One bent slat. One of those slats that your cat said was a racetrack in the window. Whatever the reason, a broken blind slat is no excuse to get a new blind.
A repair of the blind slats is among the most neglected home repair jobs – quick, cheap, and surprisingly easy after learning the technique. The majority of repairs can be completed within half an hour, it is free in the event that you have the spare slats stowed within your bottom rail, and all that is needed is a flathead screwdriver and a pair of scissors.
This instructional guide is focused specifically on how to replace the blind slats of those with the cords and cordless blinds and how to repair a broken slat using the single-slat fast process as well as what to do with the wood, faux wood and aluminum blinds as well.
Why Blind Slats Break
Before you put up a broken slat back together, it is good to see why it was broken because knowing the reason will determine whether you will need a single fix or it is a bigger issue.
Impact: The most frequent cause is when a pet leaps through the blind or a toy of a child or furniture snatching a slat. These are individual stops and all you need is a basic repair.
The UV degradation is a slower issue. When your slats have turned yellow, chalky, or break off a little on the ends, it is the sun that is rendering every slat in the blind brittle. One fix now implies another one the following month. This is an indication that it should be done to replace the entire blind with UV resistant ones.
Real wood slats used in bathrooms and kitchens are affected by humidity warping. Wood takes moisture up and makes permanent bows – faux wood or aluminum is a superior long term solution where there is high humidity.
In case all other slats seem to be all right and your blind has only one crack or bend, you are in the best position. Let’s fix it.
What You’ll Need for Broken Slats
- Flathead screwdriver (7/32″) — to open the bottom rail plugs
- Needle-nose pliers or tweezers — for threading the lift cord
- Scissors — for trimming cord ends
- Replacement slat — check your bottom rail first, most blinds include 2 to 4 spares stored inside it
PRO TIP: Before purchasing anything, look into the bottom rail. Turn it upside down, squeeze out the plugs and peep. Those are the same spares, in colour, width, and material, and, best of all, free.
How to Replace Blind Slats — Step-by-Step (Corded Blinds)
The process applies to any corded horizontal blinds, such as aluminum mini blinds, faux wood, and wood Venetian blinds with route holes through the centre of the slats.
Step 1 — Lower and prepare the blind
Lower the blind fully. Lay the slats flat such that the lift cord and the ladder strings can be seen. Locate the broken slat: there may be several of them, but you have to begin with the top one and go down.
Step 2 — Open the bottom rail
Reverse the lower rail. Use your screwdriver to remove the 2 to 4 little plastic plugs. Below, there are the knotted ends of the lift cords. It is best to untie them, but cut the knot you can do when it is too tight, leaving 3 to 4 inches of cord under the rail.
Step 3 — Thread the cord up to the broken slat
Pull the lift cord in that order, up through the route holes of the slats at the bottom. Move slowly so as to weld the cord. When you get to the slat that is broken, stop.
Step 4 — Slide out the broken slat
Take the cord off, and wiggle the broken part of the slat out of the strings of the ladder. And it must be in a continuous flow.
Step 5 — Insert the replacement slat
Insert replacement, making sure you check the orientation of the replacement before inserting – the slightly curved side down during the closed blind. And slide it into place in between the strings of the ladder so that it is resting on the horizontal rungs.
Step 6 — Re-thread and retie
Pass the cord back through each slat in its route hole, left side over right one after another each side of the rungs of the ladder (this is the manner in which the blind was originally threaded). Pass through the holes in the bottom rail, and take both the cords to the same length, and tie tight overhand knots.
Step 7 — Close and test
Insert the plugs once again. Test raise, lower, and tilt. The new slat is supposed to move in the same manner as the neighbours.
CRITICAL: Do not cut the lift cord of less than 3 inches of the rail. Too short is that the knot is not going to stand, and the blind will fall when up.
How to Replace Broken Slats on Cordless Blinds
It is the step that most guides do not even bother to mention at all- it is among the most common questions that people are asking regarding blind repair.
There are internal lift cords to cordless blinds. They are guided through all the holes in the slats in precisely the same manner as corded blinds – the difference being that, in place of hanging cords, they attach to a spring-tension apparatus within the headrail. The replacement of slats is almost the same.
The only actual difference is the way the bottom rail opens. The cordless blinds are fitted with end caps on both sides of the bottom rail, or a screw at each end, rather than the centre-bottom plugs on the corded blinds. Prise off or unscrew the end caps using a small flat head screwdriver.
After removing end caps, then reach the internal cord, and loosen the knot with a slight tension (the spring mechanism will create some resistance, but that is normal), and proceed to thread the cord and replace it as with corded blinds above.
Once the end caps have been resealed, repair the mechanism of the spring by pushing the bottom rail down – it must rewind easily and can be held at any height.
