Selecting and installing roller blinds: overview of all parameters and instructions

We select roller blinds by type of design, size, and transparency, and also tell you how to install them on a window without drilling and using special tools.

Increasingly, home and apartment owners are abandoning traditional multi-layer curtains in favor of more modern models. Among the favorites are roller blinds for windows. Let’s figure out how to choose and install them correctly.   

Roller shutter design

There are many types of light-protective sheets, but they have common features. All of them consist of a metal tube-roller, or rod, on which fabric is wound: bamboo or cotton material. The length is adjusted using a chain that is attached to a rotating mechanism on one side of the roll.

Usually, at the bottom of the curtain there is a steel or wooden weight bar that protects it from deformation, allows it to hang evenly, and fits tightly to the glass. The latter is achieved using a pair of small magnets that are glued to the bottom of the frame and attract the weighting material, if it is metal.

You can take a more complicated route and thread a fishing line through the guides, which will hold the roller shutter during wind fluctuations and opening in the “window” mode. It must first be threaded into the upper fasteners several times so that when tensioned it does not pull out. Unwind it all the way and insert it into the special eyelet on the weight bar. At the bottom of the frame, attach small corners with holes for the fishing line. Pull it there, tie it, cut off the excess.

Sometimes manufacturers install a spring inside the shaft. In this case, there is no need to fiddle with the cord with your hands to open or close the “roll”. It is enough to pull the plumb line located on the bottom bar with a little effort.

Dimensions

They are different. The length can reach 1.5 m. The standard width is 50 cm, but there are models 30 cm, 150, and more. Very small roller blinds, designed literally for one double-glazed window, are called “mini”. Sometimes they are hung together with ordinary curtains, especially if you need to combine two tasks: to make the atmosphere cozy and to shade the room as much as possible.

Kinds

Open 

They are also called classics. The shaft on which the roll is wound is visible to everyone, but this does not spoil the interior. Moreover, there is a significant plus. The crossbar can be shortened if you have the right tools. The canvas itself can also be adjusted to fit the opening if you made a mistake with the dimensions or simply did not find the ideal option in the store.

Open structures are most often installed on small windows. Those that can be hung without drilling the frame have PVC clips on both sides of the top edge; they have holes into which both ends of the metal rod are then inserted. These clamps are held on fasteners that are pre-drilled to the wall with screws.

Models that require mounting directly on the frame can be mounted either with self-tapping screws or Velcro. The first option is the most reliable, but it’s not suitable for everyone: the warranty on double-glazed windows expires or you don’t want holes to remain on the crossbar after removing the decor. The second method is especially good for “mini” type products, which, due to their low weight, can be held for years on corner clamps that are placed on the open sash.

Cassette  

They, like their open counterparts, come in different sizes, including “standard” and “mini”. You can also fix them using self-tapping screws or double-sided tape. They differ from the previous category in appearance: the textile roller is hidden in a compact plastic box located on the frame. They are not attached to the wall above the opening – this is a purely window structure. They cost more than the first type, but they look neater.

Cassette varieties, both with and without a spring, are mounted only on glazing beads, and not on the entire opening. They are particularly demanding in terms of measurement accuracy. Otherwise, the cassette will not fit or the rod will not be enough to “catch” the opposite edges of the sash. Please note that when unfolded they cover about half of the window sill. Therefore, if it is occupied by flowers or other decor, it is better to choose a system that is installed above the opening. Otherwise, it will not be possible to fully expand it.

Degree of transparency

The material for making roller shutters is most often dense fabric. It can be cotton, synthetics, or mixed materials. The degree of transparency varies depending on the fabric. Based on this feature, three types of roller shutters are distinguished; they are presented in the table.

Curtain type	Properties
Blackout	Light reflection is about 95%. They do not allow light to pass through, they block cold and street noise.
Dimout	Complete darkness is possible only at night; during the day they are translucent. They allow diffused light to pass through, shading the room.
Transparent	They do not block the penetration of sunlight into the room. In natural light, the view of the interior of the room from the street is blocked.

