight, is convenient to use, and easy to manage.

Roller blinds are a structure made of fabric, a rotating shaft and a special mechanism that ensures that the fabric is wound onto a roller. Unlike blinds, their fabric is continuous and there are no gaps, which ensures complete darkness in the room when the curtains are lowered. Compared to conventional curtains, roller blinds are more compact, weigh less, can be rolled up, and are easier to care for, since due to special impregnations they do not collect dust and are less dirty.

Width calculation

The dimensions of the curtains depend on the size of the window and the shape of the sashes. The length of the rolled web is not so important when choosing, because it is standard and adjustable. The standard height of the curtain is 180 cm, the width of the curtains is from a minimum of 25 cm to a maximum of 300 cm. The measurement is always made according to the width indicated on the packaging, taking into account the shaft.

For standard windows, you can select ready-made curtains with instructions and a specified mounting location, but for atypical windows or irregularly shaped windows, you must select the width of the curtain yourself or make an individual order.

To correctly measure a plastic or wooden window for installing curtains you need:

1. Measure the width and length of the glass to determine the minimum required roller blind size.
2. Calculate the depth of the glazing bead (the parts between the glass and the window door). If the glazing bead depth is 1.5 cm or less, the “Mini” roller blind system is suitable. If the size is larger, then the Uni system is suitable.

Rolled fabric, which is attached directly to the sash, shades the room well and when rolled up goes unnoticed.

How to properly shorten roller blinds on guides

Such curtains are shortened in the same way as regular ones, the only difference being that they must first be pulled out of the guides that hold the fabric against the glass when the curtains are lowered.

The guides are mounted so that the fabric does not sag during vertical ventilation. Then the curtains block the sun better, and the window looks neater.

It is very easy to pull the fabric out of the guides, as it can be slightly deformed and then regain its shape. You need to be especially careful with rattan and bamboo curtains so as not to damage the edges.

In all other respects, the process of shortening curtains is no different from what we described above in this article.

MINI system

To calculate the width of the Mini roll sheet for installation on the sash you need:

• Measure the width and height of the glass in mm. Add 40 mm to the resulting width and 120 mm to the height.
• decide on the location of the mechanism for lifting the rolled web, the best option is on the side.
• choose a mounting method, it can be adhesive tape, screws, or a bracket.

The standard width of the roll sheet for mounting on the sash is 9 centimeters greater than the width of the glass. “Mini” curtains are fixed to the sash without drilling, but with the help of plastic fastening, Velcro, and staples.

Types of horizontal blinds.

Horizontal blinds are easy to use and allow you to regulate natural light. When folded, they are quite compact and take up little space. Modern technology for coating lamellas is resistant to fading, which increases the solidity of the product.

Aluminum curtains do not accumulate dirt or static electricity and are easy to clean.

Wooden or bamboo blinds are environmentally friendly, durable and will decorate any interior.

Plastic samples compare favorably in their resistance to high humidity and budget cost.

Learning how to shorten horizontal blinds.

The mechanism is quite simple and it is possible to shorten horizontal blinds by following the recommendations. The device of the horizontal instance is assembled from the following components:

• Bracket with fastening to the window opening;
• The main cornice holding the system;
• Lamels (strips);
• Raising and lowering mechanism;
• Rotating bar;
• Cords for raising slats.

Before changing the design parameters, it is necessary to prepare the tool for work and measure the window opening for the exact size of the type of curtain being manufactured. You will need scissors, a hacksaw, a pencil, and sandpaper.

The principle of action on how to shorten horizontal blinds in height is not complicated and, with the coordination of step-by-step instructions, you can easily change the length of the product:

• Open the bottom strip;
• Remove the knots on the control cords and remove the plastic clips;

• Carefully pull the control cord above the specified level;
• Carefully remove excess strips, moving them to the side, without changing the symmetry of the main structure;
• Pull the parts of the ladder from the removed slats into the fastening hole and secure;
• Put on the fasteners, fasten the cord knots, remove excess residue;
• Place the bottom bar in place at the required length.

Features of vertical blinds.

Vertical blinds refresh the design, harmoniously connect interior items into a single image and visually pull the walls up. When choosing curtains, you need to decide what material they are made from and where they will carry the functional load. Various materials are used in the manufacture of vertical blinds.

Models made of plastic meet all sanitary standards, hold their shape perfectly and reliably darken the room.

