How to Make Your Own Wood or Wooden Blinds

Love wooden blinds, but the not so much the price? Learn to create your own wooden blinds that will suit your exact taste. This is a great alternative to expensive wooden blinds.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wooden slats (hardware store)
• Wooden pole or stick (hardware store)
• Nylon cord
• Drill
• Mounting brackets for blinds
• scissors
• Windows :) ha ha

1. If you don't think you can do this, let me say YOU CAN! If you don't want to do this, my next suggestion would be to buy fake wooden blinds (or faux). Some of them look really great for a lot less than the real thing! That being said, here we go: Read the directions FIRST before you decide to tackle this task. There are things you should be aware of later in the directions as you are going along, so it will make more sense. Take a measurement of the window from inside to inside of the frame (where you would want your blinds to be.) Measure the length of the window and decide up to what point you would like the blinds to stop. Now measure the width of the window and take 1/4 inch off each side so that the blinds will definately fit inside the window frame.

2. You need to buy your wooden slats, mounting pole, and mounting hardware. First thing first, choose the type of wood stain and style that you would like by browsing your local hardware store. You will need to buy the wood in slats at the width that you had measured for the window. Then you must also decide on the thickness of the slats to your taste. Depending on the size that you choose (usuall 1-2 inches, but you should decide on what you like) you will need to estimate how many slats you need to fill the lenght of the widow. Then buy 1-2 more slats than needed just in case you estimate poorly, or one gets ruined for some reason. Your hardware store can usually cut the slats for you if you ask or need them to. You will also need to buy a wooden pole or stick that will be the main support for the top of the blinds to be inserted into the mounting brackets. Again, you should choose something that falls right in line for what you style you have chosen for the slats, and it should be treated with some sort of sealant either when you buy it, or you should do that yourself; it will help the wooden pieces to last longer. This will also be true of the slats, they should have a sealant on them, or you should seal them yourself before you begin work on them. Give them 12hrs to a full day to completely dry before you start working with them. You will want to buy your mounting hardware (brackets) that will screw into the frame of your window to secure the blinds once you mount them. You can find them at the hardware store, or online for under $5. Make sure your mounting pole/stick will fit into the brackets. (They slide into the brackets. One on each end.) Last but not least, buy your braided nylon cord (also called nylon thread or nylon rope.) Make sure it is a thickness comparable to your typical mini blinds, or chose what you think you would like if you want to change things up.

3. Now for the work at home. Drill a hole on each end of each slat about once inch from the end, and about 3/4 the way towards the top of the slat. (So your slats will have a hole on each end of them for threading the nylon cord.) If you drill the hole right in the middle, the slats might dangle incorrectly on the nylon cord. Keep a little more weight towards the bottom of each slat to keep the bottoms down. Attach the brackets to each side of the window frame as per its instructions. (Should be screwed into the frame with the open side facing you so that you can slide the wooden support pole into it once the time comes.) You can either drill a holes in the support pole at the same distance from the ends as you did your slats, or you can choose to just wrap the nylon cord around the pole once the time comes to connect it. Thats your call. If you decide to drill the holes, you will need to drill two holes side by side on each end so that you can thread the nylon on its way up, and then loop around into the other hole on its way down (kind of like you would thread a 2 holed button). This will make more sense once you read the next step.

4. Now lay your slats out with the support pole at the top in the same way they will be once they are hung up. Drill a hole one inch from each end of each slat. Starting from the bottom slat, thread the nylon string through the holes of each slat on each side, working the string upwards. come through the hole at the back of the each slat and pull it through to the front so that most of the nylon cord remains behind the slats. When you get to the top support pole, either wrap the string around the pole once then continue back down through the slats, or if you drilled holes feed the cord upwards through one hole, then back down through the hole next to it and continue threading the cord back down the slats. Make sure to adjust the slats on the nylon as needed to make them straight and even. Tie the ends of the nylon string (there should be 2 ends of the string in the bottom slat) together to keep it secure, but allow for adjustment. Tie it loosly enought to be untied and retied, or ties the nylon cord down a lot further so that once you hang the blind up, you have enough cord to work with to adjust it while they are on the window for preciseness. When you have everything set, you will tie the ends of the cord in a knot so that the slats cannot slide down and off the cord, the know will be at the back of the bottom slat. Since the nylon is running through each hole twice, it will provide enough tension to keep each slat in place. You need to know this before you start so that you are sure not to drill huge holes in the slats. The holes should be big enough to tightly fit the nylon through twice. (Not sure how big to go? Remember that extra slat I suggested that you buy? You could use it as a test dummy.)

5. Now place your support pole into the brackets so the blinds are hanging from the window. If you have made your adjustments you are done! (Well, you probably need to place that little square piece in the bracket to hide the ends of the pole that are inside the bracket. This is so the pole won't fall out and so that it will just look neater.) If you need to make adjustments, start with once side first. Get it right where you want it, tie the bottom of the nylon into a knot so that both ends are knotted together, then match that on the other side of the blinds to make them even and straight. You can then trim off any excess or hanging nylon.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient, this will take time. But it will be worth getting what you want!
• You can add a fancy window treatment to cover up the top of the blinds and bracket like a sash style curtain or a nice molding that matches the blinds that can be attached right to the window frame itself. I included a picture of what this could look like (above).
• Be sure not to leave any excess nylon and always be careful when you have children in the home. Nylon cords and children are a scary mix so make sure this is safe for your family. No hanging cords!!