How To Shorten Faux Wood Blinds At Home | Tools + DIY & Professional Guide 

You thought going for faux wood would save you the effort and money for wood. You were going for the “economical” option. But things have gone awry. Despite perfect measurement, they are oversized and a loose fit. Now, you have to pay someone to get the blinds the right size. Hold that thought. All you need are some basic tools for shortening the blinds. Sounds cool. Right? Well then, brace yourself because Lush loom is going to tell you, in the exact step-by-step guide, how to resize your faux wood blinds.

But there are some instances where professional blind shortening is unavoidable. We are going to discuss both when to create a DIY project and when to call a professional. Resizing includes removing extra slats and cutting the extra length horizontally.

In this Guide:

1- How to shorten wooden blinds with tapes
2- How to cut faux wood blinds without a saw
3- How to shorten cordless faux wood blinds
4- How to remove slats from cordless blinds

1- How to shorten wooden blinds with tapes?

Let the blinds lower fully. Take the blinds down and unscrew the bottom rail. You don’t need to take off the decorative tapes during the process. Untie the cord and take out the desired number of slats from the blinds set. Tie the knot and hold the blinds against the window. Make changes as necessary.

2- How to cut faux wood blinds without a saw?

You can also use a pair of scissors if you don’t want to handle a saw. Another very effective method is scoring the blinds. Stack the blinds evenly. Measure the exact width you want and score the blinds deeply with a sharp utility knife. After that, you can easily snap off the blinds to your desired size.

3- How to shorten cordless faux wood blinds?

Open the blinds fully and remove the caps of the bottom rail. Take out the railing system. Now start taking out the blinds until they reach the ideal length. Double-check the length and place the caps back on. The cordless lift would adjust to the new blinds’ length by itself.

4- How to remove slats from cordless blinds?

Lower the blinds. Remove the bottom rail. Now, carefully, take out the slide rail and untie the railing cord. Remove the slat without tangling the ladder cord. Once you have reached the exact length of the window, slide in the railing system, secure the caps, and remount the blinds on the windows.

Why Shortening Faux Wood Blinds Is Necessary? 

Normally, wooden blinds come in standard sizes. These are curated to fit large windows. So if your windows are smaller or compact, these might not give the look you’re going for. Shortening blinds becomes necessary in these cases to make them fit better. You can shorten even automatic motorized blinds. So that your windows would have a clean and sharp look.

Perfect Window Framing

Shortening oversized blinds is not something done for fun; it’s necessary. Shortened blinds frame the window beautifully. And if done right, they give a neat and tailored look. Perfect blinds complement your home decor, while the clumpy look would overshadow the whole room.

To Avoid The Stuffed Look 

Blinds longer than your window should have the bottom rail. Even seeing oversized panel blinds could make you feel awkward. The blinds look heavily stacked and stuffed. This is not a decent look. This is the thing that should be avoided through blind shortening.

Gather Your Toolkit — What You’d Need The Most 

We have discussed the safety gear that is a must-have for you to handle the tools we have discussed next.

Safety Gear! Even More Important Than The Tools 

• Gloves
• Face Shield or Mask
• Safety Goggles

The List Of Must-Have Tools!

• Measuring Tape
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Scissors
• Marking Chalk
• Handsaw

What You Need And How To Resize These Faux Wood Blinds?

Now that we have gathered our equipment, let’s start the resizing process.

Remeasure & Mark

First, unfold the blinds and let them fall. Now, with a marking chalk or a pencil, mark the perfect size. Now, you have the perfect measurement for your blinds. Next, take down the blinds from the window. Use a screwdriver for extra help. Lay them down on a flat surface. Now count how many slats need to be removed in order to be the perfect size.

Resizing By Removing The Slats

Now, for a simple resizing that does not require a saw or any cutting, it is way simpler. You just need to open the bottom rail with a screwdriver, untie the cord, and take out the counted slats. That’s it. That’s the whole process. That’s done. This is most commonly done for duplex blinds. After that, secure the remaining cord with a tight knot or heat-seal it. Screw-in the bottom rail, and your blinds are now resized to fit your windows properly.

Resizing By Cutting The Extra 

If you need to resize your blinds horizontally, there’s only one way of doing it. Cut the extra width. The same can be done with your bamboo blinds. Shorten their length. Now we know that cutting a hard material like faux wood is not easy, that’s why we are here. Mark the exact size with the chalk that you need. Now, place them on the floor. Put on your safety gear. Industrial-grade gloves, a safety helmet with front protection, and glasses for double protection. Turn on the electric saw and start sawing the pieces of blinds straight through the mark. After that, hang back the blinds and clean up the work area. Run a vacuum through the space and dispose of the slat pieces.

Steps For A Job Well Done — Professional Tips! 

Here are some clean, concise, and helpful tips to ensure a flawless shortening of blinds.

• Measure Twice (for surety)
• Take Out Excess Slats
• Remove & Reinstall The Bottom Rail With Care
• Cut And Seal The Fraying Ends

Slats Should Be Aligned!

Do not knot the cord extra tight. It can put strain on the ladder cord, and it might break before its time. Place the plugs in their position. This would make sure that the blinds are completely aligned.

How To Maintain Durability After Shortening Blinds?

These are some simple but quite useful tips

• Operate blinds gently — Tugging would damage the cord.
• Regular cleaning — Use a soft cloth to clean the slats.
• Don’t overdo the knot — Tightening the knot would damage the cord.

Common Pitfalls — How To Avoid Them? 

During a DIY project, it’s common to make some mistakes. But this doesn’t mean that you have to continue making mistakes during blinds shortening.

Cutting Without Measurement And Ignoring The Bottom Rail 

Most people just “guess” the measurement of the blinds and run with it. This ends in uneven slats and inoperable blinds. Measure precisely so you don’t have to face this issue.

Over Shortening Of Blinds 

This issue arises from the same pit, not measuring the blinds properly. You just guess the number of removable slats and just go with it. It’s very important to measure the blinds before doing anything else.

Professional VS DIY Blind Shortening — When DIY Just Won’t Do It! 

There are some instances where every home project fails. This is where professionals come in.

Complex Windows 

Sometimes, complex windows require professional assistance. For example, bay windows, arched windows, and angled windows are the ones whose blinds can’t be resized without professional guidance. Moreover, wider windows also require expert handling.

Incomplete Toolkit And Skill Set! 

You can easily hurt yourself if you haven’t used tools to shorten the blinds before. Moreover, this could ruin the blinds as well. The better option is to call a professional for expert shortening of blinds.

Maintenance Tips For Faux Wood Blinds 

Maintaining these blinds is easier compared to the real wood blinds.

• Dust regularly to get rid of any buildup in the blinds.
• Deep clean the blinds monthly.
• Check the cords for dirt — it can hinder the functionality
• Avoid excessive moisture- these blinds can still warp!
• Replace the cord every 6 months to avoid breakage.

The Bottom Line

And — it’s done! You are now a pro in blinds resizing. Doesn’t matter; it includes only the removal of the extra slats or the mechanical resizing. It includes sawing away the excess length from each of the slats until the blinds fit perfectly within the window frame. We also educated you about the situations that call for professional help for shortening blinds. Moreover, we also provided you with some professional tricks for a flawless shortening.

One more thing to remember. When you’re resizing them by cutting, make sure you place the chalk marks equally distant on both sides. Double-check the markings. Any miscalculations can result in untidy and poorly measured blinds. These would not look good at all.