Fabric vertical blinds allow you to play with all shades of the spectrum, rich textile textures and be integrated into original designer apartments.

Read also:  DIY chair: 95 photos of the best ideas and stylish projects, how to make a soft, children's, wooden, folding, garden chair

Aluminum curtains are resistant to moisture, require minimal maintenance and are durable to use.

The structure of vertical samples consists of shifting the strips to the left or right side of the window and turning the lamellas at different angles. The mechanism consists of a cornice, plastic hooks that slide at the bottom of the cornice, slats, a connecting chain, a counterweight for evenness of the strips, a cord and a control chain. Such products have a slightly different operating principle; it is necessary to consider how to shorten vertical blinds using your own resources.

UNI system

The Uni system fits into any interior. The roll is hidden in a box; it can be mounted at any level, on the sash or on top of the window opening. Mounted with self-tapping screws.

To calculate the width of roller blinds for installation over an opening you need:

• measure the external dimensions of length and width, using these data, taking into account the dimensions of the guide roller blinds, select a model.
• the height is equal to the sum of the external size of the window and the height of the box 7 centimeters (UNI 2).

The standard width for mounting on a wall above a window opening is 10 centimeters greater than the width of the window opening, so that the panel is lightproof.

Roller blind measurement, UNI 1 system

Roller blind measurement, UNI 2 system

Learning to shorten blinds (horizontal and vertical) (13 photos)

After remodeling the interior and replacing standard windows with new, original window openings, many people think about how to use existing curtains and adjust them to size. Without bothering yourself with a visit to a specialist, you can consider how to shorten blinds at home, saving time and money.

In recent years, blinds have been actively used in interior decoration. The main purpose is to reject direct sunlight and at the same time reduce high temperature in the room. The variety of materials is great, which allows them to be used in various rooms, kitchens, children's rooms or bathrooms. Design samples using blinds change the usual environment and update the interior. This is a fairly simple design of horizontal or vertical strips, which are made not only of fabric, but also of plastic, metal and wood. Using the cord, you can adjust the angle of inclination, move or rotate the slats.

Table of minimum and maximum sizes

Shortening the slats

They will have to be shortened at the top; as mentioned above, the slats have small sewn-in weights at the lower end. Using a tape measure, measure the height from the curtain to the bottom end of the slats. There should be a gap of at least 2 cm between the floor and the slats. Trim each of them with scissors, so that there is room for lapels. Remove the plastic eyelet from the cut piece. To prevent synthetic fabric from fraying from cuts, treat it with a burning match or lighter. Fold the fabric left for the lapel, make a cut in the center, and insert an eyelet into it. Glue the edges of the strip using, for example, “Moment”. Follow the above procedure with each of the slats.

After this, you can begin assembling the shortened structure and securing it to the window. I hope you understand how to shorten vertical blinds. If you don't understand something, the video below should help you.

Before the procedure, you need to prepare the necessary tools, which depend on the type of curtains and the direction of fitting:

The easiest way is to reduce the length of horizontal blinds when the width matches the window parameters. It is enough to disassemble the structure from below in a certain order, remove the excess slats, and then fix the bottom bar again (read about how to make and install horizontal blinds here).

If you choose horizontal blinds, then preference should be given to matching the width rather than the length, since shortening a curtain of this type is easier than trimming metal or wooden slats.

Horizontal

Despite significant visual differences, horizontal blinds have similar components to vertical ones:

The material of the slats is wood, plastic or aluminum. Shortening the height of horizontal blinds is done with scissors and a lighter or matches. This is required to cut the cord and threads of the ladder, burning their ends to maintain integrity. The soldered ends are easier to thread through the holes in the slats.

Instructions for shortening horizontal curtains:

1. Measure the length of the blinds and mark it on the wall. You can use masking tape or other materials that are harmless for finishing and stick to the surface.
2. There are a pair of plastic plugs on the bottom of the final curtain strip. They need to be removed, pulled out a little from the structure so that the control thread can be cut. Here, after this operation, you need to burn the ends of the artificial cords so that they do not unravel.
3. To remove the interfering slats, you must first remove the control cord 1 slat higher from the mark on the wall. Then cut off from 1 to the last “extra” planks after the gap formed. There will be approximately 2 flights of stairs left.
4. The bottom strip with the adjacent lamella is removed and threaded into the empty space left in the main structure.
5. The control cord is passed through all the holes of these slats and strips in the reverse order. Plastic clips are again put on the ends of the cord, which are attached to the recesses on the bar. But before that you need to tuck the protruding ends of the rope ladder.