CORDLESS TIP: – Sometimes it happens that after the repair the spring tension is not at all in the position of your blind anymore, then it should be rebalanced. Call BuyHomeBlinds.com to have your house blinds serviced.
How to Fix Broken Slats on Wood and Faux Wood Blinds
The easiest type of blind to repair of any kind is real wood and routeless faux wood blinds – as many of these blinds do not have holes in the centre of the slat at all.
When your slat does not include a hole in the centre (is routeless), then you do not need to open the bottom rail, or work with any cords. Just push the side of the ladder that has broken slat aside through the ladder strings and push the new one in. The total time of repair is less than 5 minutes.
Should your wood blind have a hole in the centre route, then proceed by the normal corded procedure as before. You will see whether by looking at the face of either slat, whether it has been routed or not, by seeing whether the lift cord comes through a little hole or not.
WOOD BLIND NOTE: When ordering replacements, be sure to match the direction of the grain and finish of the stain. It is clear that it is an off-shade even before the viewer sees the room. In the case of any blind above 2 years of age, a physical sample tile should be ordered and then a full pack may be purchased, as screen colours are not to be depended on in case of old or sun-faded blinds.
When to Repair vs. When to Replace the Whole Blind
Repair single slats when: 1 or 2 slats are broken, the lift cord and working fine and you are able to match the slat.
Replacement of the entire blind is needed when 3 or more slats are broken, slats are aged and yellowed with UV rays, lift cord or headrail is in poor condition, the blind is more than 10 years old, or you have a corded blind in a room with young children and you want a safer and less hazardous cordless blind.
A new mid-range faux wood blind would usually cost between $35 and $65 – usually less than several rounds of repairs on a damaged blind.
Final Thoughts
One of the most value-repair projects that you can perform in your house is a blind slat repair. A single repair made properly will save you money and time you would spend on a complete blind replacement – and with spares in your bottom rail, the next repair will be free.
To the extent required by your blind, BuyHomeBlinds.com will do the custom cut cordless, wood, faux wood and aluminum blinds which are cut to your exact window sizes and fitted to your personal preferences by our professional team around the DMV and beyond.
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FAQ About Broken Slats
Q1. Can you replace individual slats on blinds without buying a whole new blind?
Yes. The headrail is removable and the tilt mechanism and lift cord can be replaced without making any contact with the remainder of the blind. The majority of horizontal blinds have 2 or 4 unused slats that are placed within the bottom rail due to this reason. Repairing a single slat would take 20- 30 minutes and no cost when you have a spare.
Q2. How do you replace broken slats on cordless blinds?
The cordless blinds contain internal cords of lift which are attached to run through all the slats just like the corded blinds. Using a flathead screwdriver loosen both ends of the rail bottom (not center plugs) and undo the knot of the inside cord, then thread the cord to the point where it is broken and replace it, then thread it down again and re-tie and reseal. Check the spring-lift mechanism, and complete.
Q3. How do you remove slats from horizontal blinds without taking them down?
In the case of routeless wood or faux wood blinds, the slat can be moved out to the side of the blind and it will remain on the blind, requiring no disassembly. In the case of corded blinds with route holes, the bottom rail plugs should be opened with the blind in place in the window. Removal of the blinds in the window bracket is only recommended in case you would rather work on a flat surface.
Q4. How do you remove slats from wooden blinds?
Majority of the real wood blinds are routeless- no holes through the slat centre. Shut the blind entirely and find the damaged slat and push it down the side of the ladder strings entirely in a single movement. Install the new one and place it on the horizontal ladder rungs. None of the tools or cord threading necessary. Its complete mending time is less than 5 minutes.
Q5. Can you fix or straighten a bent aluminum blind slat instead of replacing it?
Sometimes it can be repaired by Gently pressing a bent strip of aluminum, which has been bent, between two heavy books, which will partially mend it. But the crease line normally remains visible and the slat is weaker there thus it is quite likely to break once again. Replacement offers a better and longer lasting outcome. At the majority of hardware shops, replacement mini blind slat packs (50-100 slats) are priced at $5 to 15 dollars.
Q6. Is blind slat repair a safe DIY job or should I call a professional?
Slat replacement is a very safe type of DIY home repair – no electricity or heavy lifting is required, no expert skills are required. The sole exception is when the internal cord of a cordless blind snaps back into the headrail during the repair cycle, and it needs to be procured again; this normally needs expert tasks of breaking down the headrail mechanism. Every other repair of slats is easy to any homeowner.
Slat repair is a satisfying DIY fix for most homeowners — but if you’ve decided a full blind replacement or a fresh installation is the right call, getting the fit and finish right from day one makes all the difference. BuyHomeBlinds.com provides detailed step-by-step guidance for every product we sell, and our team is available to handle professional blind installation for customers across Maryland, DC, and Virginia — so your new blind goes up correctly the first time.