Install guide · Faux wood blinds

How to install faux wood blinds

Hanging a faux wood blind (a faux wood venetian, if you prefer the older name) takes 10 to 20 minutes per window. Mark the brackets, pre-drill, screw them in, slide the headrail into the brackets and close the doors to lock it. Clip the valance over the front, give the tilt wand a turn, and you are done. The three mounts below differ only in where the brackets go.

Rolli cordless faux wood blinds installed in a mid-century living room, slats tilted open to the light.

Before you start

Check the delivery against your order

Unpack the blind on a clean floor or table and measure the headrail. Compare the width, height, color and mount with your order confirmation before you drill anything. If something does not match, tell us right away and hold off on installing.

Count every part

Lay out the brackets, screws, valance and clips. Spares are included on purpose. If a part is missing or damaged, call us before you start rather than making do.

Get a second pair of hands for wide blinds

Faux wood is heavier than it looks. A blind wider than about 48″ is easier and safer to lift into its brackets with two people, one at each end.

Inspect the window

Look for window handles, cranks, alarm sensors, tile and anything else the headrail or slats could hit. Clear the sill, move furniture back and set your ladder on a flat, stable floor.

Your kit

Everything below should be in the box. Tick it off before you climb the ladder.

  • The blindHeadrail, slats and bottom rail, assembled as one piece
  • Left-hand box bracketMarked L. The hinged door locks the headrail in
  • Right-hand box bracketMarked R. They are not interchangeable
  • Center support bracket(s)Supplied for wider blinds. Use every one you are sent
  • ScrewsFor wood. Drywall and masonry need anchors (see below)
  • Valance and clipsThe decorative face that hides the headrail
  • Valance returnsOutside mount only. Short end pieces that close the sides of the valance
  • Tilt wandRolli faux wood blinds are cordless. The wand tilts the slats; the bottom rail raises and lowers the blind
  • Your toolsDrill, 1/8″ bit, level, pencil, tape, safety glasses, ladder

What you are drilling into

A faux wood blind carries its full weight on two or three small brackets, and it adds a jolt every time the blind is raised. Fasten the brackets to something solid. Identify your surface first.

Wood

Trim, window frame and headers

The simplest case, and the usual one for an inside mount or an outside mount on trim. Pre-drill with the 1/8″ bit and drive the supplied screws straight in. Wood shavings on the bit confirm you are in solid material.

Drywall

Find the framing behind it

For an outside mount above a window with no trim, use a stud finder to locate the header or studs and screw into them. Where a bracket cannot land on framing, use self-drilling drywall anchors or toggle bolts rated well above the weight of the blind. Skip the small plastic plugs that come with picture hooks.

Concrete, brick, stone or tile

Masonry bit and masonry anchors

Switch to a hammer drill with a masonry bit sized to your anchors and use sleeve anchors or plastic masonry anchors rated for the load. On tile, start the hole with a tile bit and light pressure so the glaze does not crack.

Not sure?

Call before you drill

Aluminum window frames, steel framing, plaster-and-lath and older homes all need a different approach. Call a Rolli specialist at 833-447-6554 and describe what you have. We will tell you which fasteners to use.

Install the blind

Choose the mount you ordered. All three follow the same five steps. Only where the brackets sit changes.

Outside mount on trim

Framed windowsShallow framesBest light block

  1. Get organized

    Unpack the blind on a clean floor. Set the left and right box brackets beside the ends of the headrail so you do not mix them up, and count the center supports. Decide where the headrail will sit on the trim: usually flush with the top edge, so the valance covers the top of the trim.

  2. Mark the brackets

    Hold the headrail up where it will go and pencil a light mark at each end. Set a box bracket just outside each mark, open side facing the room, and use the top edge of the trim to keep them level. Mark the two screw holes in each. Space the center supports evenly between the end brackets, no more than 36″ apart, and mark them on the same line. On a cordless blind, keep the center supports clear of the spring mechanism inside the headrail. If the headrail has a sticker showing where the supports go, use it.

  3. Attach the brackets

    Put on safety glasses and pre-drill each mark with the 1/8″ bit. Screw each bracket down over its holes, snug but not so tight that the trim splits. Check the level across all the brackets before you move on.

