How to fix vertical blinds leaving gaps when opening or closing?

westlifegirl

Hi everyone.

Currently renting & at the moment, nearly all of our vertical blinds are leaving multiple gaps when closing.

Is there any way of fixing this? I've enclosed 2 of the blinds affected. Nothing seems to be broken.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!

EricL

Hello @westlifegirl

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your vertical blinds.

This is a very common issue with vertical blinds, and the good news is it’s usually fixable without replacing them. When vertical blinds leave multiple gaps even though nothing looks broken, it’s typically caused by misaligned carriers, twisted vanes, or the track needing re-indexing. I propose trying out the suggested steps below to remedy the gaps in your blinds.

Here are some of the likely causes for vertical blind gaps and suggested fixes:

1. Vanes rotated out of alignment (most common).Sometimes individual slats rotate slightly differently, so when you close them, they don’t sit evenly.
   Suggested Fix: Open the blinds fully, then use the wand/chain to rotate them fully open in one direction, then fully closed, then fully open the other direction. Do this slowly a few times. This often re-synchronises the carriers.
   
2. One or more vanes hooked in backwards
   If a vane was removed for cleaning and clipped back the wrong way, it won’t overlap correctly. Check that all vanes curve the same direction. If one is reversed, unclip it and rotate it 180°.
   
3. Carrier stems slightly twisted
   The little plastic hooks at the top (where each vane clips in) can twist over time.
   Suggested Fix: Remove one vane at a time and gently twist the plastic stem so they all face the same direction. Don’t force them, just move in small adjustments.
   
4. Track out of alignment (needs re-indexing)
   If the internal track gears are slightly out of sync, gaps appear across the whole blind.
   Suggested Fix: Remove all vanes and rotate the track fully open. Then rotate fully closed and reinstall vanes evenly spaced. This resets the internal gear alignment.
   
5. Warped vanes
   Heat especially Aussie sun can slightly warp them, so they don’t overlap. If they bow, you’ll get gaps even when aligned. In that case, replacing just the vanes (not the track) usually solves it cheaply.

However, if after trying out these trouble shooting steps and you still have gaps present, it's possible that the fault is much more serious. I suggest speaking to your property manager or landlord about getting a professional blind installer/repair person to have it fixed.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric