Installing window blinds is an easy DIY project that even ladies can do, at least in case of bamboo blinds or other very simple types of window treatments which only require a few holes in the window frame to get the job done. Actually, the easiest DIY blinds installation is the inside mount, or ceiling mount as it is also called. The outside mount needs holes to be made in the walls, and that could be problematic in case you don’t have the adequate power tools and accessories. For instance, in case of concrete walls, you’ll need a percussion drilling machine, some carbide drills and plugs, otherwise you won’t be able to get those screws tightly fixed in the wall.
When buying your bamboo blinds, your purchase should include the installation brackets and some mounting screws. The type of the screw is usually specified with your purchase. If they are for wood but you need to screw them in plastic, you may need to buy other screws that are suitable for the type of material you want to use them on. If you don’t know what to buy, either ask the shop assistant for help, explaining her what type of walls you have, or hire somebody to install your bamboo blinds. It can’t be that expensive, after all, and anyway it’s cheaper than damaging the blinds and having to get new ones. However, if you’re keen on doing the installation yourself, keep in mind the following:
The headrail must be level. This is very important, otherwise your blinds won’t operate properly. Even if your window frame is not even, you need to use a level and properly install the headrail. In case of an outside mount you’ll need to do the leveling anyway and mark the correct position for the screws with a pencil. When performing an inside mount, it’s still good to use the level to check on the window frame. If it’s not even, you’ll have to use shims for making sure your headrail will be in the correct operating position.
Basically, bamboo blinds installation resumes to drilling holes and mounting the installation brackets in them with the help of screws. Although the brackets have four holes in them, it’s usually enough to use only two diagonal holes. Those are the ones for which you’ll have to mark the positioning with a pencil, before starting the drilling operation. After the brackets are in position, it’s enough to push the headrail up onto them in such a way that the threaded posts fit through the headrail slots. Finally, don’t forget to secure the headrail by tightening the wing nuts. Instead of wing nuts, some bracket models may have some levers which you have to push towards the headrail in order to secure it to the brackets.
This DIY installation procedure is suitable for bamboo blinds as well as for any other kind of Venetian blinds or Roman shades, provided that they have the same type of headrail and mounting brackets.
Bamboo Roman shades belong to the category of elegant yet affordable window treatments. The classic Roman shades design gives them a very natural look and also helps keeping their price low, because no fancy mechanisms are involved in operating Roman blinds. All they need to move are the strings. This makes them extremely easy to install, too. Although they can’t be used as total blackout window treatments, bamboo Roman shades can provide various degrees of light filtering, depending on how they are woven or if other materials such as wood or matchsticks are alternating with the bamboo slats.
How To Measure For Bamboo Roman Shades
Measuring for bamboo Roman shades depends on the installation type. For inside mount installation, shades need to measure 1/2" less in width than the glass pane. The 1/2" difference will be distributed evenly between the two edges, so the shade will fit well into the window frame. If the difference is bigger, the shades will still fit, but they will allow too much light to pass through the edges, and that could be bothering and not very appealing, esthetically speaking. A smaller difference will cause the shade to fit too tight inside the frame, therefore being exposed to premature wear in case of frequent manipulation.
Inside mount is a bit tricky, because some windows don’t offer enough depth for making it possible, so that’s the first measurement that needs to be taken in order to make sure the windows are appropriate for this type of mount. Typically, the minimum depth for an inside mount should be 1/2" and the depth for a flush fit should be minimum 2”.
When taking the measurements for inside mount installs, it’s always wiser to take three such sets: one at the top, one at the middle and one at the bottom of the window. For measuring the height, three sets are also required: left side, middle and right side. It happens sometimes that windows are not even, therefore the smallest measurements should be taken into consideration in order to avoid surprises.
For outside mount, the exact area to be covered by the shade needs to be measured. It should include also the headrail (this needs to be clearly specified to the shop assistant, as some stores may require different ways of measuring).
When buying made-to-measure Roman shades, measurements should be done with extreme care, because such shades can’t usually be returned to the shop in case they don’t fit. Their custom nature makes them unique, so the probability for the vendor to be able to find another buyer for those custom bamboo Roman shades is very small.