Windows are a great addition to your home. Most windows, especially during construction, have the same style of glass panes with frames.
Such windows sometimes fail to meet most homeowners’ needs, especially regarding light and privacy control. Because of this, homeowners are finding ways to modify their windows to suit their needs.
One way to do this is through window treatments, such as blinds, shutters, and drapes. Suppose you want to adopt blinds for your home.
Blinds have different styles, from roman shades to wooden and Venetian blinds. Suppose your choice is wooden blinds. How will you make them? Here’s a guide to follow:
Measure Your Window
The only way a window treatment, like the roman shades, will meet your needs is if it fits over your existing window. A blind too big will affect the aesthetics of your home, while one too small will bring in unwanted light, defeating its purpose.
Therefore, it’s important to measure your window before making your wooden blind.
Here, measure the length and width of your windows. The measurements should start from the edge of your window frames for indoor window blinds. On the other hand, you should add a margin of approximately 10cm for outdoor blinds.
All you require for this process is a measuring tape. Should you encounter any challenges, seek assistance from a carpenter. They have the skills to take the right measurements for your wooden blinds.
Must-Read: How to Read a Tape Measure
As you take these measurements, it’s important to draw a sketch. It’ll prevent errors as you make your wooden blinds.
Gather The Needed Tools
Before starting your project, gathering the tools you need for the job is important. It prevents a situation where you stop working to get the tools you need. You might be forced to improvise with existing tools too, which will likely affect the quality of the final product.
You can research the tools you require for the project. You’ll need a grinder, wood cutter, screws, drill, adhesive, and stain. Ensure you get enough of these tools, especially the screws, wood adhesive, and stain. These are tools you can find in your local hardware store.
Get Your Slats
Wooden slats are the cornerstone of your project. You can buy these or fabricate them yourself. Before doing this, find out the number of pieces you need. You’ll use your window measurements and the ideal width slat to get this number.
Suppose you want to make your slats from scratch. For this process, you’ll require wooden planks, a grinder, and a woodcutter. Use the woodcutter to cut the planks into your desired slat width, length, and thickness.
It’s important to be wary of the width since it’ll determine the amount of light and privacy you get. The wider the slats, the more control you have.
Prepare Your Wooden Slats
With your wooden slats ready, proceed to treat them. Treating the wood reduces termite infestation, which reduces your blinds’ durability. It’s important to stain your wood to reduce, if not prevent, moisture absorption since wood is porous. Staining also adds to the beauty of your blinds. Alternatively, you can change the wood color from dark to light.
Next, drill holes along the thickness of your slats on both ends. Follow this by preparing wooden pockets for the slats. They’ll have a tongue and groove jointing mechanism, where you’ll insert your slats in the pockets.
These pockets should be slightly bigger than your slats for proper fitting. Proceed to add holes along the thickness of the pockets at the same position as those of your slats.
Slide the slats into the pockets, and screw them in place. Yet don’t screw them too tight to allow easy movement as you open and close them.
What follows this is preparing a wooden frame that will hold your slats. The frame should be the exact size of your window frames, as you previously measured. And you should drill holes for these, through which you’ll attach the wooden pockets. Ensure they’re in line with the holes in your pockets.
With the holes ready, fix the pocketed slats into the frame, ensuring your position them appropriately. Like how you make bed slats stronger, secure the two together with screws, once again avoiding tightening too much.
(Check out the best screwdriver bundles here!)
Install Your Wooden Blinds
Once your window frame and the slats are well-made and jointed, it’s time to install them in your existing window. Since you took the correct measurements, the frame should fit snuggly with your window.
You now want to screw the frame to your windows. The installation mechanism depends on your preferred operating mechanism.
Suppose you want to be able to open and close your blinds to expose the window pane behind it. You’ll add hinges to your blinds, so you can open and close them like a casement window as the need arises.
Nevertheless, if you want your blinds fixed permanently on your existing windows, you have to screw them in place at the top. This way, you’ll only be able to operate the slats.
That said, your wooden blinds are ready. Lifting one of the slats automatically opens the others since they overlap. The reverse happens when closing them.
Conclusion
Making wooden blinds might’ve seemed daunting before, but it’s no longer the case, thanks to this post. It guides on making wooden blinds from scratch.
From the discussion, all you need are the right tools, the skillset for the job, and a design in mind. With that, consider implementing this guide in your project. It makes the process easier, more manageable, and more successful.
- Does Danish Oil Go Bad? How Long Will It Last? - May 29, 2023
- Is Zebrawood a Hardwood? Is it Good for Floors and Furniture? - May 28, 2023
- What is the Best Wood Sealer for Cedar? (2023) - May 27, 2023