To do this you need:

1. Remove the cap from one side of the cornice.
2. Remove all elements of the blinds or move them away from the cutting site.
3. Measure the desired width of the product. Use a hacksaw for metal or wood (what the cornice is made of) to make an even vertical cut.
4. Horizontal curtains are also shortened according to the width of the lamella, and new holes are made in each of them at the required distance from the edge for the control cord.

In the case of vertical ones, several extra lamellas are removed. Shortening the width of rolled products requires cutting the entire panel and weight strips, finishing the outer edge.

If we are talking about an expensive product, then it is better not to take risks and take the blinds to professionals.

We suggest watching a video on how to shorten horizontal blinds yourself:

Vertical

Vertical type structures contain the following set of parts and elements:

• chains for lamellas and control cord, lower connection of lamellas;
• weights or weights with which the vertical bar is stretched;
• runners to which individual construction panels are fixed;
• decorative and load-bearing cornice.

You will need the following set of tools to shorten the height of vertical curtains:

• paint knife or scissors;
• tape measure or ruler, simple pencil;
• iron for cauterizing the lower cut part of the product;
• a lighter or matches to form a tight end of the cut cord;
• screwdriver with Phillips bit;
• fine-toothed saw or hacksaw for working with metal.

Vertical blinds can be shortened in both directions: width or height. In the first case, you will need to cut the cornice to the required size, and in the second, each individual canvas will need to be cut, so the process is more labor-intensive than when working with horizontal analogues.

Instructions for shortening vertical curtains:

1. The dimensions of the window opening are taken, including the level of fastening of the cornice, taking into account the method of its installation. If the curtains should be to the floor, then you need to exclude 2 cm from the measurements, which must be left from the floor to the curtains.
2. In case of removing the length of the canvases, shortening the cornice is not required. Since the lower part of the lamellas has a more complex structure, including pockets for weights, linings for connection with plastic chains, therefore the required height is cut from the upper part.
3. Leaving a small margin for lapels, each lamella is trimmed to the required length. The plastic eyelet must be removed from the cut area. To maintain the integrity of the canvas, treat the edges with a lighter or a hot iron through a newspaper so that the material does not stick to the sole of the device.
4. To thread the folded fabric under the lapel, you need to make a hole in the central part of the fabric into which to insert the eyelet. To glue the edges of the strip, strong-hold adhesives of the “Moment” type are used.

The described actions are given for one lamella . It is necessary to shorten each element of the blind structure to the same length.

To reduce the width of vertical curtains, the greatest difficulties will arise with the cornice. To do this you need:

1. The cord and aluminum rod are removed from the inside of the cornice. The rod washer must be undamaged, so the cut on this element is made 2–3 cm further. To avoid accidentally cutting the cord, you should not cut it completely.
2. The rod is removed from the cornice, and after processing with a file, the separated edge is pushed through the washer.
3. At the required point, the curtain itself is cut according to preliminary measurements with the rod already installed back.
4. To ensure that the cut parts of the structure do not damage other elements, they need to be cleaned with a needle file. Excess hooks are removed from the cornice. Since these parts are pierced by the control cord, you need to cut it with wire cutters.
5. The washer on the end part of the curtain is placed figuratively on the structure, followed by shortening the lace. It is necessary to unscrew the plug that secures it with a screwdriver, cut the rope with scissors to the required length, and assemble the cornice structure in the reverse order.

How to cut the width of a curtain (photo instructions)

You can handle the task of cutting the width of the curtain yourself and without special tools. To take all measurements you need to use a length ruler or construction tape.

You can shorten the width of the roll as follows:

1. Cut off the shaft. To do this, subtract the thickness of the bracket from the width of the roll. Measure the required length of the shaft, cut off the excess and install a special plug on it.

2. Lay out the curtain and mark the desired width using a rail.
3. Cut the fabric with a knife.

4. To install the material on the shaft, you need to remove the film from the self-adhesive strip of the shaft. Make sure that the roller blind is wound onto the shaft from the side of the window opening. Check where the curtain lift mechanism will be located. The curtain must be fixed on the shaft strictly in a horizontal direction to avoid distortions. Bend 5 centimeters from the top of the roll to form a fold. Attach the shaft into the fold with the self-adhesive side up.
5. Roll the shaft to the top of the canvas, wrap the roller blind, leaving ¼ of the free edge, and fix the bottom rail.

