I'd like to replace some roller-blinds that have become rather tatty. Only the fabric needs to be replaced.
The question is: what's an appropriate kind of fabric?
It needs to be able to hold itself together without being hemmed, otherwise the edges will fray.
It needs to hold a square shape extremely well, otherwise it will tend to creep left or right on the roller.
And it needs to be pretty thin, otherwise it will pile up excessively on the roller.
Daniele
You could ask terrysfabrics.co.uk. We have bought several blinds from them, they can only say 'NO' if you ask for material alone. They might even supply it cut to size.
Good luck.
Consider also buying some cheap blinds from somewhere like The Range and stripping off the fabric
The fabric tends to be OK and can be cut down (length and width) without edges fraying. The fittings are adequate but not the best and your existing fixings may be a lot better quality. On the The Range cheap roller blinds the fabric is attached to the roller with double sided tape so its easy to dismantle.
If you need a weighted rod at the end of the blind one of the fabric glues can work to secure the folded material.
I have this same problem with my south-facing bathroom roller blind. I don't want to change the roller and fixings because of the tiling.
The fabric seems to be quite stiff, almost as if it is starched.
Yes, I believe some sort of fabric stiffener is generally used.
Daniele
It's usually two fabrics, stuck together with a fusible (i.e. iron-on) coating. Choose your "show" curtain fabric and iron it onto the backing that has the adhesive already applied. Alternatively you can get spray-on fabric stiffener, but I'd be inclined to experiment with PVA for a proper DIY job - I know people use it for textile crafts, not sure how it would hold up on a blind. To trim the prepared fabric a rotary cutter (like a pizza cutter) is probably the best way to get a crisp finish, but it can take a bit of practice to follow a ruler.
If you haven't got some large shears for cutting fabric then long bladed, and sharp, wallpaper scissors can be a good substitute.
I doubt that dried PVA is flexible enough for this application where the material has to be rolled quite tightly.
PVA will be flexible enough . It often used to make the surrounds of (cheap) loudspeaker cones a bit less prone to fraying and collapse
We had a problem when our roller blinds became torn at the bottom. The answer, suggested by a blind company, was to reverse the matrial on the roll. (i.e.) bottom to top. Worked perfectly. We let the helpful blind company carry out the operation. Lot cheaper than new blinds
I have tailor's shears which work very well, and wallpaper shears, but I think any slight unevenness is really going to show on blinds because it's the raw edge that you can see - no tucking it away behind a hem.
I expect it would be a bit crispy on a heavy fabric, but spread at the right thickness/dilution on a suitable fabric I think there's a fair chance it would behave as required.
Most of the time I just buy a new blind. However the stuff on longer blinds seems heavier than on the smaller ones by feel. One side seems furry, the other smooth, but once a nick gets in them they rip very easily. Brian
Of course you need a weighted strip for the bottom, as if its blowing in the wind that is a very good way to rip them. The bit of plastic or wood they supply seems never to be heavy enough, they also roil up better the heavier the weight. Brian
Just unrolled my bathroom blind to the roller which is a metal tube and the blind is stuck on with ?double-sided tape and then folded over by 180 degrees so that the excess rolled-up blind holds it all together.
Once the heatwave is over I will venture down to Worthing where there are 3 or 4 blind/curtain shops.
This is the most difficult problem.
The edges of factory-made fabrics are usually ultrasonically welded.
I think some of the dual-layer blind fabrics (a rubberised blackout material plus a woven decorative layer) can be cut, and rely on the rubberised layer to keeo the woven threads together at the edges.
The ones I want to replace are pretty transparent, and I don't think I'm going to find a material that will do that job well, except by ordering some made-to-measure fabric from a specialist blind manufacturer.
Daniele
I'm not in the UK, but if you want an indication of how my my quest is going, here's some prize gibberish at
Fabric Composition: 100% Polyester
Daniele
FWIW that 'CoverUp interiors' shop on Chapel Road, Worthing (next to The Fabric Shop) had a well odd proprietor, the last time I went in there. I wouldn't try to shop in there again.
I happened to be looking for something else and came upon:
Hi-Tack Fabric Stiffener 250ml HT1600. Suitable for most fabrics. Easy to use, safe and non-toxic. Permanently stiffens fabrics and has a built in sheen. Suitable for most synthetic and natural materials and can be diluted with water. Stiffens according to strength of mixture. Ideal for blind making. Apply either by brush or dipping
and
500ml Jones Interiors blind stiffener 500ml Fabric stiffener spray for roller blinds helps prevent wrinkling and fraying. Make your own roller blinds from almost any curtain fabric.(If water absorbent) Treats approx. 4sq mt depending on absorbency Not suitable for Dupion, Moiré or similar synthetic fabrics. Do not use on Scotch guarded or similar treated fabrics.Theo
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