Child Item

How to remove roller from blind mount?

We are renting and a departing flatmate has left us with a broken blind. It looks like he has pulled the blind down too hard and separated the blind from its roller. There is a sticky strip on the blind and we are hoping that we can reattach this to the roller, but it's impractical to even try this while the roller is up on the window mounts.

So my question is, how do we remove the roller from the mounts? A quick Google search brought up a couple of recommendations. One was to pry the roller off the right hand side of the mount, but I pried pretty hard and this didn't work. The other was to push the end pin in to release the mechanism, but the left hand pin doesn't seem to push in.

Left hand mountRight hand mount 2Right hand mount 1Unmounted blind with sticky residue

Find more posts tagged with

Doors and Windows

Accepted answers

All comments

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @panoramica. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about releasing a blind from its mount.

Did you check the right-hand side to see if the pin retracts? If neither pin retracts, then the blind could potentially be a friction fit. The mounts will have a certain amount of play to them, as you've most likely found. You should be able to flex the one on the left out. However, it looks like the blind is very closely fitted into the frame. I would say that there was just enough flex in that left bracket to allow the blind to squeeze in, but now that you're trying to get it out, the pin is catching and can't escape the bracket.

It's most likely that one of the two pins should retract to allow easy removal. Try a finer flathead screwdriver to see if you can get it in further before levering on the pin. Failing that, you might need to consider destructively removing the blind and replacing it with a new unit. The are quite a few budget-friendly roller blinds available.

Let me mention one of our knowledgeable members @TedBear, to see if he has any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

panoramica

Thanks @MitchellMc. I am aware of the vertical play between the blind and the mount. I explored the right hand side with a small flathead screwdriver - pushing the rectangle white prongs does seem to push the unit to the left, but pushing on the round grey prong doesn't do much. I don't have enough leverage to push it far enough to the left with the small screwdriver, plus I'm worried about damaging the window frame. It's also difficult to see how I would push all three prongs in at once in order to release the roller. There's also not enough clearance between the roller and the screws to remove the mounts, so as you say I'd have to destroy the mount in order to remove it. Destroying things is probably a call best made by the landlord.

MitchellMc

Here are another few ways to try @panoramica. With your thumb, bend the left-hand side bracket out away from the blind. Have a look in between the bracket and the blind to see if the is a little space to place the screwdriver on the pin to push it into the blind. Another option, on the side with the cord, push the blind up and then to the left. If those fail, grip the blind firmly on the far left with your right hand, and bend the bracket out to the left with your left hand. By pushing the blind to the right and the bracket to the left, you might just have enough room to pull the blind out.

Unfortunately, there are several methods of removing roller blinds, and each manufacturer seems to come up with their own.

Mitchell

TedBear

Hi @panoramica

the usual way to remove those blinds is to push the chain mechanism upwards (it will only move a little) then push it (& the whole blind) toward the other end. The pin at the other end is sprung and will retract enough to allow the chain end to then drop out.

The chain end is held in place by tiny lugs that hook into short vertical slots.

Edit: the pin end on yours looks like no clearance has been left, so you may have to put a screwdriver between the bracket and the mechanism at the chain end ... after you've lifted it a little, to bend the bracket bottom away from the blind. That should give you enough clearance to get those lugs out of the slots and allow the blind to drop down.. I'm guessing it must have been forced in when fitting it.

MitchellMc

"I'm guessing it must have been forced in when fitting it." I'd concur with that assessment @TedBear. It appears to be a very tight installation, and I wonder whether the tolerances are so tight that it can't be taken out. Hopefully, there is enough flex in the left bracket to allow removal.

Mitchell

MitchellMc

Hi @panoramica,

I just had another thought. Perhaps you could try one of these right-angled screwdrivers. There might be just enough clearance to allow them access to the bracket screws.

Mitchell

JoeAzza

Hi @panoramica I have a similar blind fitting, all I do to remove the blind is to turn the opposite. Side of wheel holding the chain anti clockwise, this will retract the locating pin which willl allow removal of the blind

panoramica

Thanks for your suggestion @JoeAzza . I tried turning the roller away from me and towards me and neither way made any difference. There is also no 'wheel' to turn at either end, so I think your blind must be different to mine.

panoramica

Thanks @MitchellMc. I didn't know those existed - they look like a good solution.

panoramica

Today I managed to get the roller down and the blind back on it.

@MitchellMcInitially I tried some right angle screwdrivers - "SCA Offset Screwdriver Set 3 Piece" NZD 5.99 - after ordering, they arrived the next day, but the angled part was far too long to get access to the bracket screws. I assumed that I'd have the same problem with a ratchet handle with suitable bits so I shelved that idea.

The property agent had done an inspection a week ago and advised us that this was a tenant issue so we had to fix it ourselves (or pay someone to). They also had a relaxed attitude about 'wear and tear', so I realised I could be rough if I needed to.

I pried the right hand side of the roller (with the chain) away from the bracket, then jammed the tool into it to keep it from popping back in. Then I twisted the end of the roller so the pins wouldn't be tempted to re-seat in the bracket (thanks @JoeAzza) and the roller came away, with the left end just popping out. Thankfully the roller was light so it didn't come crashing down onto the window sill as I'd feared.

I rolled the blind out on the bed, so that the display side of the handle plate was facing me, with the solid side of the handle plate facing the mattress. Then, working at the other end I laid the roller on top of the blind, an inch or so from the end. I pulled the blind on to the roller and pushed it into the indent (as instructed by the property agent - this part was fiddly with one person). Then rolled it all the way up.

I remounted the blind, then had an additional problem where I couldn't get the blind all the way down, because the chain joiner would hit the back of the roller mechanism. I pulled the chain out, ensured the blind was all the way up, then fed the chain into the front of the roller, using a screwdriver to drive the roller action while simultaneously twisting the roller itself. The chain emerged out the back of the roller and I reattached it to the other half of the chain. The blind now hangs down about 9cm from the roller. I think I'd have to pull the blind off the roller to get it to retract all the way, and I can't be bothered with that.

Thanks to everyone for their help in resolving this issue. Now I just need to find someone for the room!

Dan

Blind back on the roller, yay!

MitchellMc

Congrats on solving the issue, @panoramica, and many thanks for letting us know the solution. I trust any of our members coming across this discussion with a similar issue will appreciate your efforts.

Mitchell

JoeAzza

@panoramica Well done good to hear it’s fixed, great feedback.

Child Item