HOW TO REPLACE BLIND SLATS Menu

So Fido got his head caught in your horizontal blinds and broke a couple slats trying to get loose. It happens. Whether wood, faux wood, fabric, or aluminum, put enough stress on the slats and they’ll eventually break. Or bend. Or warp. Whatever the damage, the good news is you don’t necessarily need a whole new blind. If everything else is still in working order, it’s easy to replace and fix your blinds with just a new slat or two -- without even taking your blind out of the window! 

Here’s how to fix your horizontal blinds:

Lift and tilt cords on horizontal blinds
Bottom rail plugs on horizontal blinds

  1. First, remove the plugs located on the bottom side of the bottom rail to reveal the knotted lift cords that run through the route holes on both sides of the blind.
  2. Untie the knots, then, at the broken slat, start pulling the lift cords up through the route holes until you reach the one you’re removing. (If you’re replacing more than one horizontal slat, start pulling cords from the highest damaged slat.)
  3. Remove the broken slat(s) from between the ladder strings, and slide in your new replacement slat so they’re resting on the ladder rungs (the little horizontal strings between the ladders that hold the blind slats in place).
  4. With your new replacement slats in place, thread the lift cord back through the route holes in each slat in the blind. Alternate the lift cord from left to right on each ladder rung as you work your way down the blind.
  5. When you reach the bottom, insert the lift cord through the hole in the bottom rail and tie a knot. Make sure the lift cords are even and that the bottom rail hangs straight.
  6. Last but not least, replace the plugs back into the holes on the bottom of the bottom rail. Tap gently with a rubber mallet or hammer to ensure they’re firmly in place (and you don’t leave any marks on the plugs or rail).

Need to fix some window blind slats for Fido? If you’re a SelectBlinds.com customer, just call our Customer Care Team, and if it is possible, we’ll send replacement slats right out to you.

If you do decide your window blinds are a lost cause and it’s time for replacements, that’s easy to fix, too. Start shopping here:

 
Shop our wood window treatments

 

Woods >> SHOP NOW

Classic hardwood horizontals are durable and easy to use. Available in a variety of popular slat sizes and colors, they’re the traditional go-to look that works with any style in any room in your home. These minimal depth 1" Select American Hardwood coverings are ideal for doors!
 
Shop our faux wood window treatments

Faux Woods >> SHOP NOW

Want the look of wood window treatments without the cost? Faux is the way to go, like these budget-friendly 2" Essential Cordless Faux Woods. Besides being less pricey, they’re also resistant to moisture, so a good choice to cover windows in high-humidity areas of your home like bathrooms and kitchens. 
 
Shop our aluminum window treatments

Minis/Aluminums  >> SHOP NOW

Eenie meenie aluminum minis are the industrial strength (and style; check out these Designer 2" Macro minis) workhorses of horizontals. They’re the budget leader, too, and super simple to install.
 
Was this article helpful?
Free Shipping on Everything