Window Blinds And Shades Measuring Tips

Are you going to measure for your new window blinds or window shades and have an “obstacle” in your way like this one …?

Check out this short tip (using a real wood blinds example) to pick which choice suits you best.

Window Blinds - Measuring Tips
(The top arrow points to the full
width of the window. The bottom
arrow shows the max width
to the crank.)

We have a simple window to measure for 2” wood blinds. There is a window crank sticking out on the vertical side of the window frame. Usually, window cranks are at the bottom windowsill.

So, the hardware in the picture is going to be in the way of the window blind. It’s going to interfere when it travels up and down. And it’s going to do the same when you tilt the wood slats into an open or closed position. And … a breeze will cause it to flap and hit the metal when the wood blind is down and the window open.
Phew.

See what we mean in the picture below …

Wood Blinds Slats Against A Window Crank

Wood Blinds - Wooden Slats
Rubbing Against The Hardware

Every time the slats tilt, or the stack travels up and down, the left-most side of the blind is going to rub against the handle. What do you think the wood slats will look like in a short while? Yup. You’d see signs of a major wearing-away damage.

What can you do to avoid the wear and tear on the wood blinds in this case?

You have a couple of choices here:

Measure for and keep as is.
Always use your hand to pull the wooden slats away from the hardware when handling the blinds. And pull the blind up when drafty conditions may cause the slats to flap and hit the crank. By doing so, you will prevent otherwise a sure wear damage to the product overtime.
In the next photo, notice the slats are flush with the window when in closed position. You’d say there’s nothing to worry about at all.

Wood Blinds With Slats Closed Over A Window Crank

Wood Blinds - Closed Slats
(The arrow points to a window
crank below the slats.)

If you can live with that, and you are always mindful about using extra care, then you can stop reading right here.

If, however, you’d rather have the wood blinds (or your choice of product) working in better “conditions”, here’s what you can do.

Measure the maximum width of the window only to the crank. When installing your blinds, the bracket on the side of the hardware will mount to the top sill as usual. But it will mount only at that max width distance you’ve measured, leaving a small gap between the bracket and the window frame. The headrail then pops in the brackets and it’s ready to work.

Now, when the wood blinds go up and down, tilt, or when they have to clear the hardware safely, there is going to be enough room for them to do so.

One more thing to mention …

To cover the brackets and the small gap formed beside the affected side at the top, order a valance and SPECIFY its length.
Of course, the valance length is the full width of your window.