How to Fix a Broken Pleated Shade

Repair the cording on a pleated shade

• 1

  Raise the shade if possible. Remove the shade by loosening the tab screws on the back of each bracket. Pull down on the back of the shade to remove it from the brackets. A shade installed with a metal bracket without the tab is removed by using the same motion.

• 2

  Remove the fabric from the bottom and head rails by pulling the cord-lock mechanism and its cover off, and on the same side of the shade, remove the bottom rail end cap.

• 3

  Make note of how the cords run through the cord-lock mechanism. Cut the cords and remove them from the shade. Discard the old cording, but save all the other parts for later use, including the cord adjuster or metal ball condenser, along with the cord tassel or end cover.

• 4

  Rotate the cord guides on the top of the head rail if they are worn. They can be exchanged with the ones in the bottom rail if necessary.

• 5

  Cut one length of new cording for each rout hole in the shade. Each length should measure the shade's width plus twice the height.

• 6

  Use a mid-size needle to thread the new cording into the shade. Start at the cord guides on the top of the head rail, carefully guiding the needle through the routing holes in the fabric.

• 7

  Pull each length of cording down through the bottom rail and tie it off with a plastic washer for extra stability. Pull it snug from the above the head rail and clip off any excess cording on the bottom.

• 8

  Slide the fabric back onto the rails, beginning with the bottom rail. Take care to insert only the outer cell of the fabric into each rail. When inserting the fabric into the head rail, center the cords along the top cell of the fabric, directing them toward the locking mechanism while feeding the fabric back onto the head rail. Make sure not to cross the cords.

• 9

  Guide the cords down through the top of the locking mechanism, again making sure not to cross cords since this can cause an obstruction.

• 10

  Replace the cord lock mechanism and cover on the head rail, along with the end cap on the bottom rail. Keep tension on the cords to avoid twisting or pinching them during this process.

• 11

  Re-install the shade onto the brackets with the fabric compressed. It is best to have a bit of slack in the top of the fabric to avoid catching the top folds of the fabric in the bracket tab. Tighten the screws in the back of each bracket, if applicable.

• 12

  Re-attach the metal cord condenser or equalizer on the cording, approximately where the bottom rail would be with the shade closed.

• 13

  Lower the shade completely and adjust each string so the bottom rail is level. Loosen the metal cord condenser or equalizer to lock the strings in the proper position, if necessary.

• 14

  Secure the metal cord condenser or equalizer in place so that it rests just below the head rail when the shade is closed.

• 15

  Replace the cord tassel or cover at the end of the cording. Tie knots in each cord.