Blinds are part of any home, and are a good way of keeping the daylight out, whilst giving you some extra privacy and insulation. There are a variety of types of blinds on the market, which are designed to suit your preference and style of your home. No matter what you are looking for, you will find a set of blinds to fulfil your needs.

Venetian blinds have been popular for a long time, and are a good way of giving your home a classic feel. Venetian blinds are in the design of slats, and the material is ideal for cleaning, as it is very easy to maintain. You can pick up these blinds in a variety of different colours and patterns, to suit the style of any room in your home. You can also choose the width size of the slats, to suit any of your rooms.

Roller blinds are another popular choice, and work by the use of a cord, which you use to roll the blinds up and down to suit. These are also available in a whole host of fabrics, colours and patterns. If you are looking for some extra privacy, you can choose roller blackout blinds, which will help to further block out the sunlight. Ideal if you want to have a sleep during the day. Roller blinds are easy to maintain, as they can be cleaned without much fuss.

As with Venetian blinds, vertical blinds come in the form of slats hanging vertically on the window. These too are easy to maintain, and are available in many different colours and materials. You can choose from a plain fabric, suede, leather, as well as various patterns. There is also the choice of blackout Venetian blinds, to help create further installation. You also have the freedom of choosing the size of Venetian blinds you require.

You can also buy Venetian blinds in the form of wooden slats, which help to give your room a more elegant touch. These designs tend to last a lot longer than other styles of blinds, and are easy to maintain and keep clean. They can be slightly more expensive than other blinds, but the extra cost is worth the increased durability.

Roman blinds are another popular style, and are in a draping form, which will make your room look stylish and classic. These traditional types of blinds can be found in an abundance of different colours, to suit any home.

If you want to keep your home protected from the sunlight, you might want to think about solar protection blinds. Again, there are many different colours to choose from, to suit the colour scheme of any room in your home. These affordable styles of blinds are ideal for adding a touch of class to your home.

Ensuring you have made the correct measurements for your Made To Measure blinds is easy thanks to our helpful guide. Here, we have simplified each stage so you can get on with your measurements quickly and accurately. We’ve also added in a few handy tips to make life easier.

Handy Measuring Tips

• Use a metal tape measure for more accuracy and ease of reading measurements.
• Have paper and a pencil handy to write down your measurements straight away.
• Consider where your window handles are situated, and the positioning of tiles at the top and bottom of your windows.
• Consider the way your windows open and close.
• Take the measurements from an area in front of you window handles, so the ‘Made-To-Measure’ blinds will move up and down without obstruction.
• Check you are measuring in either centimeters or inches.

Measuring For Blinds

Before you start, you will need to decide whether you want your blind to sit inside the ‘recess’ of the window, or hang outside for an ‘exact’ fitting.

A ‘recess’ fitted blind is ideal for any normal window and will leave a neater finish and block out sunlight better.

An ‘exact’ fitted blind is ideal if your windows are an odd size, not straight or have lots of handles or obstructions.

When you start measuring for your blinds, you can use the following metrics:

• Centimeters
• Inches

Ensure you measure to the nearest millimeter if you are using centimeters, and to the nearest sixteenth of an inch if using inches.

Measuring For A ‘Recess’ Fitted Blind

The blind will hang inside the recess of the window for a snug fit.

These measuring instructions are applicable to all types of blinds, excluding Skylight Blinds and replacement louvres:

1. Measure the width of your window in 3 p1. Measure the width of your window in 3 places as shown in the diagram, and make a note of the shortest length.
2. Measure the length or drop of your window in 3 places as shown in the diagram. This measurement is from the top of the inside of the window down to the window sill. Make a note of the shortest measurement.
3. Use the shortest width and length measurements when you place your order for Made-To-Measure recess window blinds at Web-Blinds.com.

Measuring For An ‘Exact’ Fitted Blind

The blind will hang outside the recess of the window.

These measuring instructions are applicable to all types of blinds, excluding Skylight Blinds, replacement louvers and Perfect Fit Blinds:

1. Measure the width from left to right of where you would like your blind to be placed. Make a note of the measurement.
2. Measure the length or drop of your blind from the top of where your blind will hang to the bottom. Make a note of the measurement.
3. Use your measurements when placing your order at Web-Blinds.com.

