Blinds for double-glazed windows

[news0106.wagtail]

I've recently moved into this flat which has got double-glazed windows. I want to have venetian blinds put up, but I've been told by various probably non-knowledgeable salespeople that I can't do this without damaging the double-glazed window units. Is this true? Surely people have venetian blinds on double-glazed windows? Appreciate any info.

Daisy

[TYZZ]

Try a company called Conservatory Shades Ltd they specialise in fitting PVC conservatories with all sorts of blinds, inc venetian.

A few of my friends have used them in the past and are pleased with the results. I think one of them did infact have venetian put in, but im not sure, send for a brochure.

[John]

The only damage I can see being caused in a normal installation is there will be holes left by the screws if and when the blinds are removed.

HTH

John

[Mr Fixit]

I have put blinds up with out drilling the windows I have either drilled though the side or the top of the reveal (if that's the right word )

[Stuart Noble]

You can use short self-tapping screws anywhere where they won't hit lock or hinge mechanisms. Pilot drill the smallest hole you can.

[Geoffrey]

I can't imagine why it would be.

Our house has blinds on all the windows and on the kitchen door - all are double glazed, half are UPVC and the rest wood surround.

When the installers came, they fitted the blinds above the UPVC windows and door on the lintel (if that's what it's called). For the wood surround ones they used small screws into the wood - that hasn't affected the actual windows and when we removed one we just filled the holes. Our windows are set back like this (side view) :

___________________________

[news0106.wagtail]

Thanks, if I can't figure out a solution I may do that.

Daisy

[news0106.wagtail]

Not sure what a reveal is. I'm particularly trying to figure out what to do about the half-glazed kitchen door, where the blinds will have to be fitted to the uPVC. On the other windows, I now realize, the blinds can be fixed to the wood above the windows. Perhaps that's a reveal.

Thanks.

Daisy

[news0106.wagtail]

The salespeople seemed to think that that was the problem -- holes in the uPVC caused by the screws. One said that it would invalidate any guarantee. I don't have a guarantee, but don't want to cause unnecessary damage if it can be avoided. I guess the problem is that you can put a screw into a wooden surface and then if later you remove it, you can fill and paint over the hole, but you can't do that with uPVC. (Struggling to get my non-DIY-oriented head around the problem.)

Daisy

[John]

The 'reveal' is the recess between the inside wall and the window frame. The window cill is effectively the bottom of the reveal if that makes sense to you.

HTH

John

[news0106.wagtail]

Thanks for the drawing, that helps a lot. Most of my windows are recessed so it looks like the blinds could be fitted to the lintel as you describe. Any suggestion for the half-glazed kitchen door? The whole door is uPVC and since it's a door the blinds have to be fixed to the uPVC somehow.

May just have to accept that the door will be damaged, and not worry about it.

Thanks for the explanation.

Daisy

[news0106.wagtail]

The salespeople seemed to think that that was the problem -- holes in the uPVC caused by the screws. One said that it would invalidate any guarantee. I don't have a guarantee, but don't want to cause unnecessary damage if it can be avoided. I guess the problem is that you can put a screw into a wooden surface and then if later you remove it, you can fill and paint over the hole, but you can't do that with uPVC. (Struggling to get my non-DIY-oriented head around the problem.)

Daisy

[Ron Clark]

On 4 Jan 2006 02:52:31 -0800, [e-mail] wrote this (or the missive included this):

So just white varnish the heads of a few short self-tapping screws and pop them into the holes. I can't see that this is going to weaken the structure in any significant way, and it will look tidy.

Alternatively, I've carefully filled holes with acrylic-type filler and smoothed off with a moistened spatula (and I'll bet you couldn't find them in a hurry)

[Geoffrey]

I just had a proper look at the blind on our half-glazed uPVC kitchen door. The blind is, in fact, fixed to the uPVC :)

Well it hasn't caused any problems for us.

[news0106.wagtail]

Thanks. Yes. That makes perfect sense.

Daisy

[news0106.wagtail]

:-)

Thanks. I shall get the blinds put up and stop worrying.

Daisy

[news0106.wagtail]

:-)

Thanks. I shall get the blinds put up and stop worrying.

Daisy

[news0106.wagtail]

:-)

Thanks. I shall get the blinds put up and stop worrying.

Daisy