  4. Insert the blind

    Open the doors on the box brackets. With the slats closed, lift the headrail and slide it into the brackets, front edge first, then push the back up until it seats. Close each bracket door until it clicks, or swing the latch across. Tug the headrail gently. It should not move.

  5. Valance and test

    Clip on the valance with its returns as described below. Lower the blind all the way, raise it again and turn the tilt wand through its full travel. Then check the slats are straight from across the room.

If the trim is narrow or has a sloped profile, the brackets may need to sit on the wall just above it. Use a level line and treat it as the no-trim mount.

L center R 36″ max flush with trim top Brackets on the top edge of the trim, headrail width as ordered
End brackets at the headrail ends, center support between, all on the top edge of the trim.

Outside mount, no trim

Frameless windowsDrywall returnsCovers the whole opening

  1. Get organized

    Unpack the blind on a clean floor and set the left and right box brackets by the matching ends of the headrail. Decide how high above the opening the headrail will sit. Your measuring guide height already includes this overlap, so measure up from the top of the glass by the amount you allowed.

  2. Mark a level line

    Measure up from the top of the opening at both sides, connect the marks with a level and draw a light pencil line the full width of the headrail. Center the blind on the window, mark the headrail ends on the line, and place a box bracket just outside each mark. Space the center supports evenly, no more than 36″ apart. Run a stud finder along the line and note which brackets land on framing.

  3. Attach the brackets

    Hold each bracket on the line, pencil its two screw holes, put on safety glasses and pre-drill with the 1/8″ bit. Where you hit framing, drive the screws straight in. Where you do not, fit a rated drywall anchor or toggle first. On masonry, switch to a masonry bit and masonry anchors. Screw each bracket down and check the level across them.

  4. Insert the blind

    Open the bracket doors. With the slats closed, lift the headrail into the brackets front edge first, push the back up until it seats, then close each door until it clicks or swing the latch across. Give the headrail a gentle tug to confirm it is locked.

  5. Valance and test

    Clip on the valance with its returns, lower and raise the blind once, and run the tilt wand through its full travel. Step back and check the blind is centered on the window with an even overlap on each side.

Mounting a little higher than you need costs nothing and lets the stacked slats sit above the glass when the blind is raised.

stud stud level 36″ max above glass overlap Brackets on a level line above the opening, into studs or anchors
A level line above the opening, the blind centered with even overlap, brackets into framing or rated anchors.

Inside mount

Clean, built-in lookDeep framesShows off the trim

  1. Get organized

    Unpack the blind on a clean floor and set the left and right box brackets by the matching ends of the headrail. Check the frame depth one more time against the minimum on the product page, and look for handles, cranks or locks the slats could catch on. If the window is not deep enough, the brackets can sit at the front of the frame with the headrail standing slightly proud.

  2. Mark the brackets

    The box brackets sit in the top two corners of the frame, open side facing the room, pushed back as far as you want the blind to sit. Hold each one in its corner, make sure the front face of each bracket is the same distance from the front of the frame, and pencil the two screw holes. Center supports go in the top of the frame on the same line, spaced evenly and no more than 36″ apart.

  3. Attach the brackets

    Put on safety glasses and pre-drill each mark with the 1/8″ bit. Screw each bracket into place. On a vinyl or aluminum window frame, drill into the wood or drywall of the recess beside the frame, not into the window unit itself, and call us if you are unsure.

  4. Insert the blind

    Open the bracket doors. With the slats closed, angle the headrail into the recess, slide it into the brackets front edge first and push the back up until it seats. Close each door until it clicks, or swing the latch across, and tug gently to confirm it is locked.

  5. Valance and test

    Clip the valance over the front of the headrail (no returns for an inside mount). Lower the blind, raise it, and turn the tilt wand through its full travel. Check that the slats clear the frame and any handles on both sides.

The blind is made slightly narrower than your inside-mount width so it clears the frame. A hairline gap on each side is normal and lets the blind operate freely.

L center R 36″ max hairline gap each side is normal Box brackets in the top corners, center support on the top of the frame
Box brackets in the top corners of the recess, the same distance back from the front of the frame.

Valance and finishing

The valance is the strip of matching faux wood that hides the headrail and brackets. It goes on last, after the blind is locked in and working.

Fit the clips. Slide the valance clips onto the front lip of the headrail and space them evenly, with one near each end and one in the middle. On an outside mount, press the two returns onto the ends of the valance using the clips on its back, so the valance wraps around the headrail and closes the sides.

