Create Your Own Top-Down Blinds

Intro: Create Your Own Top-Down Blinds

Create top-down blinds for a fraction of the cost of special order blinds!

STEP 1: Getting Ready

Why Create Your Own Top-Down Blinds?

My reasons are simple. I live in an apartment. It is temporary housing, and therefore I don't want to spend the nearly $150 per window to purchase custom top-down blinds. I also need the privacy that they offer because of my ground floor apartment.


What is the Cost and Time Commitment?

This particular project was done for under $30 (that includes all three windows). This is a bargain compared to the nearly $450 it would cost to have it done professionally. It also took me only an hour to create and install (not including shopping time).




What You'll Need:

- Make sure to measure your window first!

- One set of bargain mini-blinds per window. You are only going to use the top bar and strings for this project, so the quality of the slats is irrelevant. I found some for $2.50 each on sale, $4 each regular.

- One set of temporary shades*. They should be the kind that have an adhesive strip on one end. I bought the Redi Shades that are "room darkening" for more privacy. These cost me about $6 each.
*(These shades can be substituted for something of a better quality if desired. You will simply need to find a way of attaching the more complex shades/blinds to the top bar of your bargain blinds.)

- A cutting knife ($1.50) and cutting board or hard surface.

- Tape (optional).

STEP 2: Start With the Bargain Blinds.

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STEP 3: Pop Off the Plugs on the Bottoms.

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STEP 4: Un-knot the Strings.

Step 3: Un-knot the strings on the bottom and allow for about five inches of string. Carefully turn the blinds over. If you are too rough the strings you un-knotted will fall out and you will have to redo them.

STEP 5: Cut the Strings.

Cut each of the strings on the top of the blinds. These are what allow for the open/close function of mini blinds, and are no longer necessary.

STEP 6: Pull Away the Blind Slats Leaving Only the Strings.

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STEP 7: Remove the Heavy Bottom Bar From the Blind Slats by Sliding It Sideways.

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STEP 8: Reattach the Bottom Bar to the Top Bar.

If done correctly the knots will be hidden and there will be no problems adhering the new shades.

STEP 9: Measure or Judge the Desired Length of the Temporary Shades.

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STEP 10: Cut the Shades to the Desired Length.

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STEP 11: Lay the Shades Next to the Bottom Bar.

Allow for enough slack to move around the bottom bar.

If you bought more complex blinds, you will need to attach the top bar of the complex blinds to the bottom bar of these blinds. You will be able to raise the complex blinds from the bottom up using their affixed top bar, and using the top bar of the bargain blinds you will be able to lower the complex blinds from the top down.

STEP 12: Adhere the Bottom Bar to the Adhesive Strip of the Temporary Shades.

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STEP 13: Optional Step.

The temporary blinds do not have much weight on their bottom. For this reason I removed the metal rod from inside of the top bar (this rod allowed for the open/close function of the mini blinds). I inserted it into the bottom of the shades and taped over the ends.

STEP 14: Installing the Blinds.

Remove the existing blinds. Make sure that they are raised prior to removing them.

If you do not have existing blinds, use the instructions that came with the blinds (sorry, I already had some up).

STEP 15: Installing 2

The existing blinds may not need to be completely removed. If they are compatible with your new blinds, simply slide the covers from the end and slide out the existing top bar.

STEP 16: Leave the Affixed Brackets and Slide in the New Top Bar.

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STEP 17: Enjoy Your New Top-down Shades!

Don't Forget!

You may want to keep the existing blinds if (like me) you live in an apartment. Otherwise your landlord may ask you to buy new ones when you move out.

Also, keep all of the pieces that you removed or cut away from your bargain blinds (slats, strings, etc.). You never know if your next apartment will have the same size windows. Because nothing was broken during this assembly, you would be able to reassemble the bargain blinds and use them again in the future.

Have Fun!

Comments

[lerose2015]

Can this be done on the type of blinds that you don't pull with a string, you just push them up and down? I have the Mainstays brand, the thick wooden slats. Thank you

[BethBishop]

I'm trying so hard to understand and I've thoroughly read every single word of the instructions and all of the comments. My question: If I cut the strings at the top like you say, how do I have strings to make the shade operational? Please help me! I need these so much!

[christywfla]

Does this method allow you to control how far you lower the blinds (can they go all the way down) or is it just the opening amount shown at the top in the final pictures (about 5" or so)?

[jen_higginbotham]

You can lower them as far as you want.

[Jess0985]

I love this! I first made it with the temporary shade with clips. I used a needle and fishing line to thread the temporary shades on each side so they did not billow out with the wind. This worked really well. However, I left my window open during a rainy day and the shades just fell apart.

I ordered these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Redi-Shade-White-Fabr...

as suggested by another user. They work great and so simple to put together.

I am so thankful for this post and everyone who added their own tips. I high recommend this hack.

[christywfla]

Question: Can you control how far you lower them? Or is it just the 6"ish opening at the top only.

[MariaL177]

How do you get these blinds to fold down nicely? Mine drop and fall in an ugly pile :)

[LisaKlo]

Can I use these instructions to convert an old set of Hunter-Douglas Duette blinds into top down/bottom up using the parts from an existing set of miniblinds? The windows with the miniblinds are the same size as the windows with the Duettes. I just want to keep the Duettes and throw away the miniblinds.

[warlord]

Thank you for this Instructable. The wifey loves our new cheap top down blinds. For those who want to do the top down and bottom up blinds you can buy the "temp shade" brand from home depot. You construct them the same but this brand has a cable and clip at the bottom that can lift and hold the bottom of the shade. It also has a little weight at the base which means no need for alligator clips to keep the shade down. I'll post pics in a bit... Thanks again.

[warlord]

here are the pics:

[Jess0985]

I made the original version and then I saw your post. My originals melted in the rain when I left a window open. Thanks so much for your alternative! I love my new version even more!

[piea1]

I don't understand. Do these raise and lower?

[jen_higginbotham]

They lower and you use the alligator clips to raise them.

[piea1]

Where are mini blinds only $2.50? Yours look pretty wide too

[jen_higginbotham]

I bought them on sale at Lowe's 10 years ago. I have no idea what they cost today. They were the standard window width.

[Doctor What]

It may sound weird, but thank you for making seventeen steps. Usually other people (myself included) combine multiple steps into one. This is super easy to understand, and it produces an amazing result. (favorited) (+).

[piea1]

Was not easy at all

[donna421]

I'm new to this site - GREAT instructions, and fantastic idea! Question: If you would want to open your windows completely, it seems this would not work so well, because the blind wouldn't fold on top of itself without falling out of the window- kind of into the room. Am I right, and do you have a suggestion for how to make that work any better?

[Endif]

See my comment above; the midrail will provide enough weight to smush the pleats/cells into a stack. Locking the strings at the point you want will ensure a stable stack. =]

[piea1]

Huh?