Important Information

The following information applies to if you are measuring for Roller and Vertical Blinds:

Roller Blinds

Roller Blinds require fittings on either end because there is no headrail. This means a slight adjustment in the fabric size is needed for both recess and exact fitted blinds – 3.3cm less for recess and 2.8cm for exact fitted blinds. At Web-Blinds.com, this is taken care of for you.

Vertical Blinds

The length or drop when measuring for a Vertical Blind should go right down to the window sill. 1cm will be taken off your measurement to accommodate the louvre.

For further information, help and advice contact visit Web-Blinds.com.

It is important to keep blinds clean, so you maintain the fabric and ensure they will last you for a long time. On a daily basis, you should give them a clean with a duster, just to get rid of the build up of dust. Blinds can become really dusty, without you even realising, and it won’t look too good when people are over to visit.

Depending on the type of blinds you have, there are various ways to clean them. If you want to know how to clean and maintain your blinds, and they are of the roller variety, they can usually be cleaned quite easily, by just rolling them down and using a duster to remove any residue. It is not a good idea to use damp cloths on roller blinds, as it can cause stains, which you might not be able to get rid of. A quick vacuum of the blinds will also help get rid of dust, if your roller blinds are particularly dirty. The maintenance of roller blinds is particularly important, as stains can develop if you don’t clean them properly and often.

If you are looking to find out how to clean and maintain your blinds, and they are Venetian blinds, they are a bit easier to manage than roller blinds. To clean these , you can use a damp cloth to get rid of any dust build up. A bit of washing up liquid will also help in ensuring they get a good clean, and will get rid of any marks on the blinds. If you want to give them a more thorough clean, you should place the blinds carefully in a bath, maybe once a month, as this will give a more intense clean. Take care when placing the blinds in the bath though, as they can become mis-shaped. The length of time you leave the blinds in the bath will depend on how dirty they are. You can also get some sprays which are specifically for Venetian blinds, and will remove the dirt and grime from them. Steeping the blinds in some water will make Venetian blinds look brand new again.

Wooden blinds are also quite easy to clean, and a quick dust should do the job. If you want to give them a more thorough clean, you can use a vacuum to pick up and dirt and make them look brand new again. Wooden blinds can look lovely, so it’s important to maintain them as much as possible. Again, it is better not to use water on these styles of blinds, as it may cause some damage. No matter what type of blinds you have, they will really benefit from a regular clean.

Although blinds can look really good on your window, the thought of installing them can seem a bit painful, and slightly daunting. When you purchase your new blinds, you should get a set of instructions to show you how to put them up. The information below on how to install your blinds will give you a place to start, but ensure you read the instructions provided as well. Another source of help can be accessed by visiting www.web-blinds.com. You will need a few things before you get to work, including a power drill, drill bit, two screwdrivers – one with a crossed head and one with a flat head, box of screws, a pencil and a pair of steady hands!

The method used to install your blinds, will depend on the type you have. The first step for all types, however, is to decide where you want to place them. This does not just mean the location within the house, but rather exactly where you want them on the window. When installing roller blinds, you should use the brackets provided with the blinds to mark out the drill holes. The blinds will have to be level, in order for them to roll up and down appropriately and smoothly. The next step is to drill the holes and then screw in the brackets. When you have completed this you should clip the blind into place, and attach the chain to wall with the chain tensioner. Your roller blinds should now roll up and down with ease. These instructions on how to install your blinds should work, if followed accurately.

The installation of Venetian blinds starts by deciding on the position and marking out the drill holes with the brackets provided. After this, you should drill the holes (2 per bracket) and then screw in your brackets to hold the blinds in place. Open the hinged doors and place the blinds carefully in the correct position. Ensure the blinds are straight and are sitting perfectly, before you close over the hinged doors. Use the clips to attach pelmet over the top of the head-box, and you are all set. Now that you know how to install your blinds, you will be able to enjoy them to their full extend.

If you are looking to learn how to install your blinds, and they are of the Roman variety, you should use these simple steps as a reference. Firstly, you should decide on the place for the blinds, then mark out drill holes and drill through the head-rail. Place the brackets onto the wall and put the blinds just above them. Ensure your Roman blinds are positioned the way you want them and they should sit perfectly.