6. Installation on the bracket has the following sequence: first the edge with the mechanism is inserted, then the other.

It is not difficult to initially correctly measure the width based on the mounting location on the window if you initially select a curtain system model and take measurements from the window opening or sash. But if there is a need to trim the width of the roller blinds, then you can do it yourself.

How to cut roller blinds to length?

Cutting the blade should only be done on a flat surface, using a well-sharpened tool (for example, a hacksaw):

• Unroll the roll and remove the weighting material.
• Measure the required amount of fabric from the bottom edge of the fabric.
• Leave an allowance of 4-5 cm for the “pocket” in which the weighting material will be located, then trim off the excess.
• All that remains is to sew a “pocket” for the weight bar, insert it into place, and the curtain is ready.

Roller blinds with guides are shortened in the same way, but first you need to remove the canvas from them.

Reducing the length of horizontal products

Before shortening horizontal blinds, measure the parameters of the new opening several times. It is important to avoid mistakes in this process, since increasing the parameters of the canvas will be difficult, and in some cases impossible.

If you need to reduce the height of the canvas, follow these steps:

1. Move the product to the “Open” position. Release the retaining cord at the level of the lowest strip. It can be untied or simply cut off.
2. Pull the rope out to the level by which you need to reduce the height of the canvas.
3. Remove all excess blind strips from the structure. When the canvas is adjusted to the required height, secure the cord under the lower lamella. Do this work very carefully, since in the process of removing the strips you can move the strips you need. To return them to their original position, you will have to tinker.

This completes the reduction in the length of the blinds. To prevent the cord from fraying during use, treat its edges with the flame of a lighter.

Size doesn't matter

Unlike traditional curtains, they are attached directly to the frame or top slope. The canvas tightly covers the glass, protecting it from the scorching sun and prying eyes. If desired, a roller blind can be hung over open cabinet shelves or a doorway.

Manufacturers offer a variety of models. The format of standard roller blinds is 200x180 cm, large ones - up to 350x4.5 m.

They are fixed to the upper slope or higher, to the wall. Mini-cassettes are long - 2.2 m, and narrow, minimum width is 0.7 m.

Guides for the canvas are mounted on their sides. In such designs, the canvas does not sag.

Attic doors with a spring liner close automatically.

Shortening the blinds

When starting the shortening procedure, you should take into account that blinds come in several types: vertical or horizontal, and also that reducing the size of this product has its own characteristics.

Shortening horizontal blinds

Let's look at how to shorten horizontal blinds and what is required for this.

Horizontal products are slightly different in design, but just like the vertical type they contain the following elements:

• brackets for mounting to the wall;
• common cornice;
• panels or slats;
• lifting mechanism;
• handle for turning;
• cord for vertical movement.

To shorten blinds, you first need scissors.

The slats can be made of aluminum, plastic or wood. In order to reduce the length of horizontal blinds, the first tool you will need is scissors.

Before starting work, measure the required length of the panel. The plugs on the bottom bar are opened, then you need to untie the knots on the restrictive ropes and remove the clamps.

We shorten it: remove the excess slats, then put on the clamps and tie the knots.

We remove excess slats, put on fasteners, tie knots

Reduce the length of the lifting cords. Now you can put the bottom bar back in place.

In accordance with these instructions, the height is shortened.

To reduce the width, remove the side cover of the cornice. We saw off the cornice to the required size with a hacksaw and return the lid to its place.

We cut the slats to the width of the cornice. It is preferable to entrust the adjustment of the length of expensive models to professionals.

Shortening vertical blinds

Before shortening vertical blinds, let's look at their design.

This product consists of several elements:

• load-bearing and decorative cornice;
• runners from which the canvases are suspended;
• lower connecting chain;
• weights to create weight for the canvas;
• chain or control cord, slats.

Canvases can be made of fabric, plastic, aluminum or bamboo. To learn how to shorten blinds, watch this video:

In order to shorten vertical blinds, you need simple tools:

• a hacksaw or fine-toothed saw;
• crosshead screwdriver;
• scissors or painting knife;
• tape measure and ruler;
• matches or lighter;
• iron;
• pencil.