How to Make Inexpensive Roller Shades

Roller shades are one of the easiest window coverings to make inexpensively. Reuse old shade rollers if they are in good shape or purchase discounted rollers locally or on line. Choose inexpensive fabrics to keep costs low. Oil cloth, canvas, cotton duck, polished cotton and synthetic linen are good choices. Consider the other colors and patterns in the room and be sure your shades will coordinate well. Roller shades can tie existing colors together to create a more cohesive design. If the decor in the room is monochromatic, shades can add an accent color to punch up the room's style.

Things You'll Need

• 1-inch by 25-inch flat slats the width of each shade
• Staple gun
• Pair of pliers
• Electric or manual drill
• Screwdriver
• Hammer
• Small 1.5-inch nails
• Level
• Metal measuring tape
• Mounting hardware
• Screws or molly screws
• Fabric
• Sharp fabric scissors
• Steam iron
• Ironing board or large, flat, firm surface
• Decorative pull or decorative trim (optional)
• Window shade rollers
• White all-purpose glue
• Warm water
• Watertight plastic box or tub as wide as the widest shade

Instructions

1. Decide whether shades will be mounted inside the window or on the wall outside the window opening. Use a metal tape measure to determine the exact width each shade needs to be.

   A few guidelines to measuring the width of the shade: to get the inside measurement, place the tape case inside the window casing flush against the side. Each tape has the allowance marked on the case. Add this allowance to the reading on the tape. The hook at the end of the tape may also add 1/16 inch and should be flipped up if possible. To measure the width, measure to 1/16 of an inch for the width at the top where the brackets will be mounted. To find the roller stop, measure the depth of the window opening to 1/8th of an inch to mark the position of the brackets; be sure the shade will not touch the glass when rolled up.

2. Determine the width of each roller using the following measurements: for an inside mount, measure the width of the window opening less the allowance for the mounting pegs. To determine an outside mount, measure the width of the window opening plus returns (the area that the shade will extend off of the glass on each side), less the allowance for the mounting pegs.

3. Measure and cut the fabric, using the following measurements: for an inside mount, cut the fabric 1 inch wider and 18 inches longer than the window opening. For an outside mount, cut the fabric 8 inches wider than the opening and trim and 18 inches longer than the desired finished length.

4. Make sure the fabric is squared up and not on the bias. (Gently pull on the diagonal to adjust.) Fold the lower end of the fabric over .5 inches and iron the crease. Fold the end over again 1.75 inches and iron. Stitch in place or secure with iron-on web strips forming a pocket. Be sure the resulting pocket is wide enough for the 1-inch slat to slide in. This will be the bottom of your shade.

5. Fill the tub or plastic box with 3 parts white all-purpose glue and 2 parts warm water; mix thoroughly. Roll the fabric loosely from top to bottom and immerse it in the solution. Press any air out and let the fabric soak for 5 minutes to saturate all areas completely. Do one shade at a time.

6. Remove the fabric and slip a wooden slat through the pocket at the bottom of the shade. Tack the slat up somewhere where the fabric can hang straight and wrinkle-free without touching the ground. Let the shade drip dry completely. (Use a catch basin, wallpaper trough or drop cloth to catch drips.)

7. Carefully take the slat and fabric down and lay them flat. Trim the sides to the width of the roller minus 1/8 inch on each side. (This deduction keeps the edges of the shade away from the mounting brackets and prevents fraying.) Cut perfectly straight, clean lines. Attach the pull or grip to the center of the slat. A T-square is helpful here. If desired, attach a decorative pull or grip to the bottom center of each shade.

8. Check to see which direction the roller spins. Staple the top of the fabric onto the roller right side out. Begin in the middle and work your way out evenly to the edges in a straight line. Do not stretch the fabric or hold it so loosely that wrinkles form. Lay the shade flat.

9. Measure carefully to be sure the mounting brackets are spaced correctly. Mark the spots above the window to drill, making sure brackets are level with each other. Install the brackets using screws over wood or studs and molly screws over drywall. Insert the shades securely into the mounting brackets.

10. Operate each shade to test. If the shade snaps back up, the tension in the roller is too tight. Conversely, if the shade almost unrolls by itself and will not stop or go back up on command, the roller is wound too loosely. Turn the flat mounting peg on the end of the roller with the pliers to adjust the tension. Experiment until the desired tension is set.

Tips & Warnings

• Measure each window separately. (Window installation varies from window to window and can affect measurements significantly.) Write down the measurements for each window.

• Light to medium weight fabrics with a crisp finish work best. Avoid heavy or thick fabrics; they can make the shade too bulky to fit in the mounting brackets.

• If privacy is an issue, tape a 1-foot square sample of fabric to the inside of the window glass and look through from the outside to test the fabric's coverage. Do this in the daytime and after dark with the lights on. (If drapes will cover the shades at night, privacy may not be an issue.)

• Do not use fabrics that will shrink in warm water. Check with a salesperson at a local fabric store.

• Do not reuse old rollers if the tension cannot be reset correctly. If possible, start with new parts to extend the life of your shades.

References

• Roller Blind Parts
• Drapery and Home Decor Fabric
• Make a Shade

Resources

• How to Measure