How to Install My Favorite Faux Wood Cordless Blinds
Are you looking for the ease of blinds as window treatment without the cost of custom made blinds? I’ve got the perfect thing for you: faux wood cordless window blinds! And, they’re super easy to install and only take about 15 minutes! In this post I’m going to walk you through how to install faux wood cordless blinds with an inside mount (mounting the blinds inside your window frame).
- Active Time: 20 minutes for the first window then 10 minutes/window after that
- Total Time: Same as above!
- Cost: $35/the blinds I chose
- Help Needed?: Nope. I did these solo in our last two homes
- Difficulty Level: Beginner (Use a drill and an impact driver)
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What Blinds to Use
The safest blinds to install in your home are cordless window blinds. The cords were shown to be a strangulation risk to people and pets, so most stores don’t even sell corded blinds anymore! Luckily, you can get relatively inexpensive faux wood cordless blinds at any hardware store.
I’ve used Home Decorators White Cordless Room Darkening 2 Inch Faux Wood Blinds from the Home Depot in our rental property and our home, and I have to say, they are a great option (not a sponsored post, but if you want to Home Depot, I’m here!). You can order them in a few different colors and lengths, and you can order them in widths, down to the 0.25 inch! So, you get a much more custom feel than some other options.
And, these cordless blinds couldn’t be easier to use. You simply grab them in the middle of the bottom rung and pull them down or lift them up! And, then you can turn the wand to open or close the blinds easily as well.
I feel like I can be considered an expert at these blinds, as I installed 9 of them of varying sizes at my rental property last summer. And, I installed 7 of them at our new home this Spring. So, I can confidently say, go buy these if you’re looking for blinds 🙂
A Quick Landlord Tip
A lot of jurisdictions require you, as a landlord, to provide some sort of window covering for all windows in your property. Faux wood cordless blinds are a great way to safely provide the privacy required, with a timeless look you won’t need to replace in 5 years.
If you have already corded blinds in your rental property, I’d strongly recommend replacing them for to reduce your liability. Even if you have the cord holders, it’s just not worth the risk when these are so easy to replace and a relatively small investment that will last you years.
Supplies Needed
This is really a low impact project, in terms of supplies.
That’s it–I promise!
Now, let’s get started! If you’re installing more than 1 set, I’d plan on the first set taking you 15-20 minutes, just as you get used to the install process. And then, any subsequent ones should really only take 10 minutes each.
And, I find it super helpful to open the blinds package and organize the pieces before I start. The package usually comes with options for you to inside or outside mount your blinds, so there will be extra pieces. I just set those aside from the start, so I don’t get confused and try to use them somewhere.
Step 1: Remove Any Old Window Coverings (if needed)
First things first: if you have any old blinds, you need to remove those first.
Most blinds are created the pretty similarly (at least in the ones I’ve installed and removed). So, you should be able to snap or slide off the valance bar in the front.
Then you’ll either need to snap the blinds out of the brackets on the wall, or unscrew any screws holding them into the bracket.
Then unscrew the brackets.
If you really want to get fancy, you can patch the holes with wood filler and paint over them before you start. But, if you’re reinstalling blinds, you’re going to cover those holes right back up, so I wouldn’t bother.
Step 2: Mark Where Your Brackets Will Go
Ok, let’s dive into your new faux wood cordless blinds install! The first step is to mark with a pencil where you’ll need to drill pilot holes for your brackets. Do this by holding the bracket up where it will go, and mark one of the front holes and one of the back holes.
My brackets came with 4 total holes (2 in the front and 2 in the back) to make it easier to install if you have a tricky window. However, you just need to screws. I put one in the back, and one in the front in the opposite side to give it the best support.
Once you have your one bracket marked, move to the other side of the window frame and mark these holes.
To make sure you’re marking the holes evenly, use your measuring tape and measure the distance between the back mark of the first bracket and the window.
Then make sure this second bracket’s back mark is the same distance from the window. That way your blinds will mount properly.
Step 3: Drill Your Screw Holes for Your Brackets
Once you have your spots marked, drill pilot holes in each mark using your drill. Make sure to use the drill bit size provided in your instructions. Or, make the drill bit size is slightly smaller than the screw you are using, if the instructions didn’t give you a size.
Step 4: Screw the Screws Into the Brackets
Now that you have your pilot holes drilled, you’re ready to install the brackets! Using your impact driver (or screw driver if you don’t have an impact driver), screw the screws into the bracket.
After this, you’re done with your tools, so you can put them aside!
Step 5: Prep the Blinds for Hanging
Ok, now I take the time to get the blinds all ready to go before I hang them.
Install the wand by pushing it into place. You’ll hear a loud click when it’s in.
Install the end caps for the top and the bottom of the blinds by pushing them into place. Just make sure you put the right in the right side and the left in the left side, if they’re marked (these were marked with an R and an L).
And, clip your valance clips on. Make sure you hear a loud click, to know they’ve clicked all the way down into place. And, make sure the clips aren’t sitting right where the brackets are going to hook onto the blinds. Just move them a little in either direction, out of the way.
Step 6: Snap the Blinds Into the Brackets
Now, you’re going to hang your blinds! You’ll need to snap them into place in your brackets. For the ones I used, you snap the back in first, then the front.
Step 7: Install the Valence
Now, clip the valance onto the valance clips. It can be a little tricky at first to make sure it clips in place (why you see me trying to see under it. But, once you get the hang of it, it’s super easy.
Make sure the valance is evenly spaced on your window. If not, unclip it and install it again.
Step 8: Give Them a Test Run!
Ok! You should be good to go, but let’s make sure they work perfectly. Pull the blinds up and down. And, turn them open and closed.
And, Done!
That’s really it! How easy was that?! Installing faux wood cordless blinds is really a super easy project for any home or rental property.
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