How to Replace the Fabric of Blackout Roller Blinds

Blackout roller blinds have become increasingly popular, particularly among families with small children and babies, or those who work the night shift. Blackout blinds work by totally blocking the light from entering the room, using thick material such as PVC or other plastic to prevent light shining through, as it would penetrate the weave of a normal blind.

Blackout roller blinds are so popular you may find your own particular blind is beginning to look drab, old fashioned, or even dirty through regular use. If you wish to replace the fabric in your blackout roller blinds, just follow a few simple rules to doing the job quickly and easily.

Step 1 - Remove the Old Fabric

Before you do anything else, you will need to remove the old blackout fabric. This involves taking down the roller blind. Remove the rods gently from their positions to avoid damage, and then take off the roller at the top. You may find that the roller has been screwed into place, but this can be easily removed using a common screwdriver.

Once the roller is free of the blind mechanism, lay this and all the other blind hardware to one side. You can use this when refitting your new blackout blind fabric.

Step 2 - Unsew the Fabrics

Blackout blinds are made of two pieces of fabric sewn together. The blackout fabric, and one with a more decorative design. If you wish to change only the former material, then you will need to unpin it from the colored cloth. Do this by laying the entire blind down on a table, and then cutting through the knots which hold the thread together. You may find it helpful to pull the thread out with some pliers, as this will help to keep your fingers from being made sore when you pull the stitches.

Step 3 - Sew in the New Fabric

Once the old fabric has been unstitched from the blind cloth, you will need to sew in your new material. This can be done by simply laying the new cloth where the old one has just been removed from, and using the holes in the blind material to sew your new blackout fabric into place. Just take some new thread and stitch it into position following the holes you have made by pulling out the old stitches. If you don't feel able to do this, fold up your blind cloth and stitch the blackout material into position.

Step 4 - Install the Blind

Once you have remade your blind material, replace the hardware, taking care to ensure the rods are in a secure position, and fix the material back on to the roller at the top. This can then be put back on to the roller blind mechanism, screwing it back into place if necessary, and the rods re-threaded with the pulley rope. Your blackout blind should now work as effectively as before, but you will have a brand new blackout fabric in place.