Everything You Need To Know To Install Venetian Blinds

Venetian blinds offer excellent light control and privacy benefits for your home. At Spotlight, you can discover a great selection of venetian blind styles including timber venetian blinds, faux wood venetian blinds, PVC venetian blinds and aluminium venetian blinds. With a range of materials and sizes to choose from, venetian blinds are a great option for just about any room in your home. Whether you've opted for PVC venetians for your kitchen and bathroom, or chosen wide-slat faux wood venetians for their elegant shutter-style aesthetic, the question remains - how do I install my new venetian blinds?

With a few professional tips and tricks up your sleeve, you'll find the process simple thanks to Spotlight's comprehensive guide to installing venetian blinds. You'll be able to show off your brand new blinds to their full potential, while making sure they offer the maximum benefits to any space in your home. This guide features everything you need to know about installing venetian blinds - including required equipment, blind mounting styles and answers to all your FAQs!

Quick Links

• Starting Point: What Do I Need To Install Venetian Blinds?
• Guide To Measuring For Venetian Blinds
• Installing Venetian Blinds: Video Tutorial
• Step By Step Installation Guide
• Can I Cut Venetian Blinds To Size Myself?
• Venetian Blinds Installation FAQs
• Find The Perfect Window Coverings For Your Home With Spotlight

Starting Point: What Do I Need To Install Venetian Blinds?

Spotlight's venetian blinds include all the screws, brackets, installation instructions and other hardware necessary for installation. To complete your venetian blinds installation you will also need:

• Measuring tape: Use a metal tape measure for any blind DIY jobs, as fabric dressmaking tapes can be prone to stretching and are more difficult to keep level.
• Pencil: A sharp HB or 2B grey lead pencil is perfect for marking the venetian blind bracket positions.
• Electric Drill: The powerful nature of an electric drill is recommended for easily drilling holes for screws. The addition of an impact driver attachment for installing the screws will ensure they are fully secured.
• Step Ladder: Safely reach the tops of your window architraves with a step ladder for all your measuring, marking and bracket installation processes.
• Screwdriver (Phillips Head): A screwdriver is essential if you're not using a drill impact driver attachment to screw the brackets into your window frame.
• Spirit Level: A spirit level will provide reassurance that your brackets are perfectly aligned and level.

Guide To Measuring For Venetian Blinds

An important consideration when it comes to measuring for any blind is the mount type - do you want them on the inside or the outside of the window frame? Blinds installed on the inside of the architrave or window framing is known as recess fit. Outside mounted blinds, or those installed on or above the architraves are referred to as face fit.

Measuring for Recess Fit Venetian Blinds (Inside Mount)

• Measure the width at 3 points across to check the window is square. If uneven, the narrowest of the 3 measurements is to be used.
• Measure the height or "drop" at 3 points to check your window is square. If uneven, the shortest measurement is to be used.
• Measure the depth of the window frame to ensure the brackets have enough space for installation, and that the blind will not interfere with window opening mechanisms.

Recess Fit Allowance: In order for your recessed blinds to correctly fit inside your window and operate smoothly, additional allowances or deductions must be applied. Our handy table below shows the deductions necessary for each venetian blind type:

Measuring For Face Fit Venetian Blinds (Outside Mount)

• Measure the width of the window from the very edge of one side of the architrave to the other.
• Measure the drop (height) from the top of the architrave edge to the bottom of the sill or frame.

Tips For Measuring Your Windows

• Record all your measurements and window details in one spot for convenient reference.
• Record all measurements in millimetres (mm). This will ensure accuracy of selecting and installing the right-sized blind for your windows.
• It's a great idea to measure for both recess and face fix before heading to your nearest Spotlight store, especially if you're unsure about your preferred mounting type before you purchase your blinds.
• If you choose to recess fit your blinds make sure that window locks, handles or winders will not interfere with the blind. Keep in mind that inside-mounted blinds will have narrow light gaps on either side due to the bracket location.

Installing Venetian Blinds: Video Tutorial

Our simple to follow video tutorial provides a great overview to installing venetian blinds. Check it out below!

Step By Step Installation Guide

Now that you've got all the essential equipment handy, learned how to measure your windows and watched the video tutorial, let's review all the steps!

1. Determine your mount type and measure your windows.
2. Attach the brackets to the window frame. Use a grey lead pencil to mark a spot for two brackets - one on each side of the window - and make sure they're at the same height and depth on the window frame. Using a spirit level will make sure the brackets are in line with each other.
3. Use a drill with an impact driver attachment so the brackets are firmly attached. If you don't have this attachment, drill the holes and then secure the brackets with the provided screws using a screwdriver. For all mount types the brackets should be oriented with the large holes facing downwards towards the floor.
   Note: Use the supplied masonry plugs if drilling into brick or concrete walls.
4. Now you're ready to hang your venetian blind! For ease of installation, keep the blind furled up. Simply pick up the blind and slide the headrail into the brackets, ensuring the control wand and cords are facing outwards. Close the front cap on each bracket.
5. Secure the cord to the window frame so it stays in one place and to ensure the safety of any small children that may be in the home. Use a screwdriver to attach the small cord bracket or cleat. Never use stick-on attachments - they're not as strong and could present a danger if the cord bracket comes loose.