Relatively recently, an interesting variety has appeared, with the ability to regulate the degree of illumination of the room. It is called a day/night or zebra roller blind. These are two panels, each of which is assembled from strips of transparent and light-proof fabric. The strips move one relative to the other, either completely darkening the room or allowing access to the sun’s rays.

The materials for making roller shutters are impregnated with special compounds, so they repel dirt, do not attract dust, and do not become electrified. The finishing of the panels can be very different. Photo printing has been especially popular lately, which allows you to create very interesting solutions for interior design.

Roller blinds for plastic windows

For plastic windows, special designs have been developed that are attached to the sash. There are three such systems: Mini, Uni1, and Uni2. The first is an open-type roller blind, which is installed on the top bar of the sash. Uni1 is a cassette model with guides. It is installed between the glazing beads. It fits tightly to the glass, so it completely darkens the room. True, such a system cannot be used if the glazing beads are of small height. 

The Uni2 variety, together with the guides, is fixed on top of the sash. Therefore, it can be installed on any type of window. In this case, the canvas does not stick to the glass and the guides do not cover its opening. All types are focused on the size of plastic windows. Therefore, choosing the right one for a standard window system is not difficult. For non-standard ones, they buy custom-made roller shutters.

Necessary measurements before installation 

They need to be completed not only before installation but at an even earlier stage – before purchase. If you miss the width and height, the fabric may interfere with the opening and closing of the window. After a few weeks of use, the corner of the cornice will easily crumble the putty on the slope and hollow out a small but unsightly depression in it. Moreover, clinging to the handle of the glass unit, the cut edge will fray, and the structure itself will fall off the Velcro. Problems with darkening cannot be avoided – there will always be gaps. 

Measurements are performed with a regular tape measure. Having decided what type of roller curtains you want, determine the width, height of the opening, and individual sashes. Let us remind you that you can adjust a long open-type roller shutter to the desired size. This is generally not difficult, but you will have to tinker.

You will need:

• pencil
• tape measure or ruler
• scissors, stationery knife
• metal hacksaw for shortening the rod
• file (sandpaper will also work).

You can work on the floor because not every home has tables that can accommodate an unfolded curtain. You will have to disassemble it into individual components: shaft, fabric (or bamboo), and weighting material.

How to shorten a curtain

1. Cut the rod exactly to the required width. Finish the edge with a file or sandpaper to remove nicks.
2. Mark the canvas exactly how you want to cut it. It should be 8–10 mm narrower than the shaft. Use only well-sharpened scissors.
3. Using a hacksaw, adjust the length of the finishing strip so that the curtain is 10–15 mm wider than it.
4. Now you can assemble the components again into a single system: tuck the curtain into the weighting material, put it on the shaft, secure the plugs, and roll the material into a roll.

Make sure that the chain does not get tangled and does not go astray from the rotation wheel. 

How to shorten without disassembling the structure

• remove the weighting material,
• cut the curtain
• Make a “pocket pipe” at the bottom along the diameter of the bar and insert it there.

Installation of roller blinds

Given the variety of roller shutters, there cannot be any one universal installation method that is equally convenient for all cases. Heavy curtains are mounted using screws. Here you cannot do without a drill, as is the case if the fasteners are installed on a wall or in a window opening. Some lightweight models have holes for self-tapping screws, which does not require any other installation method. 

Attaching blinds to plastic windows without drilling is only possible if they are hung directly on the sash. Of course, the use of screws here is permissible, but not necessary and even undesirable, since it can lead to depressurization of the double-glazed window and deterioration of its thermal insulation properties. Without drilling, they are attached in two ways:

• using double-sided tape;
• using special hooks made of plastic or metal that are fixed on the sash.

Let’s look at both possible methods.

