How to Install Enclosed Blinds on French Doors
Enclosed blinds make a great addition to any set of French doors. They work well to block out any direct sunlight while reducing the possibility of injury from a glass door. You will find that these blinds are actually quite easy to install even when the manufacturer's instructions are sometimes confusing.
- Measure the French door’s windows from the outside edge to the outside edge, both horizontally and vertically.
- Purchase a kit from your local home improvement store. Make sure that the size on the box matches the dimensions for your French doors.
- Take the kit home and gather your tools (i.e. screwdrivers, glass cleaning supplies).
- Clean the glass on your blinds before you install them because the dust and adhesive residue on them is easier to clean off now than later.
- Remove any spacer or placeholders that are keeping the blinds from moving.
- Remove the screw covers from your French door’s windows. These should pop out easily with your hand or a flat head screwdriver.
- Carefully screw the wood screws into the spacer.
- Unscrew the screws at all corners on your window frame just enough to release some of the tension so that you can pull the window frame out a little.
- If your kit contains spacers, insert them to keep your existing frame pulled out.
- Insert and secure the metal brackets to hold your blind unit at the top of the window.
- Install the blind unit on the to brackets.
- Align the sides of your blind unit.
- Use either the spacers or a flat head screwdriver to put the window frame out a bit.
- Push the side tabs into place.
- Test the blind unit’s stability to ensure that all brackets and tabs are securely in place.