Pro Tip: For wider width windows, it's recommended to use centre support brackets for additional strength and to keep the blind level. Depending on the width of your blind you'll find one or more of these brackets included in the venetian blind packaging.

Can I Cut Venetian Blinds To Size Myself?

It is possible to alter the width of venetian blinds to suit your windows, and adjusting the size is often an essential step if you wish to recess fit your blinds. Keep in mind that this is a very technical process! There are limitations on how much you can reduce the total blind width, as the control mechanisms are fixed within the headrail and will be compromised if too much is trimmed off. Check with Spotlight's in-store team as the cut back allowances vary across different brands, styles and sizes.

Pro Tip: When altering venetian blinds, equal amounts must be removed from both sides of the blind to maintain function, balance and aesthetic. E.g. If you've worked out that 60 mm total needs to be removed from the blind (including allowances) this equates to 30 mm from each side of the slats, headrail and bottom rail.

Altering PVC & Aluminium Venetian Blinds

To alter the width of aluminium or PVC venetian blinds, you will need a measuring tape, pencil, a hacksaw to cut the headrail and a slat cutter. These cutters are designed to easily trim each slat back to a consistent size, complete with a bevelled edge for a professional finish.

Altering Timber & Fauxwood Venetian Blinds

Cutting back fauxwood or timber venetian blinds yourself can be a tricky DIY process to undertake, and requires the use of specialised equipment like a drop saw to accurately cut back the slats. Experienced DIYers will stack all the slats together and bind them with masking tape while making sure the slats are all perfectly aligned. The tape helps protect the slats from splintering and chipping while they're being cut. Unless you have all the right equipment and are very confident in your DIY skills, it may be better to face fit this type of venetian blind if the ready-made size will fit without any trimming.

Sounding Complicated? Leave It To The Professionals With Spotlight

If you're set on venetian blinds for your home but can't find the perfect size for your windows, why not consider having your venetian blinds made to measure? Spotlight's Made to Measure Service allows you to fully customise your blinds including size, colour, material and more. With 50 years of experience in providing premium custom-made blinds and curtains to our customers, Made to Measure by Spotlight has you covered! Book your Free Measure & Quote online now or by calling 1300 662 742 today.

Book Free Measure & Quote

Alternatively, Spotlight's Cut to Size Blinds Service is a fast and affordable option for getting perfectly sized venetian blinds for your windows. The Cut to Size Service is available online and in-store via a special customer order, and it's as simple as providing your window measurements and leaving it to the professionals. With online Cut to Size orders you can also enjoy the convenience of having your blinds home delivered!

Shop Cut To Size Blinds Online

Venetian Blinds Installation FAQs

How To Shorten Venetian Blinds

At Spotlight, you'll find venetian blinds in a range of different drops or heights, including 137 cm, 150 cm and 210 cm. If your window height differs greatly from these sizes, it's a good idea to shorten the blind so the slats always look neatly stacked when fully lowered. Shortening a venetian blind is easy with just a few simple steps:

1. Remove the plugs securing the bottom rail and undo the knots for the central cords.
2. Remove the bottom rail and remove the desired amount of excess slats.
3. Replace the bottom rail back in position, leaving one empty ladder space between the last slat and bottom rail.
4. Re-thread the central cord and ladder strings through the holes in the bottom rail. Trim, leaving around 12 mm of excess length remaining. Tie knots to secure.
5. Push the excess ladder strings back through the holes in the bottom rail, and replace the plugs to secure.

Are Venetian Blinds Safe For Kids?

Correctly installed venetian blinds are safe for any home with small children. Mandatory Australian requirements for corded internal window coverings dictate that loose cords must not form a loop 220 mm or longer, at or less than 1600 mm above floor level. Securely installing the cord cleat at the correct height is an essential step for your family's safety.

What's The Best Venetian Blind Type For Different Rooms?

When deciding on your preferred style of venetian blind, it's important to consider both the aesthetics of the blind, how it will function and the way the material will perform. Slimline venetians like those made from aluminium and PVC are best suited for recess fitting in windows without a deep frame. They're also a durable option for wet areas like kitchens, bathrooms and laundries as they'll be more resistant to steam or dampness. Likewise, faux wood venetians are a good option for these spaces as they're constructed from extruded PVC - just make sure the wider slat sizes will work with your windows in those spaces. Finally, timber venetians are a gorgeous aesthetic choice for bedrooms, living spaces and studies. The natural grainlines and rich wood tones are perfect for adding a touch of warmth to your home. Don't be tempted to install them in bathrooms as moisture-rich air can cause the slats to warp over time.

Find The Perfect Window Coverings For Your Home With Spotlight

At Spotlight, you can discover sheer curtains, blockout curtains, roller blinds, outdoor blinds & shades and more! There's a huge range of colours, styles and functions to choose from across our selection of curtains and blinds, making it simple to find the perfect match for your home decor. You can shop at your local store where our friendly team are always happy to assist with all your DIY queries, or enjoy the convenience of home delivery and make your purchases online!

Shop Curtains & Blinds

If you're still unsure about the best options for dressing your windows or want to explore more DIY tips and tricks, be sure to check out Spotlight's informative buying guides for measuring your windows, how to hang curtains and what types of curtains & blinds are best for different rooms.