Securing with double-sided tape

The easiest option to implement. The roller or cassette is glued to the base. It is important to degrease the surfaces to be glued, otherwise the connection will not be strong. The advantage of this method is its ease of implementation. However, you need to remember that the glue will only support lightweight roller blinds, so cassette-type products can hardly be secured in this way. 

Another disadvantage is the sensitivity of the adhesive layer to increased temperature. There are often cases when, in the summer heat, curtains simply slide out of place, leaving melted glue on the frame. First, they assemble the product, which is sold disassembled. To do everything correctly, you need to use the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Installation sequence:

1. Make sure the frame is warm, dry, and clean.
2. Let’s mark the location.
3. Degrease the bonding areas.
4. Cut a piece of double-sided tape to the desired size. Remove the protective tape from one side and glue it to the fasteners.
5. Remove the protection from the other side and secure the parts to the base.
6. Insert the clamps for the roller.
7. We install the roller with the panel in place.

Installation with clips

In this case, it is assumed that the rolls are equipped with special clips. The latter are attached to the window sash and hold the roller. Such systems are very easy to install, reliable, and can be dismantled and secured in another location. The main disadvantage is installation limitations. Some models of window designs do not allow the installation of such models.

Installation sequence:

1. Open the window and try on the clips on it. The frame should close tightly.
2. We outline areas for installing clips. They should not be an obstacle to opening/closing.
3. We put the clips in place. Additionally, we glue them with double-sided tape. 
4. We install the side clamps and insert the shaft into them.
5. All that remains is to check the functionality of the new design.

Self-tapping installation

Installation is carried out similarly to the methods described above with the difference that the side clamps are installed with drilling. This requires particularly careful marking. Extra holes will not decorate the interior.

Installation sequence:

1. We outline the locations of the fasteners.
2. We drill holes, put the side clamps in place, and secure them with self-tapping screws.
3. We put the roller with the cloth in place and closed the plugs.
4. We prepare the guides for installation, and remove the protective tape from the self-adhesive layer. Lower the curtain by 20-25 cm.
5. We place the canvas under the guides and carefully glue them in place.
6. We install limiters on the chain mechanism or a decorative weight on the weight bar. We check the functionality.

Installation of cassette models

1. First, apply the markings.
2. Using a level, adjust the “horizon” of the location of the roller shutter.
3. Drill holes at the marked points.
4. Using self-tapping screws at the top of the glass unit, screw the box with the roll rolled up inside it.
5. If you don’t want to make holes, use tape at least a millimeter thick. But first, work some magic on the markings so that the box hangs evenly.

Fastening roller shutters “mix”

Models that can be opened not only from the bottom but also from the top are becoming very popular. We’ll tell you how to hang them. Measurements are taken along the outer edges of the beads: both in width and height. This will be the perimeter of the fabric cut, and the whole product will be 26 mm wider due to the box. The package includes a fishing line that needs to be cut in half. 

Installation sequence

1. We stretch the end of the fishing line into the hole of each fastening and tie it with a double knot.
2. Using self-tapping screws, we fix all four fastenings (a pair of lower and upper ones) to the glazing beads.
3. We insert the line first into the lower bar, and then into the upper one.
4. We thread the free ends of the cable into the holes of both upper fasteners.
5. Tighten the fastening clamp with a screwdriver, slightly tensioning the fishing line.
6. We stretch the fishing line to the lower fastenings and fix it there.
7. Trim off the excess cord.

That’s it, the fabric cassette can move up and down, revealing the panorama of the street the way you want. The box can also be made motionless by screwing it to the frame through special holes. Whatever installation option you choose, remember that the control chain needs to be moved away from children’s hands if there is a child in the house. Install the holder for it at such a height that the baby cannot reach it. We invite you to watch a video on how to secure roller blinds.

Roller shutters are a good solution for any interior. They are practical, and beautiful and allow you to effectively regulate the level of illumination in the room. Night/day roller blinds are especially good for this. For those who do not want to give up traditional curtains, we can recommend using them in combination with rolls. The result is very interesting and functional combinations.

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