How to Shorten Venetian Blinds

Terry Baskeyfield | Posted August 7, 2019

Shortening Venetian Blinds is actually pretty simple and can be done yourself at home. By opting for made to measure blinds you’ll eliminate the need to make alterations however ready-made blinds usually offer a cheaper alternative. With ready-made blinds it is more than likely you will have to make some adjustments as they come in set sizes.

With that in mind you should probably buy a size larger than your window rather than smaller as you can shorten them if they are too long, but you can extend them if they are too short. It is important to shorten them to the correct length as when Venetian Blinds are too long, they will bunch at the bottom which can ruin the look of the blinds.

You must determine the correct number of slats to remove but once you know this it is simple. Something to remember when making alterations to your blinds yourself is that it will likely void any warranty you have on them.

A hand adjusting the top of a white venetian blind

Step 1: Install the Blinds

The first step in shortening your venetian blinds is to install them, this is the only way you’ll know the correct number of slats to remove. The ideal length of venetian blinds is to have the bottom of the blind about ¼ inch above the windowsill, make a mark on the cord where you want the blinds to end. You can see which slat is above the windowsill, this is the going to become the new bottom of the blind once it has been shortened. By allowing a little space between the end of the blind and the windowsill, it will prevent any bunching of the blinds.

A hand holding a screw and screwdriver, installing the heading rail of a venetian blind

Step 2: Remove the Plugs

If you lift up the venetian blind so that you can see the underneath of the last slat you will see there are small plugs which are keeping the slats in place. In order to shorten the blinds, you’ll need to first remove these plugs. You can usually pry the plugs off with a little help from a screwdriver. Make sure you keep the plugs to one side as you’ll be using them again later.

Light creeping through wood effect venetian blinds

Step 3: Cut the Cords

Once you have removed the plugs, you’ll notice that there are knots holding the slats in place; cut the cords above these knots and you’ll now be able to remove the bottom of the blinds. Now cut the cords again where you earlier marked the cord. Cut just above the slat below to allow yourself enough cord to work with.

Hands fixing the bottom of a wooden venetian blind

Step 4: Reattach the Bottom of The Blinds

- The last step in shortening the blinds is to thread the cord back through the bottom part of the blinds and tie a know; make sure it is even. Once you have managed to tie the knots evenly, reattach the plugs back into place. If you have excess cord, make sure to trim it before pushing the plugs back into place.

Using a tape measure to measure the top of a white venetian blind