Blinds, like all wall hangings, need to be hung onto your drywall securely. Knowing this, you might be wondering if blinds need drywall anchors and how to attach blinds in such a way that they will last. In this post, we combine industry professional knowledge and up-to-date research to thoroughly answer your question.
Blinds need to be securely anchored. The best way to achieve this is to attach them to wood trim or framing. This method is much more secure and long lasting than using drywall anchors. Never attach your blinds to drywall alone. To install blinds, follow these general steps:
- Measure window and select blinds
- Read included directions
- Lay out brackets
- Install brackets
- Secure blinds to brackets
- Monitor attachment point
Keep reading the rest of this post for details on each of the above steps and a discussion on why blinds need to be properly anchored. To conclude, we'll answer a few related questions and provide an additional reading list.
Do Blinds Need Drywall Anchors?
As mentioned above, it is very important that you attach your blinds to wood or drywall anchors. If you screw your blinds into the drywall alone, they may initially look fine and even work decently. However, it will not take long before the action of the blinds will tear the screws free.
Once the screws are torn out of your drywall, it is difficult to patch and difficult to replace the blinds. Thus, follow the directions below to ensure long-lasting securely attached blinds.
How To Securely Attach Blinds
Here we'll talk more about the process of securely attaching blinds.
1. Measure Window And Select Blinds
First, you will need to select blinds that fit your windows. Blinds come in many styles, including differences in orientation, material, and coverage. You can peruse the difference between all of these blind types at blind/curtain warehouses and online.
Generally, each blind is either designed to be installed in front of your frame or inside your frame. To measure for an inside frame, simply use a tape measure to measure the distance from one side of the frame to the other. To ensure accuracy, keep your tape at basically the same level as you measure.
For outside-of-the-frame blinds, you will have to choose how far you want the blind to stick past your window. Usually, you will want to match other blinds in your home and have the overhang equal on each side of your window.
2. Read Included Directions
Now that you have selected and purchased your blinds, it is time to determine how best to attach them. This first involves reading the included directions and locating the best attachment point.
Almost all blinds are attached to your window frame or window area by the use of included brackets. So, these brackets attach to your home and then the blinds attach to the brackets. Oftentimes, blind packaging also includes some sort of guide to help you lay out the brackets.
3. Lay Out Brackets
Now, you will need to lay out where the brackets go before attaching them. First, locate the attachment points. Second, ensure level points. And finally, mark bracket locations.
Locate Attachment Points
Information about clearance to the top of the window frame and the distance between the bracket is generally included in the directions. Otherwise, you can identify this information by attaching the brackets to the blinds, holding the blinds in place, and/or measuring the units yourself.
With these limitations in mind, it is now time to identify whether or not you can attach the brackets through structural framing or other wood elements. Options include window trim, window casings (the trim inside the window opening), and any framing.
Usually, window frames are cased in wood. If not, they will have wood framing under the drywall. Therefore, you are good to go with inside-the-frame blinds.
For outside-the-frame blinds, it is often easy to install the brackets to the trim that goes around the window.
Click here for a stud finder from Amazon.
However, if you are installing the blinds outside of the frame and outside of the trim, you will need to use a stud finder to locate the studs. To locate studs, simply draw a stud finder along your wall with the button pressed. It will light up when you bring it over a stud or other framing element.
Using Drywall Anchors
In rare cases, it may be that you cannot attach the blind brackets to wood or framing. In these cases, use drywall anchors for each bracket attachment point. Using these anchors will be much stronger than using screws through drywall alone but still weaker than attaching the screws to wood.
Ensure Level
Click here for a four-foot level from Amazon.
Now, use a level or other device to ensure that you are installing the brackets evenly. Other options include the blinds themselves, straight lumber, the included ledger, or a tape measure from a nearby known surface such as the ceiling.
Mark Bracket Locations
Now, hold the brackets on the level marks and make dots for all of the bracket screws. It is much easier to make these marks than to try and hold the bracket in a place free hand while you screw. Be sure that you know which way is up for the brackets before you make your marks
4. Install Brackets
To install the brackets, first, predrill your holes. By predrilling, it is easier to keep your screws straight, and it greatly reduces the chances that you will crack or otherwise damage any trim that you may be drilling through.
Select a predrill bit that is as small as the screw shaft without the screw threads. To do this, hold the bit in from of the screw. In this position, the shaft should not be visible, but the threads should be fully visible.
Once the holes are predrilled, use the provided screws to screw the brackets into place. Be careful not to over-drill, as this can strip the wood or drywall anchors and weaken the character of the attachment.
In some cases, the provided screws may not be long enough to reach the structural framing behind your drywall.
If this is the case, take the time to buy some longer screws that will bite into the wood by at least one inch. Make sure that the new screws have the same heads as the old screws to ensure proper blind to bracket attachment.
5. Secure Blinds To Brackets
Now, secure the blinds to your brackets. Every bracket type has different methods, but usually, this involves setting the blinds on the bracket and then clicking them into some sort of locking mechanism.
Sometimes, there may be a set screw that you can now tighten to hold the blinds in place without worrying that they will shake around.
6. Monitor Attachment Point
As you use your blinds, make sure to periodically check your attachment points.
If you notice that the screws on the brackets are getting loose, it is wise to retighten or replace the screws with longer or fatter screws as soon as possible. This is because the sooner you make the replacement, the easier the stronger the new attachment will be
Additional Questions
In the following subsections, we'll answer some questions related to the topic of this post.
Are Drywall Anchors Permanent?
Some drywall anchors are permanent while others are not. Even the permanent ones, while impossible to unscrew, can be pushed to the inside of your wall without worrying about causing any damage. However, the large holes that drywall anchors make are permanent unless you choose to fill them with compound.
How Much Weight Will Drywall Anchors Hold?
Every drywall anchor is rated to hold a certain amount of weight. Most are rated to about 50 pounds. However, this rating is only static weight and does not account for the pulling and jostling that occurs with blinds and other movable wall hangings.
Do More Drywall Anchors Hold More Weight?
Yes, adding additional drywall anchors will hold more weight. However, each time you poke a hole in your drywall, you are actually decreasing the overall strength of that section of drywall.
Therefore, if you put several 50-pound drywall anchors next to each other, the final strength will be less than 5o pounds times the number of anchors.
In Closing
In this post, we answered the question of whether or not blinds need drywall anchors. To answer this, we included full step-by-step directions for installing most types of blinds. To conclude, we answered a few related questions. Good luck!
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