How to Repair Broken or Bent Window Blinds
Window blinds are sensitive to pressure and can bend, warp, or come untied. As long as the slats on your blinds aren’t broken in pieces, fixing them is often easy. If a slat is broken, you can replace it.
Tools and Materials To Fix Window Blinds
Tools
- Lighter
- Pliers
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Screwdriver (Or butter knife)
Materials
- Slats
- Pull cords
- Extra carrier stems
- Extra blinds
Fixing Horizontal Blinds
If a slat on your horizontal blinds is bent, try straightening it with your hands or heat it up with a hairdryer and then try to straighten it.
If the slat won’t straighten or you have a broken cord, fix it by following these steps.
1. Remove the Blind Plugs at the Bottom
Remove the plugs at the bottom rail of the blinds to access the pull cords threaded through the slats. First, use a screwdriver to pop out the plugs. Next, pinch the corner of each plug with your fingers or pliers to pull them out.
2. Loosen the Knot of the Lift Cords
After removing the plugs, use a pair of tweezers or pliers to pull the knotted lift cords out of unplugged holes. Unknot the string or cut the cord above the knot, and melt the frayed end.
3. Replace the Damaged Lift Cord
To replace a damaged lift cord, unmount the blinds and draw the slats together. Ensure most of the lift cord is hanging below the bottom slat. Cut the cord at the fray and pull it out through the bottom rail.
Line up the new pull cord with the cut end of the old cord and splice them together. Doing this allows the old pull cord to serve as a guide, eliminating the need to thread the new cord through each slat.
Rehang the blinds and pull the new lift cord through the cord pathway. Use one hand to guide the cord up through the headbox and the other to pull on the old cord.
4. Remove the Lines from the Broken or Bent Slat
If you’re repairing a damaged slat, remove the pull cord from the slats below the damaged one. Start by removing the center lift cord of the broken slat and unthread it. Do this for all the slats beneath it.
5. Remove the Damaged Slat
Remove the damaged slat. Start with the strings securing it to the blinds, then pull it off. Be careful when removing the slat to avoid bending the remaining slats.
6. Install a New Slat
Swap the bent slat with a new one. Ensure all the holes in the new slat align with the slats beneath it.
7. Re-feed the Lines into the Slats’ Open Holes
Reattach lines to blinds by sliding them back into slats. Be careful when feeding the lines into loosened slats. Consider working from the new slat as you move downwards.
8. Clip the Lines and Loose Threads onto the Plugs
Secure blinds by connecting lines and threads to plugs. Push them into the bottom holes and plug them with blind plugs.
Fixing Vertical Blinds
The most common issue with vertical cords is rotation. Inspect both ends of the window blind for rotation problems. If you have a bent or damaged blind, follow these steps for easy DIY repair.
1. Assess the State of your Blinds
Tangles and twists can make vertical blinds appear damaged. The first step is to inspect the window blind for crooked slats that appear to be facing backward. You can resolve this by untangling the twist.
Physical objects and dirt may cause the window blind to jam. When inspecting, ensure no objects obstruct the blinds.
Also, if the jamming is due to debris, clean the blinds. Lubricant sprays are also helpful in improving the blind’s rotation.
2. Replace the Carrier Stems
A cracked or warped carrier stem impacts a window blind’s rotation. To assess the condition of the carrier stem, use a pair of pliers to grip and stem the carrier body away.
Replace the carrier stem with a unit that matches the old stem’s size and shape. Insert the stem into the carrier body, slide it into the hole, and then place the blind back on the stem.
3. Disconnect the Damaged Blind
If the problem results from a ripped, torn, or broken blind, detach the clip securing the chain. Next, feed the chain outward from the bottom blind loop until all blinds before the damaged one disconnect.
Remove the damaged blind from the spacer chain by lifting and bending it from the top hooks.
4. Install a New Blind
Lower the new window blind onto the hook at the top. Thread a spacer chain through disconnected blinds, and reattach the clip. Open, close, and rotate the blinds to verify proper functioning and repair success.