Shorten the drop of a venetian blind

Remove slats and re-tie the cords and tapes to shorten a venetian blind to fit a smaller window.

VB-01Gather your tools and clear a workspaceWork on a large flat table or the floor with plenty of room to lay the blind out fully open. You'll need sharp scissors, small pliers, a tape measure, a pencil, masking tape, and a lighter or clear nail varnish to seal cut cord ends so they don't fray.

1 each · Sharp scissors or craft knife

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1 roll · Masking tape

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1 each · Lighter or clear nail varnish

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VB-02Take the blind downLift the blind fully, then unclip it from its wall or ceiling brackets — most venetian blinds simply lift up and out without any tools. Lay it flat, slats facing up, on your workspace.

VB-03Measure and mark the new dropMeasure the new window drop you need and subtract about 20mm for clearance. Mark this length on the ladder tapes at both sides with masking tape, measuring from the headrail down, so both sides match exactly.

VB-04Remove the bottom railMost bottom rails are held on by a knot in the lift cord and small retaining clips on the ladder tape. Prise the clips open with pliers and untie or cut the knots to free the rail, keeping track of which cord goes where.

VB-05Remove the extra slatsSlide the surplus slats off the ladder tapes and lift cords from the bottom up, working to your marked line. Count and keep the removed slats in case you need spares later, and set them aside.

VB-06Shorten the ladder tape and lift cordsCut the ladder tapes at your marked line, and trim the lift cords to match, leaving a little extra length to tie off. Seal every cut end with a lighter flame or a dab of clear nail varnish to stop fraying.

VB-07Refit the bottom railSlide the bottom rail back onto the shortened tapes and cords, refit the retaining clips, and re-tie the lift cord knots exactly as they were before. Pull each cord to check the rail sits level and doesn't tilt.

VB-08Check the cord safety deviceCorded blinds sold in the UK must have a working safety device — a cleat, breakaway connector, or tensioner — to stop the cords forming a loop children can reach. Refit this device once you've shortened the cords, and check it still works before rehanging the blind.

RULES

KNOW THE RULES

BS EN 13120 sets safety requirements for internal blinds, including child-safety devices on looped cords. If you remove or refit a safety device while shortening a blind, make sure it's put back correctly.

VB-09Test the blind before rehangingRaise and lower the blind fully and tilt the slats both ways to check the mechanism runs smoothly and the slats sit level. Sort out any snagging or uneven cords now, while it's easy to reach.

VB-10Rehang and tidy upClip the blind back onto its existing wall or ceiling brackets and check it sits square in the window. Tidy away offcuts of slat and cord, and keep the spare slats somewhere safe in case you need them again.

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