Venetian or mini-blinds as they are sometimes called can be both a blessing and a curse. They tend to look good and do a fair job of securing privacy and controlling natural lighting.
However they also have a tendency to break easily, especially if you purchased one of the more inexpensive varieties.
As such, what follows are some basic venetian blind repair techniques that you can employ.
Basic Venetian Blind Anatomy 101
The top of a venetian blind contains a box that is comprised of; a tilt tube, tape ladders, worm gear, a series of pulleys and pull cords.
The tilt tube provides support to a tape ladder. A tape ladder supports the blind’s slates.
Pulling on the tilt cord activates the pulleys and worm gear. They in turn cause the tilt tube to rotate and thus change the pitch of the blind’s slats.
The lift cord is also run through a bunch of pulleys and when tugged on the lift cord will raise or lower the blinds.
The bottom of the venetian blind contains either a series of clamps or staples that hold the tapes to the bottom slat.
Impetuses behind Most Venetian Blind Problems
The most commonly occurring venetian blind problems are caused by dirt in the mechanisms, worn or broken cords, cracked or broken slats and cords that have come loose from the pulleys.
Thoroughly examine your venetian blinds to ascertain where the problem lies. If it is just a little dust or dirt that is keeping them from working, merely remove the blinds and give them a good cleaning.
If it is an issue with the cords, ladders and slats or tapes you will need to take other measures.
Replacing Cords
Begin by removing the blind from the window and then pulling off the clamps located on the blind’s bottom slats. These clamps are what secure the tapes to the bottom slats.
Note that if you are working on wooden blinds yours will have staples instead of clamps.
Once the clamps are removed snip or untie the lift cord at either side of the blind. Afterward pull on the cord and remove it from the blind.
If you are merely replacing the tilt and lift cords, restring the cords. To do so you will need to thread the lift cord up from the base piece on the left hand side and over the pulleys.
Then thread the lift cord from over top of the pulleys and back down the right side. It is imperative to note that the ladder’s rungs should be offset from each other. You will need to weave the lift cord on alternate sides of these rungs.
Once the lift cord has been completely threaded you will need to snip off the tassels from the old tilt cord.
Afterward, thread the new tilt cord over the gear pulley and replace the tassels.
Replacing Ladders and Slats
If you also need to repair or replace the slats you will remove the lift cord as described above and then proceed to the next step.
Now that the lift cord has been withdrawn from the blind the slats should be easy to remove from the ladders. Remove whatever slats you need to and replace them with new slats.
Once the new slats are in place, re-thread the lift and tilt cords as described above.
Replacing Tapes
At the top of the venetian blind you will find a hairpin clip that is responsible for securing each tape to the tilt tube. Remove the hairpins in order to free up the tapes.
Once the tapes have been freed you can attach new tapes. New tapes will need to be attached to both the tilt tube and the base piece.
Once the new tapes are in place extend the ladders and slide the other slats into place. Afterward, re-thread the lift and tilt cords as described previously.
Additional Information
Those that desire additional information about repairing venetian blinds should consult with either the blind’s manufacturer or their local window treatment specialist.
