Cutting down a black out blind - is it really that easy?

[stressed2007]

Hi. I have bought some blackout blinds for the window in my daughter's bedroom. The windows are a tiny bit too big for the 4 foot blind and way too small for the 5 foot ones. So it seems we have to cut the larger blind down. The shop said it would be easy - I have my doubts as you have to ensure you cut a very straight line down a lot of material and saw the roll down with a hack saw. Surely however good you are at this it is going to be a bodge job?

The shop has tried to discourage me from having blinds custom made as they will cost £220+ a blind but has anyone cut a blind and it looks ok? Is the quality in terms of black out going to be the same as having one made anyway?

Thanks

[Jackstini]

Yes - have done both dc's bedroom blinds this way.
Measure in at a few points on the blind then use something straight to connect the dots and draw the line on the back of the blind before cutting it.

[whatname]

Is it the width that's too big or the length?
Can you not just put the attachments a bit wider, or do you want it to sit inside the frame?

[stressed2007]

The width.

The point is putting a 5 foot blind across a just over 4 foot window looks very odd and it needs to be cut to something like 4 foot 2 inches to look more usual.

[Fizzylemonade]

Order a made to measure on-line!!!

I did, we have faffed about in the past cutting blinds down which includes hacksawing through the tube that the blind wraps around and the endless measuring of the material and cutting of that.

We had black out blinds in white (you can get samples sent which we did before we bought, and they do come in loads of colours) and a blind of approx 5ft wide by 5ft drop would be less than £40

We used these people for both blackout roller blinds, and wooden Venetian blinds.

Cannot praise them enough. Samples were great as it meant we could feel the quality of the blind before we went ahead and bought it.

[cece]

Ours look OK if you don't look too closely. DH took the instructions a bit too literally and cut the whole lot (central roll and the fabric blind) down with a hacksaw

[noddyholder]

i have been renovating houses for years can do a bit of plumbing plastering fitted units decorating but I have NEVER been able to get a blind cut properly doing it myself

[serenity]

We did it the way cece's DH did, and in fact I think it's easier than unrolling and cutting. Do the whole thing rolled, and then all you need to do is 'tidy' the edges with a craft knife.

I work in that section in IKEA, and I'd say of the customers who I've discussed it with, over half do it that way (I tell people both now)

[cece]

Ah I thought DH had invented that method. LOL. Don't mention it to him as I told him off for doing it wrong

[littlemissindecisive]

We have the ikea ones - and over the years they have shrunk!!!! Honestly...not sure whether its the heat from the sun on the fabric. Dh did one and i did the other (at different times) and they were great....now there is an inch gap on both windows so quite useless.

[serenity]

Really? Never heard that before! You should tell them.

[gypsymummy]

sorry i am interested in this too..but i did nto get the technique right cece and serenity how do you cut through the whole lot? also is it easy to actually put them up? are the instructions easy to follow for a novice?

[littlemissindecisive]

I know I'm gutted - we have huge windows so the ikea ones were a bargain - and great until recently. Not sure how we could prove this? Am keeping an eye on DS's - although his room doesn't get the sun as much. We actually bought another on as we thought we'd put one of them up wrong (but still have it in the box)...and then have noticed that DD's blind is shrinking too. It honestly used to fit great, overlapping the widown frame and now doesn't and we're sure its nothing to do with opening and closing and the way it re-rolls up.

[littlemissindecisive]

The wooden batons at the bottom used to be the right size, and now they poke out of the ends

[Lynli]

My Dh cut our blinds. I wouldn't do the whole thing at once. Lay it out on the floor and use a straight edge, we used the spirit level, and draw a line to cut along. Cut with a large pair of scissors.

[serenity]

When did you get them littlemissindecisive? I can mention it to our Quality control guy, but unless they start getting complaints/reports from customers I doubt he can do anything (vague 'someone I spoke to on the net' will be interesting, rather than something he can follow up on) Might have just been a particular batch? IDK, I can ask though if anyone knows anything about it.

[LowLevelWhinging]

yep, get made to measure online, really very reasonably priced as Fizzy says. Ours were about £40 and £60 for some very long windows. I think we used a site called something like blinds247.