Hook on the valance. Hold the valance level against the headrail and press it onto the clips until each one grips. Step back and check it is centered and sits straight. If it tilts, slide the clips rather than forcing the valance.

Check the operation. Turn the tilt wand all the way in both directions. The slats should close flat facing up and facing down. Lower the blind by pulling the bottom rail down gently, then raise it by lifting the bottom rail with both hands, level. A cordless blind should hold wherever you leave it.

Line up the slats. If one or two slats sit crooked out of the box, tilt the blind fully closed in one direction, then the other, and back to open. The ladder strings settle and the slats fall into line.

Keep it clean. Dust the slats with a microfiber cloth or a soft duster with the slats tilted closed, then flip them and do the other side. Faux wood is fine with a damp cloth and mild soap for marks. Do not soak the blind or use anything abrasive.

Rolli cordless faux wood blind installed in a window, slats tilted open with the valance in place.
Finished: valance on, slats straight, bottom rail level.

Child safety

Rolli faux wood blinds are cordless. The slats tilt with a wand and the blind raises and lowers from the bottom rail, so there is no lift cord for a child or pet to reach. That is why we recommend cordless for bedrooms, playrooms and anywhere small children spend time.

If you are also installing an older corded blind somewhere in the house, follow these rules. Screw the cord cleat to the window frame or wall, never tape or glue it, at least 63″ above the floor and out of reach from any furniture. Wind the cord fully around the cleat every time the blind is raised, and keep any loop shorter than about 8 1/2″. Move cribs, beds and climbable furniture away from the window.

Install like a pro

  • Left means leftStand facing the window. The bracket marked L goes on your left. Mixing them up is the most common reason a headrail will not lock in.
  • Level off the trimOn an outside mount on trim, the top edge of the trim is already level. Rest the brackets on it instead of trusting your eye.
  • Pre-drill, alwaysA 1/8″ pilot hole keeps the screw from wandering and stops trim and frames from splitting.
  • Read the drillWood shavings mean framing. White dust means drywall only, so move to a stud or switch to a rated anchor.
  • Slats closed to liftTilt the slats closed before you lift the headrail into the brackets. The blind is stiffer, lighter to handle and less likely to catch.
  • Use every center supportIf we sent two, the blind needs two. A sagging headrail makes a cordless lift stiff and uneven.

Troubleshooting

The headrail will not lock into the brackets.

Check that the left and right brackets are on the correct sides and that every bracket door is fully open before you insert the headrail. Then push the back of the headrail up until it seats and close each door until it clicks. If a door will not close, the bracket is probably not on the same line as the others. Loosen its screws, nudge it and tighten again.

The slats are uneven or one tilts differently.

Turn the tilt wand all the way in one direction, then all the way in the other, then back to open. The ladder strings settle and the slats line up. If one slat is still crooked, check it is sitting in its ladder rungs on both sides.

One side of the blind hangs lower than the other.

Lift the bottom rail all the way up with both hands, keeping it level, then lower it again evenly. On a cordless blind, raising fully resets the lift. If it keeps happening, check that the brackets are level and that a center support is not pinching the headrail.

The blind will not stay where I leave it.

A cordless lift needs a level, well supported headrail. Confirm every bracket is on the same line, every center support is fitted and nothing is rubbing on the frame. Raise and lower the blind fully a few times. If it still drifts, call us at 833-447-6554 with your order number.

A screw just spins and the bracket will not grip.

You have missed the framing. Back the screw out, move the bracket onto solid wood or fit a self-drilling drywall anchor or toggle bolt rated for the load. Fill the first hole with spackle.

I measured, but the blind is too wide or too narrow.

Stop before you drill and call us at 833-447-6554. Have your order number and the measurements from our faux wood measuring guide ready and we will sort it out.

Can Rolli install for me?

Call a Rolli specialist at 833-447-6554. We can talk through your project and professional installation options in your area.

Still choosing a color? Start here.

Every Rolli faux wood blind is made to your window and your mount, cordless as standard. Measure first, then choose your slat color.

Shop faux wood blinds Measuring guide Measure & Install

Questions? We're here.

Call 833-447-6554

Showroom: 2307 Thornton Rd, Suite 108-1, Austin, TX 78704

Sunlight, Solved.

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